Improv master and good friend, Mathieson McCrea, is a regular on the roads in his coveted road bike. Usually busy performing at Blind Tiger Comedy–and starring in his own show, Alternate Dualities, we were lucky to have caught Mathieson during a brief weekend biking break to get up-close-and-personal, about mental health practices.
This is story ⅞, folks. As we near the end of this series, thank you to those who have been following since the very beginning.
What is it that you do for your own mental health?
Meditation is important for me for my ongoing mental health. It helps me establish a baseline for my attention and awareness; my own thoughts and emotions. It slows me down. It also helps me speed up to when I need to! It helps me remain present and grounded, and not too trapped in thought loops. Especially the negative ones. Meditation helps me see them for what they are.
Have you noticed a difference in your mental health since starting to practice meditation?
For sure. It’s been seven or eight years [since I started meditating]. In the first few years, my anxiety went down tremendously. I was doing some other things as well that were helpful, but I think it definitely helped to be able to be present and not as future leaning.
You’re a huge cyclist. You love cycling. I see the biggest smile on your face when you’re cycling!
It’s just one of our best inventions. Period. It’s such a wonderful way to get around. The speed is awesome. Using your body to get around–the control, the autonomy…and it’s always the same amount of time to get somewhere on a bike. There’s no real traffic (laughing). And I just love them [bikes]. I geek out on them. It keeps me happy to ride, it absolutely does.
