Have you found what works for you?

A lifetime ago, I was a part of a tennis team. Full disclosure: I was no good. I learned the basics and won maybe a few games. But I was more focused on school than I was on the game. As a result, I enjoyed the game but did not grow much as a player.

In the years between then and now, I have been pretty inactive as far as sports are concerned. I tried to do what seemed to work for others - AKA the gym. I should have known better, being the captain of team « if you seen me running, you’d better run, too, because I only run if something is after me » and all. So, for years, I told myself that I will start exercising. Tomorrow. Next month. Next year. Anytime but today. I even made it to the gym maybe 5 times over the last ten years hoping to kick myself to an exercise routine that meets my needs. Nothing stuck until now.

I recently went back to the only sport I remember enjoying. Luckily, I have a built-in partner who enjoys a good adventure. He and I bought rackets a few years ago, but we did not get to use them as much as we wanted. We dusted them off a months ago, picked up a few tennis balls, and walked to our neighborhood park. We played a ruleless game for the first three sessions - simply enjoying the fact that we were outside getting some much needed exercise.

I would have been happy to continue this way, but my partner is an all or nothing person. He wants to learn the game as it is properly played. He wants to make it more fun by knowing the rules and attempting to follow them. We have now played a good number of times. He is beating me way more than he did when we first started. And some of our games, I forget that I am actually working out. I will probably never go to the gym on a regular basis, but I will pick up a rocket whenever time allows.