Thoughts From My Bike on Tuesday

I've been blogging for years.  Well, blogging in my mind.  There's been pretty good stuff, too.  What I've composed has been inspiring, emotional, analytical, funny, helpful, etc.  Trouble is I haven't written any of it down.  It's all floating up there in Michellespace.  While it's helped me mull over things that have gone on in my life, today it occurred to me that I'm not really accomplishing anything by keeping my thoughts to myself.  I've been told that if what I'm doing is not working....try something different.  Well, what I've been doing lately is not really working, so I'm going to take the advice given to me and try something different.

So here I sit at my computer.  Writing.  Doing something different.  What a concept!  And it feels pretty good.

This revelation came to me today while blogging in my brain on a fast-paced bike ride.  (This is where I've always done my best work.)  

I set out on my bike early this afternoon to train and work out some stress.  Stress...we all have it and definitely don't want it.  However it's a part of our journey.  Some days are tougher than others, depending on what life doles out.  Well, life has been doling out quite a bit to me lately.  So I did what comes naturally, and put my bike on the back of my car with the intention of going for a ride while my son was at football camp.  Stress can be so draining...and for me the best way to work through it has been to workout.  Workout hard.   I love getting my heart rate up, sweating profusely and going all out.  It's never failed.  On my bike I can escape.  The wind blowing in my face as I race down a country road washes the stress and sadness from me.  It's just me, the bike and nature.  I can lose myself in adrenaline.

Today started with my mind going in all directions.  The upcoming busy day with the kids and their activities, work, and just stuff.  I couldn't quiet my thoughts.  I felt like I was racing, but I was still in bed.  I knew I had to work it out to calm myself.  Once in the saddle of the bike, I was able to gain perspective.  My thoughts calmed, I knew what I had to do, and I relaxed.  I came home, sat down and started writing.  This is what I've always wanted to do.  Fear has held me back. But today, as I sweated out the stress and pushed myself to ride faster, I felt no fear.  So here I begin.