Be-ers, and Be-ing (adapting oneself) by Do-ing

questions
#1

Can you have a Be-er MC who sometimes uses physical activities as a way of dealing with their personal issues? Not as a last resort but actually as a preference?

What I mean is, a character who uses a physical activity to change / adapt themselves – like running or other exercise as a way to improve one’s mood, stay sane, or think more clearly. So not attempting to change the external world, e.g. not focusing on becoming a faster runner or becoming physically stronger.

One example from a film I’m quite familiar with is Buttercup’s daily ride:

Despite Humperdinck’s reassurance
that she would grow to love him,
the only joy she found was in her
daily ride.

To me, Buttercup loves her ride; it’s something done preferentially to (temporarily) address her personal problems, but as a Be-er it’s done entirely for internal reasons, to affect herself, to find joy.

Does that make sense?

Do-er that Feels Like a Be-er
#2

Is the drive to run motivated by an effort to change the external world or change the internal world? In stories, Be-ers often turn to alcohol as a means of changing their internal state. As always it depends on the context, or perspective, you are assigning to the Main Character.

2 Likes
#3

Thanks Jim – that’s exactly what I meant. Alcohol is a great example.

Definitely in the examples I was talking about, the motivation is to change the ‘internal world’ as you put it.