I love feeling strong (and being strong). It’s rewarding when I can surprise people with how strong I am and what I’m capable of. Growing up, I was pretty good at picking up athletic skills. I sprinted well, climbed most things, and learned to swim with little effort. I remember back in 8th or 9th grade when I could do the flexed arm hang for ages. One of my favorite parts of track practice was when we did weights. Cardio has never been my thing. As a voracious reader, I learned to carry 30+ books to the car on a weekly basis. As a good Chinese kid, I always helped my mom carry most of the groceries in the house. My personal challenge was to do it all in one trip, which usually meant a good 5 bags per hand. When I went back to China for a year in 3rd grade, I was able to outrun even the 6th graders. In more recent years I just like the confidence I get when I can do something that people doubt my body is capable of, like carrying my 6-foot something friend pictured here. I’d rather be able to do that than run a marathon, personally. I think it also gives me more confidence to travel alone, since people never think I can hit/punch/kick as hard as I can, so I can surprise them if I needed to defend myself. One thing I love about yoga is that it builds my strength. My favorite pose? Plank! And overall I think your body just feels better when you’re strong, which is a great way to live.