The joy of movement

Quote that says,

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that wellness isn’t just about exercise.

It’s about feeling good, living well and making time for the things that nourish your mind, body and spirit.

 

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Recently, I decided to try something new: boxing.   

What surprised me most wasn’t the workout itself. It was how the workout made me feel. In a world filled with deadlines, meetings, responsibilities and constant demands on our time, boxing became an opportunity to focus solely on myself for one hour, once a week. Boxing required me to be present, intentional and fully engaged.

For that brief period, nothing else mattered except the movement, the rhythm, and the challenge in front of me.

What makes this new experience especially meaningful is that it builds upon a wellness journey I’ve been on for several years. For the past three years, I’ve worked consistently with a personal trainer—the longest I’ve ever stayed committed to one trainer. Historically, every few years, I get the urge to invest in personal training.

I, once again, commit myself to caring for my health, building new habits, and challenging myself in different ways. But this time has been different. The consistency has created a strong foundation, both physically and mentally, and it is one of the reasons I felt ready to try something completely new.

More than anything, boxing reminded me of something I have always known about myself: I enjoy moving. I’ve never considered myself a competitive athlete, but I have always been active. As a child, I played soccer, took tennis lessons, participated in dance, spent time figure skating, and loved swimming. I even tried shot put during track and field season in middle school. Looking back, some of my happiest memories involve being outside, trying something new, and simply enjoying the freedom that movement brings.

I guess that love has never really left me.   

Even today, I find joy in being outdoors, taking long walks, exploring a new activity, and dancing the moment I hear a good song and the beat drops.

Now, what I appreciate most is understanding that movement doesn’t have to look a certain way. It doesn’t have to be about competition, perfection, or achieving someone else’s fitness goals. Movement can simply be about feeling stronger, healthier and more alive.

For me, wellness has become less about reaching a destination and more about creating a lifestyle. It’s about making choices that support my heart health, build physical strength, improve my energy, and help me show up as the best version of myself each day. It’s about prioritizing experiences that bring joy and recognizing that taking care of myself is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Ursula James is a multimedia journalist and communications strategist working with sports teams, public figures, universities and non-profits. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Florida A&M University, and she is the AVP for Marketing & Communications at Virginia Union University. Ursula enjoys fashion, laughing with friends and family, serving her community, and exploring new territory.