5 Lessons of the Rope: My Yearlong Skipping Journey - A Pandemic Silver Lining!


When COVID-19 hit in March 2019, my weekly basketball league and pick-up nights halted immediately. I was bummeddddddddd. Running felt insufficient so I somehow found my way back to a jump rope. When I started skipping rope for the first time since grade school, I realized, this shit is not as easy as it used to be! So as a good ESFJ, I dove into everything available to learn how to jump rope correctly - YouTube videos, Instagram jump rope stars, tutorials, and even virtual classes with premier coaches. Forget baking bread, doing puzzles, or knitting sweaters, my pandemic time has been all about this rope. I fell in love with it, the way I did basketball as a little kid. It's been SO MUCH fun. It's been hard and challenging. It's been a thing to master. Not to mention, it's been awesome for my mental health and heart wellness. 

5 life lessons the rope has taught me: 
  1. I can still learn something new, regardless of age. I can put my mind to something, drill, practice, be consistent, and master a tough skill. 
  2. Paying attention to the nuance signals of my body is a beautiful way to get to know her. I had two bouts of very unsettling knee issues that taught me how to rehabilitate and treat my legs and body with more care.  
  3. Building muscle strength in our core, glutes, and legs is so so important for our overall health! I thought I had strong legs until I started skipping...  
  4. When shit whips me in the ass (or the face, or the calves, or anywhere really), I feel into the sting of the whip, laugh at myself, and let go! 
  5. The things in life that flow with ease like a river... whether it be a relationship, a job, a  passion project, or a plastic rope...these are the life energy things to choose over and over again. 

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