How to be less dramatic about working out

A tale of two workout classes:(And why one of them royally sucked)

Workout Class 1:

5 more, this is the time that you keep pushing!

If it hurts, that means you’re working!

Workout Class 2:

If you need a little more, add this on.

If you’re curious about this more advanced pose/move, explore this.

The two results?

Workout Class 1 has me counting down the seconds until the class is done. I hate it, and I’m probably going to dread it every time I think about going.In Workout Class 2, I take as many breaks as I want, and I actually delight in pushing myself. I do get curious about pushing things farther. There’s no social expectation to push until you’re dead. I look forward to going because I know it’s never going to be terrible. I enjoy seeing myself getting stronger without all the anxiety.

There are some things in life - many things, actually - that you have to push through.I don’t want to teach my kids that they should just stop doing something whenever it gets a little uncomfortable.

But often, I think we’ve gone a little too far.Like honestly, who cares if I do 5 more?What I do care about is that I want to keep going. That I’m working WITH my body instead of against it.

We can have such a binary perspective sometimes:

I’m EITHER a person who pushes through OR I’m a lazy sloth.

Many of you have spent 20+ years in faith traditions where pushing through is the only way to be spiritual. So if you spend 5 years now focusing on re-learning how to be a little gentler, maybe we can find some balance?

There are some things you have to push through. But let’s be good at identifying what those things actually are and not wasting all our gumption on stupid stuff.

You’re not “killing it” or “a loser.” That’s what we call a false dichotomy.

You’re a person. On a journey. Trying to head toward things that are good, for yourself and others.

That’s enough.——This is the kind of stuff we talk about in the Aspiring Wise Old Woman Collective, starting June 1: worrying about the right shit.

It’s free for the pilot program, and I guarantee you’ll think deeply and laugh a lot.

If this has you curious, reach out! I’ve still got 2 free spots left!