Several months ago I went gung-ho into a new strength training regimen, but wound up overdoing it and pushing myself too far. I ended up aggravating an old knee injury from years ago, forcing me to give up my beloved spinning and strength workouts to heal for several weeks. Eric always jokes with me that I have one speed: “GO!” And he’s usually right—the Taurean “bull” inside me tends to charge full speed (and stubbornly!) ahead when I set my mind to something.
But while I was taking that break from fitness, something funny happened—I realized I was starting to feel more rejuvenated. I wasn't tired mid-afternoon like I often used to be. Sometimes what the body needs is rest, a slower pace, and a break from that pressure to be constantly achieving. I didn’t realize how much I had been running myself down with the intense cardio and strength workouts, rarely giving my body the time it needed to heal.
I knew that once I began working out again, I’d need to take a different approach...slow and steady! As I've been easing back into workouts recently, that's exactly what I've been doing—daily outdoor walks to connect with nature (one of my favourite forms of gentle exercise!) and a gradual reintroduction of strength work. And you know what? I feel amazing. Even though I still can't wait for when I'm on the spin bike again, going forward I will strive for more balance.
Hopefully, our struggles teach us lessons and encourage us to grow, even though they feel incredibly difficult at the time. Respect for my body is an ever-evolving journey, and going forward I want to be mindful of this urge to push myself too much. It's okay to stop and smell the roses. I don’t always have to be a hamster running on a wheel!
I'm sharing this to hopefully help any of you reading who may be struggling with unrealistic self-expectations and the desire to do more and more and more. It's OKAY to give yourself a break and take a slower approach—you may find out just how good you can feel when you do! Forget about all of the social media "fitspo" out there and do what makes YOU feel rejuvenated and balanced. You’ll know it when you get there.
