18/07/2022
Oh Universe, you really like to drive home a point when you’re trying to make one.
This topic is something I’ve been thinking about for a little while now, had not written on it, then cue toddler with hand, foot, and mouth and a teething 7 month old. To say that last week was not what I expected would be an understatement. There was takeout, missed workouts, early mornings, not enough sleep, steps, or water, and falling asleep on my daughter’s bedroom floor several times throughout the week. I know many people can relate to this scenario (and you don’t have to have kids to know that life can sometimes throw curveballs at you)…and they can also relate to the guilt that can sometimes creep in about missing a workout or workouts for several days in a row.
Working out, for me, is a non-negotiable. It is medicine for me. It improves not only my physical health but also my mental health. It is a major priority in my life. As I have gotten older, I have had to unlearn and relearn what working out is supposed to look like in my life. It may be a non-negotiable but that’s in the big picture, over time…not everyday. Sometimes my workouts are part of a 4 day a week program that is moving the needle ahead at a steady pace, sometimes they’re 20 minute workouts as part of my postpartum journey, and sometimes it’s been 20 squats and 20 incline pushups on the counter in the bathroom before my shower. Last week it was a few walks, one workout, and an attempt at maintaining my sanity. Were there moments of guilt? Absolutely! But I shut that sh*t down quickly. I know that maintaining and bettering my health and fitness is the accumulation of so many habits and behaviours that positively contribute to it over time, not only working out. What does the overall picture of my health and fitness look like outside of this week? Did I use this week to get in an extra vegetable when it was hard? Yes! Those are the things I will continue to ask myself. What I will not do is subscribe to the guilt of a few missed workouts, that is not helpful and it takes away from me being fully present in all of the snuggles I experienced last week. Being honest with yourself about the season of life you’re in and asking yourself the hard questions (ie. Is this contributing to my physical, mental, and emotional health? Is this a reason or an excuse? Am I doing the things I need to do to get to where I want to go?) is essential to living your own best life (not someone else’s).
As I sit here writing this, I know that 6am coaching is going to come early and there might even be a wakeup or two before that. I also know that tomorrow, a good sweat will be exactly what I need and now that Vaughan is back to herself, I may even do it with her around so she can see her mom do something for herself.
