What’s Your Mental Break?

If you sit back and think, there is always a reason why someone goes to the gym. There is a reason why they start and why they keep going. For me, it started back about 10 years ago. My mom passed away suddenly and it put me in a spot in life where I felt like I needed to make some better health decisions. I have always been active in soccer and at the time was playing indoor, but i needed something more. 

I was living in my first house that I bought on my own and was always a little strapped for cash, so I needed something that was cheap and that I could fit in with my schedule of having 3 jobs at the time. So, the first thing that came to mind was running. If you have talked to me about running, you know that I grew up hating it. I was never a fan of the mile run in grade school and was over run in soccer. But at this time, this was one thing I felt I could do to help get myself in the right direction.

I started slow and eventually got myself running 3 miles at a time without stopping or walking. I soon got to the point where running became my outlet. Bad day at work, run. Bored, run. Stressed, run. Nice day outside, run. Thinking about my mom, run. I soon realized that running was my way of getting my mental break. It was a way to either think about everything I could during my run, so I would stop dwelling over it, or to not think at all and get the mental rest that my brain needed from the day. 

Finding out that I started to love something that I once hated was a sense of accomplishment for me. It took me away from the daily stresses in life and to a place where I didn’t have to worry (besides taking the wrong turn to find myself running up hill). 

Fast forward eight years later, married, with three dogs, and twins. Now is the time, more than ever I find myself needing a mental break. I need to be able to pull myself out of the house and away from the kids for my me time. You need to be able to do something for yourself that when you are done, your mind feels refreshed and ready to face the rest of your day! It took me a really long time to realize this with having kids. Mine is getting in a good run or going to the gym for some strength training. OCR practice is great as well, it’s always good to be around such positive people. For others it may be going to get your hair done, reading a good book, getting a massage, playing a sport. Whatever it may be, it’s what you choose to help clear your mind. 

I have found that when I take my mental break, it makes me an overall better person and more importantly a better mom to Oakley and Sloan. In the meantime I am taking care of myself so that I can keep up with twin toddlers and to be around longer to enjoy everyday with those kiddos and be able to watch them grow and see them find the things in life that make them happy and also being a positive influence for them in hopes that they take on the same love for their ”mental break” as their mom does.

So take a minute and think of what your mental break is and make sure you take one for yourself today!

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