playing!

This is my "been playing outside for an hour and a half" look.

Today I was feeling uninspired, bored, unmotivated. Not really about my weightloss journey...just about life in general. I recently accepted a job offer but it doesn't start until mid-May. So until then I'm continuing my unemployed lifestyle. In addition, finances are a little tight right now so I felt a bit trapped at the house. I'm a creative person and can usually find something to do whether write, paint or just brainstorm ideas for creativity. But today, really the past few days, I've lacked some enthusiasm.

I started thinking about what I did as a kid when I was bored or needed a boost. And I remembered - I played outside! I loved being outside. I was actually a bit of a tomboy. LOVED every kind of sport (which is kind of funny because I have no interest in them today - at least not in watching them or following them). Sometimes I would play with every ball we had in the garage in one afternoon. First I'd start with the basketball. Now, we didn't have a goal or hoop, so I just pretended. Our driveway looped around the back of our house, with the garage underneath the main floor, level with the basement. So I'd bounce the ball off the side of a cement wall that lined part of the driveway, pretending it was a teammate and shoot at the back of our house, just above the garage, pretending it was the hoop. (My parents did NOT like this. Worried about the siding or paint or something silly like that.) I'd create entire games and of course I always won the game with the winning shot just before the buzzer. Next, I'd pull out the baseball bat, ball, and glove. I'd pretend playing the hitter, then pretend catching it, then pretend pitching it. You get the picture. Next, the football. I'd throw it in the air a few feet ahead of me, run and reach for the catch, dodge opponents and barely reach the endzone before I went down. Lastly, I'd pull out the tennis racket and ball. I went back to the driveway and used that same cement wall as my opponent. I would do this for hours. I'd run drills, simulate games, just play!

You might be wondering where all my friends were. I had them, I promise. I was just content playing on my own. Pretending. Enjoying the outdoors and moving my body! Well, today I did just that. I went outside and just enjoyed playing. I played basketball and ran drills. It was amazing how many memories flooded in from backyard games, basketball camps, and practices. (I played on a team from 3rd to 8th grade). I pulled out my bike and rode back and forth up and down the streets of our neighborhood. Even no hands. It was amazing feeling the wind blow through my hair, no destination in mind, no distance, or timed exercise, just play. I'm sure the neighbors wondered what this ridiculous 27 year old woman was doing but I didn't care. It was too much fun being ridiculous. And I plan to do this more often!