Love Fitness?
Too strong of a word???
Are you in love with fitness, activity, or exercise? Okay, maybe love is a strong word.
What about this, do you believe loving someone is a choice? There are times you don’t agree with something they said, or a behavior displayed, yet you still choose to love them because you choose to love. It doesn’t mean the behavior is acceptable or that it should continue, but it’s a one and done deal. Or you have gained understanding about why they think as they do, but personally you don’t agree. I could go on and on but the point I want to make is…
Can you apply that same love to activity, exercise, and fitness?
What about deciding to love it because you know there are a ton of health benefits. What about giving it another shot when you tried something, and it wasn’t or something you even liked. Just like in dating, you don’t give up on dating because of 1,2 or even 5 bad dates if you are interested in being married. Maybe it’s you and your attitude, maybe you need a mental shift…stop looking for perfect, stop trying so hard, and really focus on what you are interested in and fits your ability. Start small, start with 1 thing…that change over a year will be huge!
If you don’t love your life, what’s stopping you from making changes and transforming it?
Activity, and exercise or fitness should have that same relationship with your brain as you do with love or dating in my opinion. You may not like it on a certain day, but you do it anyway because you realize it’s important for your body to function properly.
Maybe you change the wording so your brain can receive the message better - if the word is exercise turns you off, use activity or fitness or movement. Speaking in a language your mind can choose, receive, and love so it’s not an obstacle for your behavior. After all, movement is a foundational behavior according to a great article I read in the Huffington post August 31st, 2023, written by Arianna Huffington.
Does behavior support healthy habits?
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits says, “Many people view their habits and routines as obstacles or, at the very least, obligations to get through. Making the morning coffee, driving your kids to the next activity, preparing the next meal—we often see our routines as chores to be completed.”
But these are not moments to be dismissed. They are life, they are choices, and they are decisions. Our thoughts and beliefs show up as choices and determine our behaviors. Over time our behaviors become our habits. Our habits become who we are.
Folding laundry or changing the oil in your car be a peaceful ritual—perhaps even a fulfilling one—if done with care rather than rushed to completion. Maybe being mindful of the fact that you have so many clothes to fold. You take time to feel the fabrics, enjoy the colors and all the choices… Or you think about how your dad taught you to change the oil, that you own a car or even two and that you are skilled in minor repairs and maintenance, so you save yourself money and time sitting in a mechanic shop.
It’s about the amount of attention you devote to these simple moments that can be seen as chores, and whether you choose to appreciate them or bulldoze through them on the way to the next task. Can you appreciate how good it feels to walk in the fresh air? Can you be mindful of your muscles as you lift weights or use a resistance band? Can you appreciate that moving your body will help it function properly? Can you realize that you can prevent illness and the aging process by moving every day?
“Find the beauty and joy in your daily rituals and you will find beauty and joy in your daily life. To love your habits is to love your days, and to love your days is to love your life." - James Clear
I hope that you are inspired to find something that you enjoy doing that is active. That your body enjoys moving and movement. That you find something fun that keeps you fit or an exercise that becomes part of your day just like brushing your teeth.
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let’s chat sometime!
Janelle