In my last Editor’s Note of 2025, I shared that I was feeling burned-out and overwhelmed by the fast pace of life. Some of you might recall my story about packing my daughter’s tennis shoes instead of my own for a trip and, upon realizing it, being reduced to tears (you can read it here). It wasn’t that big of a deal, really, but it was the wake-up call I needed to start making some much-needed changes for my physical and mental well-being.
I had just interviewed Dr. Judith Joseph, author of High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy, and I found myself relating to many of the tendencies and behaviors that her research associated with high-functioning depression. I didn’t want to keep operating that way. “I’m on the path of reconnecting and being more in tune with that inner knowing that’s trying to tell me what’s right and good for me,”
I wrote. “I’m setting some personal and professional boundaries, I’m delegating where I can, and I’m listening more closely to my body.”
This last item was the hardest for me at the time, especially as it pertained to my workouts. I was in the final month of training for a 10-mile race, and despite near-constant aching joints and soreness, I wasn’t ready to give up on that goal. Even though I struggled through every training mile — they all felt so hard physically and I wasn’t enjoying them mentally — I kept running.
When routine bloodwork showed I had some inflammation (the likely cause of the physical discomfort I’d been experiencing), I briefly considered skipping the race. Instead, I subbed some cross-training for running and pushed through.
I crossed the finish line in early October, but it wasn’t pretty — those 10 miles were harder than the 26.2 I had done the previous year. With the goal completed, I decided to hang up my long-distance running shoes.
My postrace plan was always to shift my focus back to strength training, my favorite form of exercise. I didn’t realize how significant that choice would be until I was a few weeks into The Body Blueprint, an eight-week strength-building and hypertrophy program (available in the Life Time app). I soon found myself feeling more alert, more energized, and more motivated than I had in months.
Sure, I had some acute postworkout muscle soreness, but the persistent aches and pains of endurance training were gone. I was no longer dragging myself out of bed for workouts I dreaded. Instead of negotiating with myself about when and how I would squeeze in long runs, I looked forward to, planned, and followed through with my strength sessions. Most importantly, I was having fun again; challenging myself to progress with lifts or to try something new was exciting.
Nearly six months into my renewed strength regimen, it’s still exciting, and I’m still going strong. And while I am stronger physically, my mental health has improved, too.
I’m now giving myself the space and permission to slow down and be flexible — in my fitness efforts and in other aspects of life. This, in turn, creates opportunities for more of the things that light me up. And that’s the spirit of this issue.
“What Energizes You?” is all about noticing and heeding the call of what brings us joy, ignites a passion, and opens the door to fresh possibilities. It’s about reconnecting with long-lost interests and discovering new ones. It’s about embracing and pursuing the things that make us feel the most alive.
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