I've blogged about it before, but it's a question I get often: how did you shift from hating exercise to being so dedicated to it? It actually took me up until this very blog post to realize there were three very key and very non-conventional things I did that really got me to stick it through. I'm telling you, if I can do it (and love it) so can and so will you.
1. Call it "movement."
What sounds better to you: exercising, working out or moving your body? For me, "movement" sounds much more liberating and exciting. It sounds like something I can and get to do vs. something I should do or have to do a certain way. Moving my body is something I get to practice daily in whatever way sounds and feels good to me. Movement is an honor - not everyone gets this wonderful privilege! Move that body.
2. Start with something easier than you're capable of.
Whatever you choose, start at the beginner level. If you once were an expert, go intermediate. The more we show ourselves we can do something, the bigger stroke our egos get and the more likely we are to show up again. And again. And again. For me, it was yoga. I liked it and I was fairly good at it - naturally flexible and mobile. I could've gone for intermediate, but I started with a beginner yoga series on Youtube that kept me feeling confident, able and empowered. I kept coming back - and as we know, consistency is key.
3. Enroll in a challenge.
I started with Yoga With Adriene's 30-Days of Yoga. It was free. It was easy (enough) and it was truly something I was interested in. The reason why a challenge is so helpful is that you have your regimen planned out for a while. It actually becomes a fun thing to compete with yourself over - and you actually start looking forward to seeing what the next day's practice will bring! Every day you get to see yourself grow and shift and do better.
This is how it all started for me and it's how I've continued. On days that moving my body sounds like a pain, I notch it down and I still commit to challenges that are anywhere between two weeks and thirty day plans at a time. It helps me not have to think about it and simply show up with motivation and interest.
Try it and let me know how it goes. Which tip was most helpful for you?
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