Hey there,
I “discovered” fitness after college. I’m grateful that I did because I’m not sure I’d be here to write this today if I hadn’t.
I was a depressed and chronically anxious kid, and fitness gave me an outlet to deal with my rocky emotions. Working out gave me something to put my energy into when I was upset. It also gave me the motivation to get up in the morning when I was so depressed I would have stayed in bed all day if it weren’t for my planned workout.
Although I’m less controlled by my emotions than I used to be (hooray for growth!), working out continues to be the main way I deal with my emotions and anxiety.
Stressed? Work out. Upset? Work out. Depressed/anxious/overwhelmed with life? Work out.
But, as every athlete and weekend warrior eventually learns, you can’t solve all of your problems through exercise.
Over the years, I’ve had to find other ways to manage when I can’t out-exercise my problems. I wrote about these science-backed strategies here in an article for Medium. Try them out and let me know if they help you, too.
What I’m reading —
Story Craft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction by Jack Hart
This book is a masterclass on writing stories, whether your medium is long-form journalism, books, or podcasts from one of the best known writing coaches of all time.
What I’m listening to —
The Science of Transcendence with Scott Barry Kaufman / Rich Roll podcast
This is an amazing conversation about growth, potential, and self-transcendence with two of my favorite human beings, Scott Barry Kaufman and Rich Roll. So many gems in this one.
“Think of life as a two step forward, one step back dynamic. We have to choose the growth option over and over again.”
A quote that inspires me —
“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” — Carl Rogers
What I’m training —
Here’s an apartment-friendly circuit workout I posted on Instagram this week.
Three new workouts —
Plyos + Legs HIIT Workout (12 minute HIIT, plyo box or equivalent)
Sandbag Core Burner HIIT Workout (12 minute HIIT, sandbag or equivalent)
320 Rep Core Circuit (Time challenge, dip bar)
You can get these and all future workouts right in the 12 Minute Athlete app when you subscribe as a Super Athlete.
Questions? Feedback? Content requests?
Please feel free to reply directly to this email if you have any questions or comments (yes, I am a real human). I get a lot of emails and messages, so I can’t reply to all of them, but I do read everything you guys send me!
– Krista