When we get on the treadmill for the first time in forever, do we expect to churn out a few 7 minute miles with ease? No way!
And when we get back to running, or elliptical or bike or stairmaster, even if we are competitive & push ourselves, we KNOW, it’s gonna be ugly at first. It’s gonna be ugly in the moment…& it’s gonna be ugly in the day or days that follow, because we’ve exhausted ourselves vs what we’ve been used to.
I’m on the way to meet my former HS basketball coach for a tradition – practice the day after thanksgiving w his current team. Everyone I’ve passed to this point – ppl in my apt, on the train, etc., when I’ve asked: How was your thanksgiving?…I’ve gotten the same answer: “Good but I’m exhausted.”
We have emotional conditioning just like we have physical conditioning. I had a friend go to a house 2 months ago for his friend’s bday. It was a group of folks he knows well & has kept up w during this stretch – on phone & FaceTime. He came back telling me – it was so weird – it was like we had to remember how to socialize in person again.
We take for granted that these interactions were commonplace for us, before. Even those w social anxiety, you had found where your “kinda” comfort level was – in the office, at home, etc. Everyone had roles: the person who starts the convos, the person who always has one-liners, the person who only talks when others refer to them.
This coming back together in larger groups is NEW for us. We are out of condition. We may have been doing it on a smaller level…but perhaps this was your first holiday in a long time where the room felt full again? Or at least semi-full?
It’s ok to be feeling off & tired now. MOST people are! If it feels this way for us, imagine how it feels for kids – going back to schools, clubs, sports.
Let’s just all be easy on ourselves. We don’t expect to just bounce right back w our physical health when we haven’t practiced in a while. We should give ourselves the same love & leniency w out mental/spiritual/emotional health.