🙏Practicing Gratitude During a Pandemic 🙏
By: Arnica Lande
Gratitude may be the theme of the month at Fierce45, but it’s arguably the theme of the year. We are living through a pandemic, something most of us never thought to see in our lifetime, and with stay-at-home orders being enforced worldwide, social lives turned social less, jobs lost and nationwide unrest, we are forced to carve out a new way of life. It can be easy to fall into a pattern of negativity but seeking out gratitude each day in the things that might bring us back to a sense of normalcy, or a new way of doing the things we love, can help ease some of the communal stress. Given the state of the world, we at Fierce are more grateful, now than ever before, for our Fierce community and having a safe mental and physical space to show up in for our workouts.
Returning to the studios in June was exciting and daunting. The Fierce team worked hard to create a workout space that adhered to city and state social distancing guidelines, but how would wearing a mask affect the workout? What about those studios that no longer have lobbies, the source of conversation and connection before and after class? How do we sustain the core value of community while rushing clients in and out the door? We quickly were brought back to what Fierce is at its core: a kickass workout delivered by incredible coaches, surrounded by badass humans (a safe 6 feet away, of course). The amount of gratitude that poured in from clients and coaches alike fueled our mission to keep our doors open and provide a workout that was not only a physical release, but a mental one as well.
In a time when one can feel socially isolated, mental health concerns are at an all-time high. Fierce has provided a safe opportunity to be around and feel the energy of other people while in the room working out together. According to the US National Library of Medicine, “Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.” To put it simply, in the words of Elle Woods, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.” So yes, coming to Fierce can alleviate any at-home remote work tension with your partner or roommates, and you’ll definitely feel better afterwards.
Even while living through a pandemic, it’s comforting to know we can find a new normal with our old faves, all the while taking care of our health and seeing friends. So, this month, we practice gratitude: gratitude for our clients, a workout that is truly Hard Every Time, and our seriously badass team of coaches and management.