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| Celia Cusick ('20) |
When is the last time you did something purely for yourself? If
you are like me, you might find that so many of things you do on a daily basis
seem to be about punching the card or checking it off a list. Life is busy and
sometimes you forget to carve out time and prioritize doing something that is
purely for you. I count myself lucky (and privileged) that I am able to attend
college and travel frequently, but sometimes I get swept up in the stress and
forget to enjoy the ride. But there is one thing that I do purely for myself: working out. I prioritize hitting the gym because for at least that hour all I have to think
about is myself- and that’s healthy and normal. It gives me time
to step away from all of the other chatter going on in my life, community, and
the world; which I think is essential to regulate stress and maintain a
balanced lifestyle. I make time for an hour every day to do something for
myself- my happy hour. My happy hour of the day takes the form of CrossFit.
On any given
day, if you are to wander into a CrossFit gym during or directly after a
workout, you are sure to find several looks of anguish, sweat soaked shirts,
and bodies sprawled on the floor. CrossFit, regardless of athletic ability,
never seems to get easier and that’s the beauty of it. I love proving to
myself that I am capable and there is nothing better than seeing your hard
work be validated. There is always a gymnastic movement to nail, a lifting
technique to be tweaked, and raw conditioning to be improved. CrossFit has
taught me that there is no work out, drill, or movement that I am above.
There is no greater place to get served a heaping helping of humble pie than
from your local CrossFit box. My me time is CrossFit because it’s
something I do with no other goal in mind than to be better than I was the day
before. I love proving my potential to myself and helping others see
what they can do too.
I schedule a
time to hit the gym every day because for me that is an important part of
self-care. I love challenging myself and connecting with others while I am
doing it. The community of people around you make it that much better. It is
comforting knowing that I have a support system cheering for me. Some of my strongest friendships and mentorships began in the gym and for that
I am thankful. CrossFit, for me, is an act of self-care. I use it as a time to
turn off the other parts of my life, get my sweat in and work hard.
Regardless of how my day was going before I step into the gym, I come out
feeling better than I went in. For me, that is enough of a result to keep
coming back. Investing in yourself and working hard to create self-growth develops grit and determination that carries over long term. Self-care is
important to keeping oneself dialed in and intentional in other areas of your life.
Life is about much more than just checking off boxes and punching cards, so
pick something you love to do and stick with it. There is nothing wrong with
carving out time for something you love to do-in fact it’s crucial- to stay
healthy and productive in other areas of life.
Your happy hour
doesn’t have to be fitness or even fitness related, but take some
time and reflect upon what you do in any given day and what activity you do
that is just for you. If the answer to the question I posed at the beginning of
this blog is too difficult to immediately answer than you are in need of some
serious self-care. Pick something and make it a nonnegotiable because self-care
and mental health are extremely important to prioritize. Schedule other things
around that one hour- you have the time to do so as long as you make time. Don’t
let yourself get trapped in the monotony and stress of life- be radical when it
comes to self-care. An hour a day isn’t much to ask and you deserve it
because no one is their best version of themselves when they are overworked and
overstressed.
Let this year be a wakeup call, you are valuable and you deserve
to invest in yourself. Now go, happy hour awaits.
Celia Cusick, of Elizabethtown, Ky., is a member of the McConnell Scholar Class of 2020. She studies political science and psychology at the University of Louisville.