Choosing Change Blog

Excited and proud is the best way to describe how I am feeling about Indianapolis turning into a Super City. I have been watching football practically my entire life. I grew up watching the Chicago Bears, then after they moved to Indianapolis, the Colts. I still watch both teams, and I often watch at least one other game every week. Writing several articles for Diets in Review about the Super Bowl and serving as the local reporter for a national media outlet has only helped build my excitement. I don't think I'm the only one feeling excited and proud either. Twitter is full of tweets about the Super Bowl especially from the Indianapolis crowd. Last Friday, we had a spur of the moment tweet up lunch on Monument Circle to sample the trucks and spend a little bit of time walking around as they finished preparing the Super Bowl village. And who in Indy doesn't have a picture of themselves in front of the on Monument Circle?

 

I am thrilled that it's not just Indianapolis locals talking up the benefits of the circle city, but also how other major news outlets, like CNN and Forbes have mentioned all that we have to offer. And I think the campaign for us to host another Super Bowl is already in the works. Not only does such recognition instill a sense of pride, it is also reminding locals of those things we might not have been taking advantage of about our city. We are out and about, enjoying Indianapolis and the Super Bowl events; it's almost like all of Indianapolis is on a staycation.

 

A break from your normal routine can often introduce hope and fun, benefiting your mental health. Having something to anticipate is one of my favorite mental health tips. I often encourage people to celebrate several holidays and find things to look forward to as often as possible. As soon as Christmas was over, I started making plans for New Year's, then epiphany, then Chinese new years before the Super Bowl. Yesterday was Groundhog day; I am ready for Valentine's Day, and I still have Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day before Easter and Springtime. All winter long I have menus and celebrations to plan which make the season seem faster.

 

Another small tip is to expose yourself to beauty. I absolutely encourage you to check out the free IDADA exhibit TURF while you can. I really like this blog at roundpeg with several pictures from their trip to see it (and a similar theme to this article)

 

Having beautiful, sunny and unseasonably warm weather doesn't hurt either.

 

While Hoosier hospitality is well known, my friend Kenan Farell commented the other day how hoosiers seem to be experiencing a lot more touchy-feely self reflection and everyone is acting like counselors. I think it’s because Indianapolis is simply happier. We are excited and proud, and that energy is contagious! We are not complaining about traffic or crowds, in fact, I see people joking about actually paying for parking. I prefer to wear my tennis shoes, park a few blocks away at a meter which I can feed from my phone (Indy, you really are fancy), and walk - good for my body, my budget, and my mental health. Even if you choose to pay to park at Circle Centre mall, you will likely be walking several blocks to see Monument Circle, Super Bowl Village, and the NFL Experience, and nearly all of us will experience an emotional boost from increased physical activity. 

 

Whether this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or just the first of many Super Bowls to be hosted by the Circle City, take advantage of the opportunity and allow yourself to be absorbed by the excitement. Have fun with it. Enjoy the activities and see the sights. This therapist said you could. 

 

Also, please take a minute to check out my other Super Bowl XLVI articles on Yahoo and Diets in Review. 

 

photo credit: Kyle Lewis