COVID-19 was tough on a lot of us. I have several family members and friends who almost lost their businesses during the pandemic. Now that things COVID is under control for most of us, I am glad to hear that a lot of local businesses are doing better. This summer has been great for me. I finally feel like I can get out and do things again that I really enjoy.
Like a lot of you, I really struggled during COVID. I had a very tough time working alone at my home in the basement. It was dark and Zoom Fatigue is a really thing (especially for older people like me). I grew up working in an office and meeting with people face to face. I find it to be the most valuable way to communicate. On the flip side, I do love how hybrid is providing flexibility to working parents, people how had a far commute and those who truly want the work-life balance. I get the value proposition: you save gas, you have time to do a load of laundry, you can exercise in the middle of the day between meetings, etc.
To get out of the house, I decided to start skateboarding (aka skating) for my mental and physical health. It helped a ton. On top of that, everyone was isolated at home so I had the whole city of Carmel to myself. The Carmel Police were super cool to me. They didn’t try to kick me off public property or anything. In fact, a lot of them came up and talked to me and told me stories about how they used to skate as a kid. Some Police Officers still skate today, which is totally cool. The University of Southern California did groundbreaking research that shows that skateboarding helps people with communication and building relationships with people from diverse backgrounds. One of my idols growing up is Tony Hawk. He has done so much for the skateboarding community and to help those in need. Here is one of my favorite quotes from Tony:
I am doing significantly better since I started skateboarding regularly. It has allowed me to find a tribe of like minded individuals who care about me.
From my research on mental health, here are the clear benefits I received:
- It gave me a mental break from working 10-12 hours a day.
- It reduced my exposure to artificial light from indoor lighting and computers.
- I got vitamin D from all of the sunshine. Studies show that natural sunlight improve mood.
- The physical activity helps keep my body strong. The mind/body connection is a real thing.
- I built confidence doing tricks again that I was doing in my teens and twenties.
Even Avril Lavigne is getting in on the skateboarding action. In her TikTok debut, she takes lessons from legendary skater Tony Hawk. Well done Avril!
Add a Comment