sarah smith

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That little voice that says, "You're not good enough"...

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Sometimes having lots of workout options makes me feel I overwhelmed.
I see people doing all sorts of great programs and I think, "Should I be doing that?"

I'm thankful for variety in fitness, because it means that there's always room to grow. There's always a new skill to master, and a new way to enjoy exercise.

BUT..........if we feel like we have to try it all then we become "jacks of all exercise" and masters of none.
Yes, we should experiment, research, try new things....but if you're trying to work on you fitness be it for fat-loss or strength gain, the best form of exercise is the one that you will actually do, the one strengthens your body, the one that makes you feel good.
Finding a form or several forms of exercise that you can commit to doing on a routine basis is far better than chronically trying lots of forms of exercise that you never stick to.


I almost talked myself out of exercising today because having options made me feel like I'm not doing enough, like my program doesn't feature enough variation.

Actually, that's not true. It wasn't the options that were making me feel inadequate, it was a negative voice inside my head telling me, " Work harder! You're not doing enough! Dig deeper!"
But then I stopped myself.
I thought, hmmmm....if that voice isn't inspiring me to take care of myself, then it's not coming from a good place. It's not coming from a place of self-care or self-love.
It's negative, it's critical, and it sure as heck isn't motivational.

You see, I don't respond to the drill sergeant approach.
I just don't think it works most of the time. In fact, it makes me even more likely to quit.
What if I am already "digging deep" and "working hard", but there's this voice telling me that what I'm doing isn't enough?!
I can't help but think, "Well if this isn't enough, then I might as well quit because I feel like I'm giving all I have right now."

Fortunately, I surround myself with literature, social media folks and real live people that challenge this sort of negative mentality.

This support network helps me focus on what I am doing and remembering that I prioritize being strong and active, and that I'm already working on it.
It's something that is important to me and so I've made room in my life to make it happen.
Just because I'm not good at everything doesn't meant I'm not good at anything.

I'm stronger today than I was a year ago.
I like exercise and fitness now, more than I ever have in my life.
I life the feeling of having accomplished a workout.
I like that my life isn't about exercising all of the time.
I'm glad that exercise is something I do to be a more healthfull and active person in my life, but it's not my life.
 

So just when I was about to skip working out, I thought, "Sarah, what type of exercise would you actually like to do today?"
My answer was "I'd like to do some kettlebells. They make me feel good and strong, and they don't make exercise feel like a chore."

So I did them.
I worked out hard for 20 minutes doing something that I love and it felt good.

I could have let those negative thoughts of not doing enough prevent me from doing anything, but because I surround myself with positive messages and inspiring people, I had a moment of mental clarity and I told that negative voice to shove it.

 

What are you talking yourself out of today?
In what ways do you not feel "good enough"?
Do you like to exercise or does it intimidate you? Does it make you feel bad about your current fitness state or where your body is right now?

I want you to know that you are capable.
You're not perfect and you're not going to be good at everything, BUT you can become quite good at anything you want if you're willing to work at it a little bit everyday.

Practice makes progress!

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