I would categorize myself as someone who can be a little rigid at times.
Disciplined.
Routine.
Someone who likes a schedule.
Someone who likes to be on time.
It has its perks.
And it is certainly something that has allowed me to achieve all the goals I have set for myself.
If not THE reason.
Completing a marathon without having run before.
(Oct 2005)
Completing an Ironman without having swam or biked before.
(July 2009)
Completing a bodybuilding competition without having seriously lifted before.
(April 2013)
And then there’s the thousands of hours at the piano, training to be a professional concert pianist. Since I was FOUR.
So you could say it’s pretty ingrained.
A big part of my personality.
Getting things done. Not skipping “scheduled” things.
So when it comes to relaxing and chilling out and doing “nothing”? That can be a huge challenge for me sometimes.
It has taken YEARS to unwire that way of being and just allowing myself to ENJOY doing nothing.
Like, I can allow myself to do something non-productive?
For realz?
Read fiction. Watch Netflix. Lay on the couch. Do nothing.
Literally. Nothing.
CHILL.
I was reminded of that this weekend as my brother was in town for President’s Day weekend.
This is a real treat since he lives in North Carolina.
We had plans to see a few museums and hit some different DC sights.
I had every intention of getting up and going to the gym. With him. He is a Strongman competitor after all. There is a lot he can teach and show me.
But I opted to sleep in. To enjoy a leisurely morning without going to the gym and rushing around to get to the next thing we had planned to do.
To indulge in good food and drink.
We had a GREAT time.
That may seem like a super simple thing, but in the past, I would have beat myself up. Felt guilty for not having worked out. And continued to beat myself up.
It’s silly.
This is not really a post about the need to take breaks when working out, or breaks in general.
This is more about giving yourself a break.
Not beating yourself up.
Not having to always do do do, go go go.
And that is super tricky for those of us with over-achieving personalities. Not even over-achieving, but goal-driven.
Do you know what the cool thing about all this was?
I didn’t beat myself up.
I felt myself begin to go there and stopped it.
It was AH-MAZING.
Yey, progress!!!
Guilt-free pleasure.
YES.
No need to beat yourself up.
Catch yourself when you start doing it.
And then give yourself a break.
Because if anyone needs it, YOU do. We ALL do.
Four days off, and today’s upper body workout:
Do what makes you happy.