The Sun Also Rises

Welcome to the first blog post on ‘The Sun Also Exercises’! What is this blog about and how can it help you? Simply put, ‘The Sun Also Exercises’ is a blog dedicated to writing about my personal experience navigating the importance of wellbeing. As I entered adulthood, I spent many years questioning how I could maintain my physical, emotional, and mental health when difficult moments entered my life. It wasn’t always easy for me to remain level headed when I faced frustrations I felt I could not manage. In fact, managing my frustrations, or the typical pitfalls of life, was something I found myself struggling with for years. When watching or reading posts on social media, each thing I consumed fed the idea that wellbeing can be achieved through embodying “a positive mindset”. Exercise, eating right, and “looking on the bright side” were all the things I needed to be “healthy”. At one point, I found this message on many health-conscious blogs or instagram pages. Yet, when we really dive into the premise of “wellbeing”, I discovered it means so much more than what we have seen on the surface of “staying positive”. Ultimately, my motivation in starting “The Sun Also Exercises” is to show that “exercising” doesn’t always have to be about physically working out your body. 

When we wake up every morning, it is up to us to create opportunities where we are able to act in ways that benefit our own health and happiness, and not sacrifice it for someone or something else. This is a habit we should all try to maintain in our lives. Moreover, it can help us obtain longevity. When the sun rises and until it sets, we have the entire day to gear our mind and body towards happiness and internal balance. Especially when we experience days where our emotions can weigh on us.  When the pandemic hit, as with many individuals, I truly fell into the deepest emotional and mental health spiral I could ever imagine. It was the lowest I had ever felt in my entire life. I became overwhelmingly anxious, and had panic attacks that lasted hours. The worst part was that I didn’t know how to get out of it. Every day was a struggle to wake up and get out of bed, and I soon realized I had limited strategies or awareness of self-care. Even when I was feeling low, I had no steps in place to pull myself out of it. Eventually, my mind felt comfortable feeling anxious. Once my mental health declined to that level, I realized I had two options. My first option was to allow myself to stay horribly anxious and mentally paralyzed. Or (my second option) I could teach myself the things that can allow me to take care of my mind and spirit. The pandemic showed me just how neglectful I was in safe-guarding my nerves.

I had to dig deep and find what factors made it difficult for me to care for myself. As you read this, you might see that you have either experienced or are currently experiencing this dilemma. As you read through my blog, I hope you can find solace in your troubles, and use my stories, trials, and strategies to jump start your journey towards self-care. We must exercise so many parts to ourselves. Sometimes we can balance our physical, emotional, and mental health all at once and with ease. Yet, there are days where this balancing act feels nearly impossible. There are days where I feel like Sisyphus. We may find ourselves carrying our boulders, only to watch them tumble downhill. You can find comfort in knowing that feeling this way is incredibly normal. In fact, it is an excellent sign that you are making progress. What is progress without some friction along the way? Take a deep breath. Relax. Know you are not alone. What ultimately helped me reshape my mindset was trying and not quitting on myself. Even when I fell back into old habits… I got back up, re-evaluated my steps, and tried again.

As I conclude this first post, I hope you can reflect and see that this journey towards an internally balanced life is achievable. Together, or in your own communities, we can get there.

Date Published: March 16th, 2023