Exercise, wellbeing and weather.

Elsie and I have been discussing exercise, and trying to shift our thinking from a discipline-based or goal-oriented thing, like "yay I did Jillian 4 times this week I'm so proud of myself", towards a sort of wellbeing thing. So it's more about "just moving", as they say, and enjoying it for its own sake. I'm doing less Jillian but more swimming and walking. I still plan out my swims, walks, and Jillians for the week and it takes discipline to get up early or leave work on time. But I'm trying not to reduce it to forcing myself, to getting it over with and only enjoying being satisfied and tired afterwards; I'm trying to make it more about enjoying moving, enjoying fresh air, enjoying water.

The weather has been abysmal this summer. Swims and walks were cancelled. But, it's worth trying despite the weather, and not just so that you can tick off exercise for the day. Weather can actually enhance the experience. You are more aware of the world when it is blowing you or wetting you—it's a richer experience. It gets you out of your head a bit more, and it can be surprisingly beautiful as well, if you pause and appreciate it. A few weeks ago I swam in the morning with a friend and it was spitting and dark, but we went down to the sea anyway. Got in the water and it started pouring. It was amazing being surrounded by raindrops splashing into the ocean. The surface of the water was very pretty. So it's almost MORE worthwhile in bad weather. I may be over-romanticising rain, but it's worth trying.