How did you find JOY today?

[Gráinne]

I found joy going to the health club and swimming for the first time in forever. I've realized that my body is holding trauma, maybe for many years, and this manifests in disordered eating and unexplained pains. Thus I've embarked in what I call "physical wellness".

It was so pleasant, to swim about 25 minutes and then sit in the whirlpool and stretch.

This is where I'm not going to get hard on myself about my shape, or how slow I am, or compare my body to anyone else's. This is about having fun, releasing stress wherever it hides, and pleasure in my own body. I accomplished all three things. It's about listening to my body, and building on my work when I can but stopping if it hurts.

The club itself is very body-positive, with no pressure to be a gym rat, lose x amount of weight, or look a certain way. I think there's one scale in the locker room, that's it. There are classes for really tough things like Cross-Fit, but I love the emphasis on fun and family. It's a very safe place for this kind of work. I doubt I'm the only one in there for bodywork, and not necessarily "exercise".