I made a commitment to myself to move my body for at least 30 minutes everyday. Some days, that consists of playing tag with my dogs and other days, that means hitting the gym and really sweating it out. The thing is, I LOOOVE playing with my dog and I HAAAATE going to the gym, even though I always feel great afterward. When the gyms closed for the third time over December and January, I was still committed and doing cross-fit video workouts at home. One day in January, I was doing a snatch with a 25lb dumbbell and ugh…something I just did hurt my back. And, it hurt bad. I pulled a muscle, which totally sucked. Walking was tough for a couple of days and the best I could do was rolling around doing Happy Baby on the floor. I had hoped the injury would just get better with some time, but it didn’t. Every time I would try something, that nagging pain would come back. I am now seeing a physiotherapist who is working with me on the 3 muscles I injured.
What I know is that it hurts when I do the wrong kind of exercises, but it doesn’t prevent me from moving my body for 30 minutes. I realized recently that I was using the injury as an excuse not to “exercise” at all even though this is something I want to do and always feel better afterward. Once I recognized that I was simply lying to myself, I decided to try working with different exercises that didn’t re-injure me. I can walk, bike, work on core and arms…I can actually do a lot of exercises!! I probably wasted a few weeks telling myself a lie, just so I wouldn’t have to get uncomfortable and move my body.
So, lesson learned.
Even if you think it is helpful, what lie are you actually telling yourself because you don’t want to get out of your comfort zone?
Do you need to have a tough conversation with an employee or colleague, but you shouldn’t because “you don’t want to hurt their feelings”?
Do you have an important presentation to make that you are fearful of doing, and suddenly you have a “sore throat and you should preserve your voice”?
Do you have a really important opinion on a topic, but don’t speak up because you think “it’s a waste of everyone else’s time”?
Whatever it is, recognize the story that you are telling yourself, which is likely related to some kind of fear.
Then recognize that you are the only one getting in your way of not doing the thing that is important to you.