Today was one of those days. I woke up feeling off, disconnected from myself and everyone around me. My morning class didn’t go as planned—I felt like I hadn’t taught my best, and I stumbled through meeting new students. You know how it is when every small interaction just feels jumbled and awkward? Yeah, that was me. To top it off, my usual schedule got disrupted by a last-minute change, which threw me even further off balance.
Despite my previous plan to go to the gym after I was done at the studio, I found myself battling the serious urge to bail. The entire drive to the gym, I kept thinking of reasons to turn back. When I got stopped in construction traffic at the perfect spot where I could easily detour home, the temptation grew even stronger. It would have been so easy to just give up and head back to the comfort of my house. Did I mention that I had great excuses? I had the never ending online and admin work to do, I had housework that could really use my attention, and I was a bit behind studying for my 50 hour Yoga as Healing Movement certification course that I enrolled in last month.
Instead, I acknowledged my poor mood and reminded myself of the truth I’ve learned time and time again: working out always improves my mood. Plus, we had just paid for this new gym membership, and I was determined to make use of it. I thought about my kids and how I didn’t want to show up at home as a cranky mom, and I knew the other things I needed to do would only feel more overwhelming if I tried to do them when I was in this state of mind.
So, despite my grumpy mood, I dragged myself to the gym. It took a warm-up and a solid five minutes on the rowing machine before I started feeling the shift. My mood began to lift, I started to vibe to my workout playlist, and the physical exertion started to clear the mental fog.
An hour later, I walked out of the gym, sweaty and feeling a million times better.
Why am I sharing this?
Not for some kind of pat on the back or even as a flex. I'm sharing this because it’s proof that every one of us can find ourselves slipping down the slope of neglecting self-care. It’s crucial to understand the importance of determination, especially when motivation is nowhere to be found.
We've been focusing this week on the how mental and physical health are so closely linked. And that's why sometimes you just have to focus on how you’ll feel after the workout rather than how you feel in the moment.
So, the next time you find yourself wanting to skip your workout, cancel your class, or neglect your evening walk, remember that you’re here for the whole journey, not just the finish line. Accept the challenges and show up for yourself, even when you’re tired and want to give up.
Trust me, when you’re done, you’ll be so glad you did.
Thank you for this! 🩷