Today, I was having a bit of anxiety. I was having so much anxiety that it woke me up in the wee hours to discuss how to solve the problem. Just imagine Kronk, from the Emperors New Groove, speaking to his shoulder Angel and Devil. It is annoying to have insomnia and the anxiety. I can’t reason with myself, because my brain wants to whisper, “but, but.” Then that voice keeps talking, and talking, and at the end I just want to scream “SHUT UP!” I have tried many things to help myself shake off the anxiety. Breathing techniques, nope. Meditation, pssh girl. Fidget toys, weighted blankets, and weighted stuff animals, eh sometimes. The blanket does help a lot. But when I am in that hyperactive, jittery mode, one thing is surely to work and that is physical activity.

I mean, I go to the gym. Just pushing my body to the extreme, melts everything away, as long as I don’t do something that keeps me inside my mind. For instance, jogging keeps me stuck in my head. I have to entertain myself to keep myself jogging. If I was lifting weights, I have to count, and make sure my form is on par. Therefore, having multiple tabs open are helping me release all my anxiety.

But my favorite workout is kickboxing at my local gym. I call it my mid-week therapy session. I punch and kick as hard as I can and it feels good. Every throw releases tension. Hearing the punch on the bag is sweet music. The harder the slap, the better I feel. My body is completely exhausted by the end and I feel strong. I feel so much calmer after that class. I am very happy that I take the time out of my day for that class. It helps me move through my day, and I can actually challenge my anxiety in a more constructive way.

Do you have a favorite physical activity? What is it? Maybe, I would like to try it.