Did I Just Find My Soul?

I was convinced to ditch my strength-training routine to attend an outdoor “Hannah Montana v. Miley Cyrus” SoulCycle class. Unpopular opinion: I’m historically not the biggest fan of SoulCycle. While I admire the instructors’ music tastes and abilities to inspire rooms full of people, I avoid participating in the “dance moves” and “push-ups” on the bike because I know my form is incorrect and it is distracting from my ride. Nevertheless, I love getting a sweat in while listening to goosebump-worthy music. So I go to SoulCycle for that release, detox, stress relief, and fun.

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After I check-in to the class, I make my way towards the outdoor studio at Hudson Yards. The winds are high, but I enter the tent filled with bikes, towels, and headsets. My hair is blowing left and right, the golden-hour of the sun hitting my face, making me feel like the main character in a movie. I velcro my cycling shoes, swing my right leg over the bike’s saddle, apply pressure on my right and left toes to their respective pedals, and hear the “click, click.” I’m in. I place my headset on top of my head and listen to the instructor’s voice and music choice for this outdoor ride. I look outside of the tent as I see passersby admiring the Vessel and the Equinox Hotel. Some even stop to take photos of the tent. As I tune back into the class and listen to the music playing in my headphones, I already hear "We Can’t Stop” playing, which is one of my favorite hype songs. I instinctively wave my hands in the air and smile so big that my eyes light up. The instructor looks at me and says, “that’s the energy I’m looking for during this class.” I said, let’s do it.

My friend and I had discussed some of the potential songs we were eager to hear during the ride, since we were so excited to sprint at lightning speeds towards re-living our childhoods, towards experiencing waves of nostalgia as we pedal forward. One song in particular that we were excited to hear was “The Climb”—how fitting, a song that discusses the pains of climbing up a mountain, yet the reward of reaching the top, a metaphor for a spin class in itself. A metaphor for the growing pains that are inevitably woven into our lives and journeys.

The instructor begins the class. We progress through the life—or lives—of Hannah and Miley, beginning with Hannah innocently singing “Nobody’s Perfect” and telling us to “try something else out” if “life doesn’t go the way we planned,” switching over to Miley telling us that she “can’t be tamed” during her rebellious stage. With each progression comes another wave of nostalgia and pure happiness. And then, the “Soul” part follows.

The “Soul” part of SoulCycle: the moment when the instructor plays a song that puts you in contemplation mode, that makes you look inward and reflect on your day, your week, your life. It is a time to pray in the present and hope for the future. It is a moment reserved for meditation, where you quiet your mind while simultaneously letting it wander to a specific thought or memory.

The “Soul” part of this class is particularly special today, as I hear my song blast in my ears. ‘The Climb.” My meditation begins. A song that has been by my side since 2008, inspiring me throughout my many waves of change from adolescence into adulthood. A song that has reminded me that persevering through hardships and facing failures will ultimately lead to success and reward. A song whose message is so cliche because it is just so true. I meditate on my most recent hardships, the work I did to overcome them, and the reward I feel as I experience the joys of living.

“Life’s a climb, but the view’s great.”

Go take a SoulCycle class.