Surf Journalist “capitalizes on a week when body was ready for strain” by maintaining “healthy recovery” even during most stressful time of year!

Science-based encouragement.

This is, without a doubt, the most stressful time of the year. Oh, it has nothing to do with increased traffic, rushing about trying to buy thoughtful gifts, cramming through packed airports onto packed planes on the way to grouchy in-laws no, no, no.

This is, you see, Nutcracker season wherein stages from Sacramento to Sydney, St. Pete to St. Petersburg, become graced with sugar plum fairies and snow queens, soldiers and rats, a kindly uncles showing maybe too much interest in young nieces and tall men in drag.

The Nutcracker. Joyful, beautiful but the stress, oh the stress. The hair and makeup, costume fittings, rehearsal shuttling, matinee-evening show doubleheaders and that is just for parents with young children involved in the corps. I have one of those, dancing four roles. I, as previously shared, am dancing too as “Party Dad” and “Mother Ginger.

Stress to the heavens in trying to remember choreography, quick changes, where to be on stage, when to clap above my head for all the little Bon Bons to scamper back under my dress, how to apply lipstick over a mustache.

Stress, amen.

Thankfully my personal digital fitness and health coach has kept me from having a full blown aneurysm. My strain is redlining, due the added stress, but dear WHOOP lets me know, minute to minute, that I’m still ok. That while my strain is “high,” my recovery is still “healthy.”

Without access to this science-based encouragement, I might actually believe the way my head feels and keel over. But no, no, no I’m making fitness gains. I am living my very best life.

The surf has been awful for the past few weeks but when it decides to turn back on, I will dance upon waves like I have never danced before.

Curtains rise this Friday.

Come witness glory for yourself, if you happen to be Southern California-adjacent.