Moving Through It with Athleta

In partnership with Athleta, we're telling a New York-based story from the San Francisco-based brand about about the intersection of movement, energy, intuition, and how to navigate with forward motion.

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Movement begets movement. Physical exertion—be it a sprint, a saunter, a stretch—has the power to shift energy. This we know for sure. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (the health philosophy of choice for many TikTokkers today), stagnation of emotions is the root of all unwellness, and the antidote is flow. A regular flow of movement is central to our wellbeing. Our chemistry changes when we move our bodies. Endorphins are released alongside serotonin and dopamine, blood flow mirrors our heart rate, breath increases our oxygen flow. In sum, when we move, we change our state, and we change ourselves.

For the Out of Body issue, we’re teaming up with Athleta to explore the meaning behind our movement. Rooted in its mission to fuel women’s confidence, connection, and evolution through movement, Athleta was founded in 1998 as one of the first of its kind—a sportswear brand that puts women at the center. Today, the San Francisco-based brand (she’s a Gap Inc. girl) is growing in popularity in secondhand markets (search “Athleta” in the Depop or Poshmark search bar and you’ll see what I mean). If you look for it, you’ll see the covert Athleta logo on the F train, bobbing down Broadway, popping out at the park. Everyone seems to have their sneaky Athleta piece. And we understand why. Athleta is not your run-of-the-mill, matching-sets-of-SoHo athleticwear brand; it’s something much more encompassing than that.

We asked three of our favorite women—Rileigh Cunningham, Reese Star, and Alvina Bokhari—to talk with us about how they move through life, and just as important, how life moves through them. We ask the hard-hitting questions: Do our bodies tell us how they want to move? How do we flow to feel better? How do you move when you just don’t feel like it? Read along for their movement stories.

How do you feel when you move your body? Do you find that movement has the capacity to shift your emotional state?

Reese: I feel more connected to my body when it’s in motion. It makes me feel every inch of my humanity when I walk or run or stretch.

Rileigh: Moving my body feels like the easiest (and sometimes only) way to connect with my mind. It has shifted my emotional state more times than I can count; it keeps me grounded and focused, and on days when I wake up on the wrong side of my brain, it has the ability to put my mind at ease and make me feel productive.

How do you encourage yourself to move on days when you don’t feel like it?

Alvina: I'll listen to myself and rest. But also, I'll see it as an opportunity to move my body in different ways. There are times when I don't want to go to the gym or take a class. So then I walk to my favorite matcha spot or restaurant. I choose to walk over taking the train, allowing myself to move my body with the purpose of having a sweet reward in the end.

Reese: Gratitude encourages me to move. Gratitude for the ability to go for a walk reminds me that a walk is the least I can do. I am grateful to have a body that aches more with age because it reminds me that I’m still living and with a little extra care, life gets smoother day by day.

When was a time in your life when moving made a difference in how you moved through something emotionally challenging?

Reese: When I was first introduced to yoga in my early 20s, it was literally like lightening a load. I would cry in pigeon pose and feel the release of any pain or trauma. Yoga has been my relief, for not just aches and soreness but for emotional bruises too.

Rileigh: I remember when I moved to New York (on a whim), I was dealing with some homesickness and indecision of my choice to relocate. The only thing that would ground me was going on a run – and though I wasn’t the best at it, I quickly got addicted because of how much it improved my emotional state. I’ve been consistently running ever since.

In a fast-paced, New York environment, when there is so much energy moving around you, how do you ground your energy?

Alvina: Sunbathe outside or inside. I love finding the sun and sunbathing. Especially in the winter. I’ll move my seat on the train to sit on a sunspot. It's the most peaceful feeling and is truly so grounding.

Reese: I journal everyday. Journaling reminds me of what's top of mind, it organizes what should be important to me and it centers me in gratitude for all that is and all that is to come. I also meditate and stretch when I’m feeling particularly overwhelmed. Giving myself moments to just breathe and be in my body is such a small way to honor the space I need and should take up in my own life.

When it is uncomfortable to let an experience move through you—to feel all of the feelings you need to—how do you become more comfortable in that experience?

Reese: I find I have no choice but to surrender to those experiences, to let them override my emotions and consume me for a bit. I know if I feel it all I can feel my way through it. I talk to myself, record my thoughts on my MacBook photobooth or my phone's voice memos. I'd rather go through it all when it’s fresh then dwell in small bits for an extremely long time.

Alvina: Sometimes uncomfortable experiences can consume you, and it's all you can think about. A friend suggested to me once that when im in this space to make myself the main character in my life again. Recenter yourself. Eventually as I move through it, I'll stop thinking about it as much. I also love telling myself that it will pass.

Rileigh: Sleep. The only way I can truly let my body process anything when it comes to difficult emotions, good sleep is the best solution there is.

In your experience, is movement a form of resilience?

Alvina: Absolutely. Taking care of your body and mind is all connected to resilience. Movement tells me that I'm free and powerful.

Rileigh: The two feel impossible to separate. Moving my body reminds me of how grateful I am to have a body that can move at all, which makes me feel strong and extremely tough.

Moving through things is also helpful for positive experiences. Why is it important to keep up a routine of movement even when things are going well?

Reese: Movement is our sustainability. Movement is memory, it connects our habits with our well being. Continuing to move through great times only keeps up the momentum, it can make great things into the best things.

Alvina: As summer approaches, I'm slowly neglecting my routine. So I needed this to be reminded to lock in. It's important to stay disciplined because it will only make me stronger for when winter comes back. I really want taking care of my body to become a norm in my routine.

How closely are your body and your intuition connected?

Reese: My body slows me down and reconnects me with my own humanity. When I’m stretching I can feel my bones and muscles feeling relief. I’m reminded I’m not a robot and I cannot just be in my head and be so obsessed with productivity. I am a whole person outside of my mind and I have to tend to the entirety of myself. My body slows me down to do that.

Rileigh: It used to be horrible—I could never read what my body needed, I would just stick to the consistency of my routine against all intuition. Now I try not to make as many set plans for my mornings (as this is typically when I get my designated movement into my day) and let my body just wake up, and give it what it needs.

What is a new type of movement that you’re recently into, and what do you like about it?

Alvina: I started jumproping. I saw a cute video of young kids jumproping and it reminded me of how much I loved it when I was younger. It's so fun to listen to a playlist and rope outside of my house—very nostalgic on how I played outside when i was kid.

Reese: Touching my toes in the morning and slowly allowing my body to roll itself back up to standing position. This movement starts with my hands to my feet which I find very grounding. When I’m rolling myself up slowly, I feel each bone in my body that’s allowing me to do so. It starts my day with a deep connection to self and highlights my pain points to work on in deeper stretches throughout the day.

Rileigh: I am learning to walk instead of run – I really used to think the only worthwhile exercise or movement had to be high intensity – nice, long walks have become a regular (and arguably more difficult) exercise for me. It’s allowed me to give space for my mind, and actually take in my environment.

Name three feelings you feel when you move/sweat/get your heart rate up?

Alvina: Sexy, free, powerful and alive (ooppps i gave you 4)

Reese: Joy, freedom, pride

Rileigh: Power, romance (I daydream a lot during any form of exercise), freedom