September 19th, 2023

Coach Jen

We’ve all been there- unmotivated, uninspired, simply un-enthusiastic, about our health and even sometimes, life in general. Perhaps we feel a heaviness in our legs, our heart, even our brain. And while the most appealing thing in the moment is to sit on the couch and watch another episode of Suits that may only hurt us in the long run. Perhaps you feel in a rut in your health or life in general. Sometimes our brains and body are truly tired, and sometimes they just need a mood shift.

You don’t need to feel good to start

Those first few steps of a run are ALWAYS the hardest, physically and mentally. Maybe I’m tired that day or I just have no motivation-honestly even if I’m feeling good those first few steps are always a little challenging. But you know the funny thing? I cannot..and I mean truly cannot…remember a run where I didn’t feel better at the end. If I waited to start until I felt good, I truly may never start. Sometimes you have to get going to give yourself a chance to feel good. Maybe we don’t feel better right away. Maybe it takes some time. Maybe it takes a few miles, a few days, a few weeks, but if we consistently keep showing up for ourselves what once seemed hard will start to feel easier, and perhaps we may find that spark and enjoyment again.

Learn to Rest, Not Quit

I have this little routine I do as I make my way through my workday…5 rounds of 20 squats, 20 sit-ups, 20 bicep curls, and 40 pushups for a total of 200 pushups and 100 total body moves by the end of the day. Some days I knock out the reps no problem and some days I would rather do anything than another pushup. There have certainly been a few days that I’ve decided to skip the reps, but if I’m being honest at the end of the day I feel like my body missed that little bit of extra movement and I began to think, perhaps it’s not the movement that my body is fighting but the level of intensity. Instead of doing 5 sets of 40 pushups maybe I’ll do 5 sets of 20. The key is throwing out the idea of all or nothing. If that 5 mile run seems unattainable that day, maybe just go 3. If cleaning the entire house feels daunting just mop the floor. If crossing off 10 things on a to do list sends you into a frenzy just focus on the first two. The idea is to keep some form of momentum. It’s far easier to pick up from 80 to 100% than 0 to 100%. Give some grace to your pace but keep that forward progress.

Maybe You Need A Change of Scenery

Consistency is key, but sometimes we need to mix in some variety. I’m a huge fan of routine, but it can be beneficial to take a step back to observe if our routine is serving us anymore. Perhaps you are feeling uninspired because you are a bit burnt out-and instead of taking it easy maybe you actually need to push the gas a bit. I’ve been feeling in a little rut with running lately so this weekend I made it a point to run on two new or semi new trails and let me tell you, that was good for the soul. Sometimes you need to shock the system a little for the best physical and mental results. Just like cooking green beans!  If you want to bring out the most vibrant green color boil fresh green beans till soft then dump them in ice cold water. The shock of temperatures stops the cooking yet turns them from that dull green to a vibrant spring green. So just like the green beans, maybe you need a little shock to your system and switch things up with your routine:)

We’ve become programmed to seek out the easy, the comfortable, the convenient, but maybe that’s not what our mind and body really craves. Don’t be afraid to take that step. You weren’t made for easy. You can do hard things. All you have to do is start.