molly bloom
What you found out was so right on the money.
When I was ending my first marriage, a horrible marriage to an abusive man, I instinctually headed out doors to vent. The drive to take a walk to "walk it off" was so powerful.
I remember walking on this one mile course on the bay, an absolutely beautiful site. I was so angry, but was still locked into the whole victim thing. I was the classically abused wife. I hadn't exercised for years, so it was hard to get out at first.
I had this mantra that started on the 3rd day of my walk. It came effortlessly. I needed to get angry for the first time ever in the marriage. With each step, it went something like this (names changed...words altered):
F*%K John, F*%k John, F*%k John, F*%k John, F*%k John..........
The second mile it went something like this:
F*%k YOU John, F*%k YOU John,F*%k YOU John,F*%k YOU John,F*%k YOU John,F*%k YOU John...
Pretty shortly after I started doing these walks, I stopped being scared of him, and moved the hell out of there. I am pretty sure I threw that anger out at a bunch of innocent seagulls and squirrels.
Never needed therapy, and I continued this walk for well over a year.
Molly