When I started working again in 2017, I established a new exercise routine that I’ve carried on through the pandemic and everything. It worked well for us, the way things were.

But with this huge life change, I’m changing how I exercise, too: more flexible and less compelled. Hopefully healthier overall — if not quite as physically fast or trim, maybe more healthier thinking around exercise and fitness.

I got to practice this on Tuesday. I’d originally intended to go for a bike ride while Mom picked Benji up from school, but stuff happened and Mom couldn’t do it. So I needed to pick Benji up, leaving my apartment at 3:20. That’s okay! I can be flexible about this!

I picked up Benji from school and did the entire evening routine, and at 8:00 pm hopped on my trainer for whatever I could do in an hour (it worked out to be about 19 miles through the magic of trainer speed).

And you know what? It felt okay. It’s a step in the right direction, and that’s good enough.