I’ve found my escape. What’s yours?

I love keeping myself busy with things I love doing, but sometimes living the 100-mile-an-hour student life takes its toll. I have this tendency to over-analyze and worry WAY too much about everything… so when there’s a whole bunch of things going on all at once, I inevitably start feeling strained. But I know that there is one thing I can turn to in order to release any negative energy. I’ve discovered an outlet through which I can burn away my stress, clear my thoughts, and just put life on hold for a while. Ever since I took up cross-country running in my first year of high school, I’ve kept at it. It’s been two years since I’ve actually raced, but it was never really about that for me. I didn’t care about winning or being the fastest. Over the years, running has become my escape from the stresses of everyday life. On days when it feels like nothing is going my way, I’ll go for a run. When I’m angry, frustrated, or completely distraught about something, I’ll take my mind off of it by running. And when I’ve re-read the same sentence five times and the computer screen starts to get blurry, well, there’s not much left for me to do but lace up and hit the road. I’ve come realize that it’s MOST important to make time for an “escape” when I’m so busy/stressed that I feel like I don’t have time for it. I had FIVE exams in FOUR days last week, so leading up to that my life was a blur of eating, sleeping, and studying like mad. But I also made sure to fit running into the picture, especially since it has been so mild out lately. Even if I only got outside for a bit, I always came back feeling refreshed, re-energized, and glad that I took the time out of my busy day for it. As exams wrap up and the holidays approach, the whirlwind of festivities can be stressful too. So I encourage you to find an activity that makes you feel alive and can help you get through a bad day. It doesn’t have to be running. Maybe you are heading back home to snowy mountains, and can’t wait to hit the slopes. Or perhaps simply heading outside for a walk to see the Christmas lights lets you clear your mind. Yoga, Zumba, the elliptical – it doesn’t matter what it is. The important thing is to find something that gets your body moving, something to fall back on whenever you need to get away from all the stress and worries of the day. If you’re looking for more ideas, then check out the MoveU crew’s awesome tips! Already got a favourite sport that you turn to as your escape? Planning a fun activity for the holidays? I’d love to hear about it! -Lesia