I got off work at 5:30, went home, changed into a sleeveless shirt, shorts, and running shoes, and headed out for a run on Phoenix Mountain across the street. Walking there, I couldn't help but think about what lies ahead. When you stay in a not-so-great environment for too long, your mindset turns negative, your behavior slowly becomes undisciplined, your body and mind weaken, and self-destructive habits start creeping in one after another. It's a vicious cycle. If you don't break it in time, you'll regret it when it's too late.

As my work pace shifts, so does my state of mind. My ability to think clearly comes and goes. When work exhausts me to the point where I don't want to think at all, I turn into a soulless zombie—walking, eating, sleeping on autopilot. Maybe I've been in this environment for too long, so long that I feel deep down: if things keep going like this, my future won't be what I imagine.

Change doesn't happen overnight. It takes small, daily efforts and repeatedly pulling yourself out of despair. I'm grateful that I can still write these words, still think. My environment is something I create for myself. If the objective environment doesn't suit me, then it's only natural to move to a better one.

But changing jobs isn't easy. It comes with the risk of being unemployed for months, and I need to save up enough to cover those months' expenses. Without savings, I can't make the leap.

So I started running.

As I run, I pay attention to how I'm doing—whether my heart is beating strongly, whether my knees feel uncomfortable like before, whether my feet ache, whether they can handle the pressure from my shoes. It's cloudy today, but there's a breeze. As I run, the wind brushes past my ears and sides, slowly carrying away the heat building up in my body. I want to finish one full lap. It's been ten days since my last run, and I stayed up until 3 a.m. last night, so I was a little worried I might not be in good shape.

Thankfully, I managed to finish the full three kilometers.

After the run, I walked along the road, enjoying the feel of my new shoes. They cost me nearly two hundred yuan. Only after buying them did I realize they're not breathable. But I didn't return them—I just wear them. Running in cushioned shoes feels completely different from running without cushioning. It's so much more comfortable.

Walking on the road after the run, with the wind blowing against my sweaty body—it felt amazing.

Let me know if you'd like an even shorter or more conversational version.