Biking for Balance

I remember thinking I was crazy. There was no way that my overarching need for stability and balance could be later tied to my new form of transportation.

Since last June, I’ve been solely relying on biking to get me from point A to point B. When I first began this transition, I felt out of place, weak (mostly due to my muscles adjusting to this workout) and worried about how the outside world would perceive me. Which is silly. Why would I care about a passerby’s thoughts anyway?

Yet, I did. Prior to last summer, I was undergoing an extremely rough time. Between a heartbreak, followed by a series of depression spells, I felt off-kilter and stagnated. I remember feeling lost and far away from myself due to these changes occurring in my life. Not only was I neglecting personal time for myself to heal, but I was also seeing everything in black and white.

As I began to adapt to this new mode of transportation, I began to see biking as extremely therapeutic. Not only is it biologically good for your health, but I also noticed that my mental state has improved. I started to see this as an opportunity for “me time.” I became able to recognize my emotions, channeling them into my daily travels. Some days are not as beautiful as others – you can find me rushing uphill, out of breath and extremely exhausted. Other days, I’m zooming along simply enjoying the beautiful blue skies and the wind on my face.
One day I came to an odd conclusion that the Universe knew I was seeking balance so it offered me two wheels to practice with. Biking has given me the physical capacity to balance, which in turn has helped me recognize that my mental balance was adjusting as well.

Maybe I’m right about my ridiculous assumption to dig deep into signs from the Universe or maybe I’m not. Regardless – I think the takeaway of this is that one’s outlook on a particular situation can be shifted over time and maybe believing in the little things can help you better yourself overall.

What I’ve learned and still am learning is how powerful our mental mind is. Once you begin to convince yourself that you’re doing yourself a favor, even your mundane tasks can become an act of self-love.

- Harmony B.