You finish the workout.
Dripping.
Shaking.
Empty—but in a good way… right?
Maybe.
But here’s the question:
Are you actually releasing stress through high intensity?
Or are you just burning it into your body a little deeper?
I used to train hard—
especially when life felt heavy.
Angry run.
Punishing lift.
No pause. Just sweat.
And for a while, it worked.
I felt lighter after.
But the tension always came back.
Because not all movement is healing.
And not all effort is release.
Sometimes, high-intensity workouts just mimic the chaos we’re trying to escape.
We don’t exhale—we just exhaust.
We don’t feel peace—we feel depletion.
Stress leaves the body through breath, presence, softness.
Not just exertion.
I’m not saying don’t train hard.
I still do.
But now, I ask myself:
- Am I chasing relief or punishment?
- Am I escaping… or returning?
- Am I calmer after—or just quieter from fatigue?
There’s a difference.
The body can’t heal in the same state it feels under attack.
Train to restore, not to run.
That’s the Cushy way.
