09/05/2026
STRONGHER SATURDAY 💪🏼
Show Up Anyway.
I didn’t feel like working out today. There. I said it. And I think sometimes we need to say that part out loud. Because somewhere along the way, we’ve gotten the idea that people who exercise consistently wake up every morning excited to do it.
We don’t. 😂
Some days I feel strong and motivated and ready to go. Other days I’d rather drink my coffee, stay in my pajamas, and convince myself that walking back and forth to the refrigerator counts as functional fitness. But here’s something I’ve been thinking about lately: How many things have I done for other people when I didn’t feel like it?
I’ve gotten up when I was exhausted. I’ve gone to work when I would’ve rather stayed home. I’ve cooked when I wasn’t hungry. I’ve handled problems I didn’t create. I’ve taken care of people when I was tired. I’ve rearranged my schedule. I’ve kept promises.
I’ve shown up.
Not because I felt motivated. Because they mattered to me. And ladies… When did we decide that WE weren’t worth that same kind of commitment? That’s the part I want us to change.
As a Behavior Analyst, I know something that has completely changed the way I look at motivation: You don’t have to feel like doing something in order to do it. Feelings matter. But they don’t have to be the deciding variable every single time. If we wait until we’re motivated to exercise, prepare the meal, go to bed on time, take the walk, drink the water, or take care of ourselves… we’re giving motivation entirely too much power. Motivation comes and goes.
Behavior is something we can practice.
And every time you show up when you don’t feel like it, you’re practicing something much bigger than exercise. You’re teaching yourself: I keep promises to me, too. That doesn’t mean ignoring illness, pain, exhaustion, or a body that’s genuinely telling you it needs recovery. Rest can absolutely be the right choice. I’m talking about those ordinary days when nothing is actually wrong…
You just don’t wanna. 😅
Those days count. Maybe they count even more. Because when you’re motivated, showing up is easy. When you’re not? That’s when you’re building the behavior. And I think women especially need to hear this:
You are allowed to put yourself on the list.
Actually… you belong near the top of it.
You have shown up tired for your children.
Your spouse.
Your parents.
Your employees.
Your friends.
Your church.
Your career.
Your home.
You’ve done things for people you love a thousand times when you didn’t particularly feel like doing them. So the next time you don’t feel like doing something that you know is good for you, ask yourself: “If this were for someone I loved, would I show up anyway?” And if the answer is yes…
Remember that you are someone you love, too.
This week’s StrongHER challenge:
Pick one promise to yourself this week.
Not ten.
One.
Two workouts.
A 20-minute walk.
Protein with breakfast.
Going to bed earlier.
Whatever matters to you.
Put it on your calendar.
And when the time comes, don’t ask:
“Do I feel like it?”
Ask:
“What did I promise myself?”
Then show up. Not because you’re motivated. Not because you’re trying to earn a smaller body. Not because you have something to prove. Show up because you’re worth showing up for. We have spent enough years proving that we’ll do hard things for the people we love.
Maybe it’s time we became one of them.
Show up anyway. ❤️
