On Thursday morning, I had a short NYC commute from Harlem to the Upper West Side. Things got long after that. I picked up Kyle “The Beast” Langworthy, and we ventured out to Providence, R.I. for the Perform Better Functional Training Summit. Kyle’s the manager of semi-private training at MFF, and we took a few minutes to talk shop about our favorite strategies for relaxation. Admittedly, this is something that neither of us have been very good at. If I sent an MFF-related email at midnight, there’s a good chance Kyle responds 5 minutes later. If he shoots me a text about getting together, there’s a good chance I’ve already scheduled something. We’re two dudes who have build busy brains and schedules. 
Time has gifted wisdom to our age, and we’ve both been making concerted efforts to relax during our week. You can’t find the energy to do it all if you’re constantly burning energy. Over the course of the last year, we’ve both been seeking strategies that allow us to feel fulfilled, rejuvenated, and relaxed. Shared between the two of us, they include:
- Long walks on the beach
- Reading
- Listening to music
- Dancing awkwardly on empty trains
- Watching TV
- Cooking Food
- Writing
- Mountain Biking
The possibilities for relaxation are endless, so it’s most important that you find something that’s the most appropriate for YOU. That means that personal exploration and looking within become important when we’re searching for a meaningful reprieve from out energy-depleting daily tasks. 
A “reprieve” isn’t an escape from reality; if that’s the case, let’s look at building a better reality. No, the reprieve is about working in a way that replenishes energy rather than depletes it. We may love our job, our family, and our life, and there are times when they take more energy than we had budgeted. It’s at those times when we need to invest our time and emotions into relaxation, to recollect energy and get ready for what is coming next. Join Kyle and I for some I-95 lovin’ as we roll into Providence. We’ll be collecting a whole lot of knowledge bombs at the Summit, and sharing those with you after the weekend. Enjoy!
Harold Gibbons 