Ready to get in the best shape of your life, but shudder at the thought of spending 45 minutes or more in the gym every day? When you think about your fitness goals, do you ever feel overwhelmed? What if you could completely flip the conversation in your head and approach it completely differently? From personal experience, I call goals that feel overwhelming “Eeyore goals”. Do you remember Eeyore? Winnie the Pooh’s not so enthusiastic donkey companion who was always moping around and never having any fun?
Your fitness journey does NOT ever have to be that way! In fact, there’s actually scientific evidence proving that the amount of fun you incorporate into your goals correlates with your commitment and ultimate success. Cool, huh?
There was a time I found myself stuck in a rut. I’m a driven person, and I had all of these goals and aspirations that I was chasing. I was working hard, but I just wasn’t feeling it! It was then I realized I wasn’t utilizing one of my most important drivers to success–making my goals fun! Incorporating more fun in your fitness will increase your motivation, which will make you more consistent and more likely to yield the results that you’re looking for.
Here are three key factors that will help you find more joy in your journey to getting in shape:
1. Take the pressure off
I was really inspired by the book Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by John Acuff. In his book, he talks about one of the biggest contributors to getting things done is actually taking pressure off, not adding more.
Becoming fit is a path and the outcome is everything getting you there. Shifting your perspective from “I must complete this goal” to “I’m going to enjoy the journey” can really impact your motivation. You are still pursuing fitness, but you are pursuing it in a way that values the journey and not the destination.
2. Choose what you enjoy
If you want to take the pressure off of your goals and enjoy the journey, find something that you enjoy. Fitness isn’t just running and lifting weights! Fitness can be snowboarding, mountain climbing, hiking, kayaking, taking dance lessons, and even going on a simple walk! Fitness is doing something that gives you joy and gets you moving. It’s as simple as that.
I absolutely love kayaking and hula hooping, and it wasn’t until recently that I realized that I haven’t done either of these in so long.
Life has a tendency to sweep us into a cloud of busyness, and it’s important to not only find what you enjoy, but also to make the time to do the things you enjoy. Once you do this, fitness will follow!
3. Change it up
Even after you take the pressure off and find the activities that you enjoy, it’s important to continue to challenge yourself and change it up. Part of the fun in fitness is trying new things and getting out of your comfort zone.
In episode 6 of my Fit is Freedom podcast, I discuss the importance of fun and changing things up through my 30-day challenge. This is a challenge in which I do something fun and fit each day for 30 days! If you’d like to learn more about my challenge or listen to the podcast, click here!
Just remember, FIT is a lifestyle. It’s finding what works for you, what keeps you motivated, and then enjoying the journey along the way!