I love being active.

I know that this may be one of those generic statements at which people tend to be puzzled. But, I really do mean it when I say I love being active.

Exercise can be difficult for me, mostly because I often find myself unmotivated to get up and go. As a graduate student, I also have a hectic schedule. I work part-time, take graduate level classes, conduct psychology and communication research projects, and teach introduction courses in both basic and interpersonal communication.

When do I have the time to work out the way I want to?

This summer, I actually took my dusty bike off the racks in my parents' garage and brought it with me when I moved for graduate school. I was excited that I was going to finally take up biking again. As a kid, I spent many, many hours riding around the neighborhood. I had such an enthusiasm for biking.

I have not been on my bike for seven years. Seven years. That's a very long time. I tried picking it up a few years ago, but I just did not have the endurance to go for a long ride.

After several years of working out in college, I have better endurance. I love to walk and go for long hikes. But, I was still afraid that I'd be unable to ride very far and that it would take a few months to build up my endurance on my bike.

If you never go out and explore, you will never know what you are missing. 

I lived in the city of Chicago for several years when I was working on my two Bachelor’s degrees. I loved going out and taking long walks, going to the beach to soak up the sun, walking around Lincoln Park Zoo to see the animals, and jumping on the train to explore a different neighborhood. I was always the type of person who loved exploring and pushing boundaries.

When I was a little girl, my mother told me that I was always running around, busy doing whatever it was little kids like to do. I was always going, playing with my little kitchen, swimming, playing sports, baking, gardening, and running around the yard with our family dog. I was fascinated by any new toy or place. It was important for my growth to feel safe expanding and learning while exploring.

I swear. I have an epiphany about life in general, at least once a week. 

This is emerging adulthood, my friends. You will have revelations about things your parents tried to teach you when you were younger and are only now figuring it out for yourself. You will fail sometimes, but you will also succeed and feel fabulous about it. You will compare yourself to others constantly, and you will experience emotions you never thought were possible to experience. You will get jealous about other people’s happiness (technology and social media certainly do not help with this). 

This is all part of life. You just never thought this would happen to you. 

I do not claim to be an expert at anything, especially when it comes to living life. But, I have learned a few valuable lessons for those who are at the end of high school, attending college, just starting a new career, or getting married and having a family. 

One of the biggest lessons is how to deal with stress effectively.