Finding Beauty in Exercise
Kevin and I have embarked on a mission in our travels: to actively seek out and document examples of beauty, believing it to be a fundamental element of a well-lived life. This year alone has been a testament to this pursuit. We've marveled at the geometric perfection and historical resonance of the Art Deco Union Terminal in Cincinnati, a true masterpiece of 1930s design. Our journey has taken us through the sun-drenched, cobblestone streets of Cartagena, Colombia, where the vibrant colonial architecture tells centuries of stories. And we’ve found a quieter, moving beauty in the ever-changing landscape seen from a train window, traversing the rolling farmlands from the cosmopolitan buzz of Montreal to the charming, deeply historic Quebec City.
We hold the conviction that you, too, share this inherent desire to expose yourself to beauty; it is, after all, the very nature of choosing St. Augustine as your home. While we may, in moments of frustration, complain about the throngs of tourists that descend upon the city for the annual Night of Lights celebration, no one, truly no one, can deny that the display—with its millions of twinkling white lights transforming the oldest city into a winter wonderland—is anything less than profoundly beautiful.
If the choice is laid before us—an interesting, fun, meaningful vision or action versus a boring, tedious, or monotonous one—why would we ever settle for the latter? This principle of choosing the beautiful, the engaging, the vital, should not be confined solely to travel and holidays.
Apply This Vision to Your Fitness Routine
Reject the notion that fitness must be a sterile, indoor grind. Take an opportunity to embrace the natural beauty that surrounds us. Utilize the outside turf area: Step outside and feel the morning sun on your skin. Push the sleds under the vast, often impossibly blue skies, with the majestic blue herons flying overhead—a common sight as they head to their nesting grounds, or rooks, near the Alligator Farm. Let the natural environment be your motivation and your scenery.
Attend the Galaxy Yoga Class: Transform your studio experience into a celestial journey. Move and restore your body in a space illuminated by an immersive display of projected, starry lights. This is not just a yoga class; it is an act of mindful movement set against the backdrop of the universe, offering a sense of peace and awe.
Dance to a Zumba Class: Allow the power of music and rhythm to take over. Let your body release tension and freely shake, sway, and groove to the infectious beat. This is fitness as pure joy, a celebration of movement that requires no self-consciousness, only enthusiasm.
Flow with Iron in a Kettlebell Class: Discover the rhythmic, almost meditative quality of moving with a kettlebell. Feel the deliberate transition between heart rates, oscillating between a barely noticeable baseline, to a steady, powerful thump, to a demanding, accelerating beat, and back down again. This dynamic change is experienced through the powerful grace of the swing, the focused explosion of the snatch, and the stabilizing effort of the press. This method provides a beautiful, functional strength that connects mind, muscle, and breath.
By seeking out and choosing these varied, engaging, and beautiful expressions of fitness, you elevate your routine from a chore to an experience, ensuring that your commitment to health is as rewarding and inspiring as any great journey.