I’m sure you guys have seen the #throwbackthursday hashtag on Instagram that’s quite popular. Well, I thought it would be fun to share an old post I wrote for Weddingbee.com back when I was in the midst of wedding planning for a little #tbt on the blog! It’s hard to believe this post is nearly 3 years old and I’m still blogging (that makes me blush!) but it was written October 7, 2010, about 6 months out from the wedding! I made minor edits but the gist is still the same: exercise is a great stress reliever! Enjoy! 🙂
Yeah, yeah, wedding planning is fun, but let’s not fake, it’s stressful too. There are a million (some might argue a gazillion) details to iron out and sometimes (a lot of the time) it breeds bridezillas! I’m not gonna lie either, I’ve had my bridezilla moments. Already. I don’t think that’s because I’m crazy or a psycho or selfish though, it was because I was stressed.
Don’t worry. This is a mini-whine. I’m not stressed all the time. Somehow in my 25 years of life I’ve learned the very basic, very useful, and always-works trick to handling the stress of a million details: RUN.
No! Not run away! Just run. Workout. Do some cardio. Break a sweat. Lift some weights. Just run. It helps me tremendously. And the moment I think I don’t have time to go to the gym, is the moment before I lose it!
This last year I started running races, too, which helps a lot. It keeps me running daily when I know a race is approaching. I know this isn’t for everybody, but I love it. Let’s just say I aspire to the running glories like Mrs. Trail Mix who defeated the Boston Marathon (She’s my hero and I’ll always love her Cheesy Marathon Wedding Metaphors too)!
It’s always nice to know I’m not the only bride running to the wedding 🙂
Here’s a picture of me before my first 5k:
Here’s me after:
Do you see the euphoria?
The excitement?
The joy?
That’s a stress-free smile, folks. Greatest moment ever… next to finishing a 10 miler! 🙂
So, what’s the point of saying all this?
I think it’s important for us brides to bow out of the planning process for a few minutes – everyday if we can! – and relieve our stress. What stress, you say? Let’s pause and take a look back at my morning (all before noon):
- coffee + breakfast
- working
- emailing with our planner
- gchat with Mr. B about the emails with our planner
- working
- weddingbee post prep
- working
- emailing prospective/current vendors
- gchat with Mr. B emails about vendors
- working
- emailing our invitation desiger + printer
- gchat with Mr. B about the weekend
- working
I’m not joking when I say that some days my fingers hurt from all the typing. 🙁
I get so caught up in the emails and lists and tasks and inspiration and blogs and – sigh! – I have to step back. No matter what is going on with work or wedding planning, I get up from my desk and leave the office at noon and take an hour for myself at the gym. And every single time, I am so, so glad I did.
At the gym, I give my mind a break from the wedding and from work. I get to think about my body,my personal fitness goals, and my health. It’s my time and my place. And it never fails, I’m refreshed and ready to dive into it all when I get back.
And one last embarrassing admission: I’m look at emails and gchat on my cell on the way walking to and from the gym!! That’s how hard it is to let go! I’d probably bring my phone with me on the treadmill if they weren’t prohibited!
I know everyone can’t go to the gym at lunch like me, but do you workout at all?
Does it help you deal with wedding-related stress? What’s your release?
