What Most Workouts Don’t Teach

I’ve been thinking a lot about courage lately…

Last week I was visiting my pal Jessica Ortner in Morro Bay, California. One early eve, we decided to take a workout class that Jess raved about at her local gym.

It was 5:30pm and I was feeling a little tired and unmotivated, but she promised the teacher would get me going!

We got there and not only was the studio freeeeezing cold (I know some people like it that way, but this makes me feel MORE tired), but we found out there was a sub. Wa, wa.

I could already feel myself wanting to pretend to go ride the bike while Jess attempted to sweat it out in that meat locker.

But I stayed because something is often better then nothing.

However, once we got going I could tell the teacher was new at this.  I have no doubt she is going to make a great teacher someday. But because she wasn’t fully confident in her teaching sneakers, I just knew I wouldn’t be able to rely on her to really PULL IT out of me.

And because I was feeling so tired, it was hard for me to pull it out of myself.

So, I sort of phoned it in. I did the punches. I did the squats.

But I also watched the clock, wondering why it was moving so slowly. Know that this is NOT the way I normally workout, but I, too, have my days!

It all changed when I looked across the room at this other girl who was bouncing around like an energizer bunny. Mind you, there were only about 9 people in the class, so she stood out. But even more to my point!

This girl was giving it everything she had! I mean EVERYTHING!

Every hook, every jab, every kick- she wasn’t holding back. It was like she was exercising for her life!

You could tell it wasn’t the kind of exercising where she was just trying to burn calories. She was moving to have a soul experience!

And this is when it hit me.

Showing up like this for yourself while working out takes a TREMENDOUS amount of courage.

It’s as if you show up ready to be MOVED, and not just physically but mentally and spiritually, too.

It means being ready to give of your full self.

It means showing up with all the baggage you have been carrying around that day and saying, I am willing unpack some of the BS through my movement.

It means saying, “I don’t care that the person next to me is only giving 50%! I am going to give 100%.”

It means letting your self be carefree and not trying to look perfect. It means being willing to smile or laugh. Geez, I don’t know why people take it all so seriously!

It means being willing to coach yourself internally by saying, “Come on, you got this!”

Listen, my darling: we can phone it in. Sometimes that’s the best we can do and that truly is good enough!

But sometimes we end up getting comfortable with “good enough”.

So the other choice is to say, “I am WILLING to be moved today.”

But it requires that you put your heart on the line.

For you! Yes. Just for you!

And it doesn’t matter if you are doing kickboxing, yoga or pilates. The real transformation happens when we allow ourselves to be moved emotionally through movement.

I know for me, this when it feels like the room gets brighter.

My vision gets more clear.

My negative beliefs fade to the background.

I feel inspired to take action.

And all of a sudden I am allowing more good energy to flow my way.

Perhaps you have experienced this yourself now and again through movement.

In my humble opinion, THIS is what we all should be aiming for with our movement.

Otherwise, we phone it in and leave our workouts feeling flat. We don’t remember if we actually did anything. Our endorphins never kick in. It’s all sort of blah.

Darling, don’t be blah when it comes to your body! Be BOLD!

To quote Ice Cube, “You can do it, put your back in to it.”

Next week, I am going to be inviting you to join me in what I know will help you feel, understand and activate that BOLDNESS through your body. It’s going to feel so good!

So keep an eye on your inbox next Wednesday Nov. 11^th.

And if you have any friends who you think could use a little boldness in their body, by all means forward this along so they can sign up to get the announcement email HERE.

In the meantime, I want you to think about your own workouts. Do you phone them in or do you bring your full self?

Is there a teacher or a particular method that brings out the best in you?

Does it have to do with the people around you? Or is it always up to you?

I would love to hear your thoughts below, as this is a topic I am passionate about.

Love,
Erin