When I'm With... Myself?

I definitely have an anxiety problem. And if you’re not quite sure what I mean, let me paint the picture. Sundays are supposed to be slow, right? Rest, do nothing, maybe watch something at home, maybe go out for a chill movie and dinner. Easy. Quiet. Predictable. Yeah… that’s not me. My body just doesn’t cooperate with that idea of stillness. And luckily, I’m not alone in that chaos. I’ve got a group of friends who share the same inability to sit still, so instead of staying home, we did the exact opposite. We went to the mountains. Midday. Full sun. No regrets.

Thirty one degrees (CELSIUS), blazing heat, an almost empty city behind us and nothing but green ahead. Endless trails, hills that don’t look that steep until you’re halfway up, and that weird mix of exhaustion and excitement that only hits when you’re fully in it. Hours passed without us even noticing. Just walking, talking, laughing. That kind of laughter that only exists when you’re with people who get you without needing explanations. And yeah, the title says it all. Sweat, movement, effort. That was the rhythm of the day.

When I was younger, I used to run up those same paths like it was nothing. No second thoughts, no burning lungs, no “maybe I should slow down.” Now? Let’s just say reality has entered the chat. I’m not in bad shape, I train at home, I take care of myself, but this is different. This isn’t a quick workout. This is endurance. This is your body reminding you that time passes, whether you like it or not. Not dramatic, just… noticeable.

I hesitated about bringing my phone. Part of me wanted to disconnect completely, but another part of me knew better. I left my daughter at home with my mom because I already knew this wasn’t a walk for kids. It was going to be intense. In the end, I took the phone. Just in case we got lost, or more honestly, to capture something worth remembering. And yeah, no regrets there. Some moments deserve to be kept. Not for social media, just for you. For later.

Because that’s the thing. When you’re younger, you think this kind of day is infinite. That friendships, adventures, all of it just keeps going untouched. Then life happens. Schedules, responsibilities, distance. Even when your friends are still around, actually seeing them becomes rare. That’s why days like this hit different. It’s not just exercise, it’s a reset. A reminder. We went back up those hills like we used to, not exactly the same, but close enough. And honestly, that was more than enough....