Getting Out to Get Better
Wake up, put coffee on, clean, shower, prep dinner, watch Netflix, repeat.
This has been my life for the past year.
I convinced myself I could save money if I just stayed in my apartment all the time. Wrong! Instead, I picked up smoking again, became vitamin D deficient, and fell into a cloud of depression due to financial concerns and some big losses in my family. I wasn’t doing anything anymore.
Finally, though, as my circumstances changed, I started to feel that I did have more options after all. I could get work or become a student, and this gave me hope. Trying hard to make these options a reality, I realized it was time for me to get out of the house. Netflix can wait, even if there are so many good movies.
That's when I first heard about my building's On the Move competition. Inspired by Michelle Obama, it encouraged tenants to be healthier and more active. The rules were explained - working in teams, we had five days to try and visit as many NYC attractions as possible, stamping 'passports,' and taking selfies - and prizes were announced. Cha Ching! Something about a competition gets me going, so I signed up with a great sense of purpose. Every day that I went out and about I felt like I was on a mission, like I was an agent in a James Bond movie.
Statues, museums and an array of free recreational hot spots had me – the woman with arthritis in both knees – walking around the city for hours at a time. Each day that I returned home my feet hurt less than the day before. I no longer gave myself an excuse to stay in my apartment.
Central Park was my favorite part of the challenge. Despite going there since I was a child, I'd never taken the time to notice its secluded pathways or diverse cultures. It’s strange how things can be right in front of you and still go unnoticed. As an adult, I was finally exposed to a hidden, peaceful world.
I enjoyed working with my team members and exploring this great city we live in. And I’d like to thank CA staff members Janice Walker and Mio Castillo for getting On the Move up and running. It has helped in more ways than one. (P.S. I won!)
