Neural pathways are what make our daily lives possible without overwhelming our brains. They allow us to walk, talk, drive, swim, ride a bike, and type without having to consciously think through every tiny step.

But we didn’t learn to do any of those things overnight. They took weeks, months, sometimes years of repetition before they became deeply ingrained—before they felt almost instinctive. Habits work the same way.

As I slid into the functional MRI machine, I had a moment where I asked myself: Why did I sign up for this again?

Perhaps body doubling is a way we can weave a thicker social network and feel supported while accomplishing our health and wellness goals.

This is the tricky stage of recovery from illness: Those early jolts of energy tempting you to charge back into life, the return of the obligations you had to ignore because you felt too crummy to lift your head off the pillow. It’s hard not to get swept back up in the grind again. But I know if I do, I’ll overdo it and end up fighting this virus longer than I need to.

Several of my coworkers invited me to alpaca yoga at Eagle Eye Farm — a lovely expanse of green grass, white picket fences, friendly staff and the cutest little farm animals. I had a smile on my face the whole time, whether I was releasing muscle tension through down dog or petting Pearl, one of many alpacas on the farm.