Dearest friend,
For as long as I can remember, movement has been part of my life. I started playing sports when I began school at seven years old and from that moment on, being active simply became who I was.
Through primary school and high school I tried many different kinds of sports, always drawn to the feeling of moving my body, pushing my limits, and feeling strong.
As I got older, running became my greatest love. There was something deeply freeing about it, the rhythm of my feet on the road, the quiet space it created in my mind and the sense that no matter what life brought, I could always go for a run and feel better afterward. Running wasn’t just exercise for me; it was therapy. It carried me through difficult seasons, cleared my thoughts and helped me process life in a way nothing else could. It was also very addictive in someway.
Even during pregnancy, I kept moving. Exercise had become as natural to me as brushing my teeth, just a normal part of daily life that made everything feel a little better.
But around the age of forty, things began to change. My left hip and knee started giving me trouble, and slowly I had to accept that running could no longer play the same role in my life that it once had. It was not easy to let go of something that had meant so much to me for so many years.
Still, my love for movement never disappeared. I knew I needed to find another way to stay active, something that would support my body instead of pushing it beyond its limits.
When I was younger, I honestly thought slow movement looked a little silly, long stretches, holding poses, it felt so different from the fast pace of running that I loved.
But now, at fifty, I can confidently say that it has been one of the best discoveries of my life.
There is something incredibly beautiful about slowing down and truly connecting with your body. Stretching and Pilates has helped me stretch muscles that running had tightened over the years, improve my balance and build flexibility that I never realized I was missing. It has also brought a sense of calm and grounding into my daily routine.
Recently, I added strength training to my routine as well, it is helping me to support my joints and keep my body strong.
Mornings are my favorite time to move. There is something almost magical about starting the day with exercise, the quiet of the early hours, the feeling of waking up your body and the sense of accomplishment before the day has even begun.
Even though I no longer run, walking has become another joy in my life. Whenever I can, I go for a walk for at least 30 to 45 minutes, sometimes longer depending on where I am. Walking gives me that same sense of freedom I once found in running, time to think, breathe, and simply enjoy being outside.
Looking back, my relationship with exercise has evolved over the years, but the heart of it has always remained the same. Movement has always been my way of caring for myself, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
At fifty, I may move differently than I did at twenty or thirty, but in many ways, I appreciate it even more now. Exercise is no longer about speed or performance. It is about longevity, strength, balance, and gratitude for a body that continues to carry me through life.
If there is one thing I have learned along the way, it is this: the way we move may change with time, but the joy of moving never has to disappear.
With love,
The Whimsical Mailbox