Having recently moved into a new house by myself with my two dogs, I realized how quickly priorities can shift. I’m a frequent gym-goer. After letting the gym go for about a month, getting out of my “concrete” habit, I noticed my headspace shift ever so slightly. It helped me realize just how important the gym was for not only my physical health, but also my positive mental attitude.
After realizing this, I quickly reimplemented my habit of going back to the gym. I am now at the point where I go nearly every day again. Whether it be to a group class of Zumba, spin/cycle, yoga, power flex, or even just carving out an hour to walk and get steps in makes all the difference for me. I’ve learned this about myself over time and self-reflection of my habits. If you asked me if I would enjoy going to the gym when I was younger, I would laugh. It’s funny how our habits can change. It didn’t change for me overnight though. I worked my way up to going every day. It sounds like a daunting task, but once you make it part of your routine, it gets easier. I find myself almost craving to go!
The gym has become “me-time”, and I look forward to it every day. Even the days I feel sluggish and tired but still make it, I always feel better afterwards. The endorphin release of moving my body has helped me so much! I also crave going to the gym because it’s my time to escape by listening to music. All these things help me stay in a positive head space. We all have bad days. Even on those days, making it to the gym (for me) usually makes things a little bit better. Another positive outcome from my gym-going is I’ve lost enough weight to fit into my old work clothes again! That was a goal of mine this past year and it felt really good to accomplish!
Positivity and kindness are contagious, too! It can rub off on you in ways you may not expect – which I know happens to me.
