I found and road the edge yesterday, it felt so good to feel it this sharp again.  You are likely asking what in the heck is the edge? ? It is hard to put into words. It is a feeling of feeling alive, blood coursing through your veins, feeling uncomfortable and comfortable at the same time, senses all engage… What made me feel this way yesterday you might ask? I swam at one of my regular spots in the ocean, the water was colder than I expected.  I wore a s[ace_dropcap][/ace_dropcap]leeveless wetsuit hoping it would be warmer.  The water was likely about 64, it had that cold edge to it, but it did not make you numb.  It didn’t take your breath away when you put your face in the water, but you felt it right on the edge. It kept me connected to the water the whole swim instead of all in my head.  When the water gets to a comfortable temperature it is easy to lose the sense of the water and let your brain take over.  When you stay engaged with the water it is a completely different experience one that gives me the feeling of felling alive.

I get this feeling race morning especially at longer distance races.  You can feel the power of the energy there if you open yourself up to it.  I try and ride that edge of energy and excitement into the start of the race.  For a triathlon that can be challenging for me in that I can get a lot of anxiety about the swim at the start.  One of my coaches told me something that I use all the time.  Anxiety and excitement both feel the same physically in the body.  It is what you do with it in your head that makes the difference.  So I try and ride that energy and excitement edge as long as I can.  It is as uncomfortable as it is invigorating?

Do you know what makes you feel the feeling of “the edge”, of being alive?  I am sure it is different for you than me.  While jumping off cliffs and out of airplanes is not something I want or need to do, I do think I understand it, it is the search for that feeling of feeling alive.  I don’t think you have to engage in dangerous activities to find or feel it…..you just have to learn to recognize it and be willing to ride the edge for a bit when you feel it.  It is uncomfortable, most of us stop when things get uncomfortable.

This pic captures the message I am trying to deliver best I think.

It isn’t always about choosing new and daring activities to make one feel alive, it can be as simple as changing your seat on a rollercoaster or even just changing your mindset to be open to feeling what you are experiencing. In my case wearing a sleeveless wetsuit vs one that would keep me warmer made my senses more aware and kept me connected to the water.  Having experienced the front and back seat of a rollercoaster both provide a more sensory experience when riding a rollercoaster.

How can you take activities that you do and add an edge to them? When gardening do you use gloves every time? If so, try it without so that you can feel the dirt.  I love to ride my bike into the wind.  Feeling the force of the wind against me and the wind on my face makes me feel that edge.  It also makes my legs burn from the force required to pedal ? Maybe you take a drive with the windows or top down. So many ways to add more “feeling” and being connected to the things we do every day.

I think especially now in the time of COVID-19, many of us feel like we are just existing perhaps just marking time.  Finding and riding “the edge” can help enhance your life now.  Don’t wait to feel it until you get to do whatever you are planning once there is a vaccine.  Try to feel it now.  What can you do today to add that edge to what you are doing?  I look forward to hearing about how you are “riding the edge”.