I have a new fitness love. Her name is
Olivia, and she is the Season 11 winner of The Biggest Loser!
Best of all, she's also a SoulCycle instructor!
She teaches a tough class, and I relish every minute of it. This past Saturday, we had just finished our arm series, put down our weights, and settled into a quick jog. She dimmed the lights and gave us a little inspirational spiel, as she often does.
Olivia talked about how she woke up the day before feeling completely overwhelmed and decided that instead of letting it get the best of her, she would instead celebrate exactly where she was in life that particular day.
I pedaled, closed my eyes, and thought about this.
I thought about how lucky I was to be in a spin class at a 2PM on a Saturday. How fortunate I felt that I didn't have any other responsibilities or obligations in that block of time - that I was free to spend the day as I wanted to and that I was able to be in that bike at that moment.
I thought about how I had just come from my apartment, where I had my mom, dad, and sister over for brunch that morning. I cooked and baked and hosted. My family raved. We had the best time just sitting and chatting and eating. I thought about how lucky I am to have them so close and to live in my beautiful home and how happy I am to combine the two.
I thought about my best friend, who just so happened to be on the bike next to me. I thought about how lucky I am to have had this amazing friendship for the past ten years of my life, and how fortunate we are to still be so close and to live a mere cab ride apart, when so many other college best friends lose touch or stop speaking or don't have the opportunity to see each other very often.
I thought about how when the ride ended and I got off the bike, I would go home and call my boyfriend to see what he was up to. How much I love and adore him, and how grateful I am for the ease and comfort of our relationship. I admittedly loved the sexiness and the unpredictability of being single, but being with him is truly unparalleled.
And then I thought about this reoccurring theme: lucky. Lucky, lucky, lucky.
In this day and age of wellness and enlightenment and green juice and spin class, I think we all tend to talk a big talk about living in the moment and being aware and conscious and grateful. And I really do try to. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, I think back to that Kate Voegele song, "Baby, It's Only Life". It sounds so obvious to appreciate what you have and where you are. But sometimes I need the reminder to take a minute and thank my lucky stars for the people I hold in my arms, the bed under my body, and the bike under my butt. Because small annoyances aside, life is pretty amazing. And every time I truly stop and think about it, I realize it's only getting better.