Tips for Staying Sane by Getting the Most Out of Your Gym Membership

For the last few years (around four or five to be somewhat exact, with a severe uptick in the last three), I’ve been taking steps to actualize Toni Morrison’s advice in the Song of Solomon. “You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” This journey landed me smack dab in the middle of the “wellness” and “mindfulness” movement. In some ways, there is a serendipity to it all. I’ve had access to a lot of information that I probably wouldn’t have gotten as conveniently in the past.

On the flip, as with any movement, there’s always someone waiting in the wings to market it in the most cat raggedy way possible. The search for wellness and mindfulness can leave you broke with all the cupping, reiki, yoga, crystals, sage, seminars, master classes, massages, retreats, and and and…

PLEASE DON’T GET ME WRONG. I’ve either considered or am an enthusiast of many of the things/practices I mentioned. However with almost five years in the game and some real results under my belt (like reversal of hypertension and a 100 lb. weight loss while still remaining sane), I’ve learned to take each and every opportunity to be mindful that a lot of people miss. I try to get some bang out of my wellness buck.