Over the past years, my lifestyle has been a sort of sedentary. After clocking out from work, I would come home, hide under my covers and doom scroll until my eyes would hurt. This has been my routine for years. I find it comforting that after a long day, I get to spend the rest of the night not doing anything, just doom scroll to my heart’s content. But this habit had also brought negative effects to me. Sometimes, I just feel sad for no reason. My back and eyes hurt. Doom scrolling doesn’t spark joy anymore.
Fast forward to the day running became a trend. I saw plenty of videos of people starting their “running journey”. There were people recording their pace and progress. Some people are flexing their running gears - the new shoes, the perfect running outfit, the perfect smart watch, and the handy water container. Some people are recommending the right gels to drink. In short, running became the hype and the biggest clout. For this reason, I tried doing the sport.
It was April in 2025 when I started running. I woke up at 4 in the morning to kickstart my running journey. My primary purpose is to have something to post for social media. I signed up for running to join the trend. I signed up because I had a fear of missing out. In short, I joined running for the clout.
But I never knew that running could set me free. There is a certain level of relief one could feel when one runs. I have never engaged in any sport before that after trying running for the first time gave me a sense of relief and accomplishment. I felt like the stress, the disappointments and the worries went away. My body may be sore but the heart and soul have never felt more alive. It is addictive. It gives me peace at night knowing that I have done something good for my body. I have release my stress and I have moved my body. It is a win for me. I boosts my confidence and gives me a profound joy.
On my first run, I was accompanied by my brother. We usually run in the morning when there is less vehicle and less people. I enjoyed every bit of it. I loved it. I no longer run for the clout. I run because I personally enjoyed it. As time passed by, I learned that walking is also a great alternative for walking. It is less tiring and so, I tried it.
Today, I still walk after work hours. It has become a part of my routine.