Summary

The author overcame a dislike for exercise by embracing discomfort, leading to a love for gym workouts and personal growth.

Abstract

The author initially disliked exercise, particularly the mandatory runs in high school, and felt uncomfortable discussing sports due to societal expectations. A shift in mindset occurred when they questioned their fear of discomfort, recognizing it as a barrier to growth. By confronting this fear, the author joined a gym, participated in kickboxing, and began to enjoy the energizing effects of exercise, even incorporating runs into their routine. This change in perspective not only transformed their attitude towards fitness but also inspired growth in other areas of life.

Opinions

The author believed that exercise was beneficial but struggled to enjoy it due to a fear of discomfort.
Discomfort is seen as an inevitable part of personal development and should not be avoided.
The author felt intimidated by the gym environment but found motivation in a structured training plan and progress tracking.
Overcoming the fear of discomfort led to a sense of pride and accomplishment, reinforcing the newfound love for exercise.
The author extends the lesson learned from embracing discomfort to other life situations, suggesting it as a catalyst for overall personal growth.

This Mindset Change made me Love Going to the Gym

I used to hate any form of exercise

I used to hate any form of exercise, it’s true. I remember our weekly gym class in High School. I was never looking forward to it. The worst thing about it was that we had to run 3k a few times a year. I wasn’t only exhausted and annoyed during this run, but I also felt bad thinking about the run days before it even happened.

During those runs, I was annoyed by my sweat, by not being able to keep up with my friends and by wanting to quit constantly. I did want to like it because the ‘cool kids’ seemed to be all very good at sports. I was fascinated by the way they enjoyed it, but couldn’t understand any of it.

Also, whenever I somehow ended up speaking about sports or the gym with someone, I got uncomfortable, because not liking to move your body is not a very popular opinion.

Despite hating to exercise, I have always known that it’s good for you and that it makes you happier and healthier. But hearing about all the benefits didn’t make me want to take action. The only thing it did, was that it made me feel bad about hating to exercise.

So what changed my mindset and experience?

Why are you so afraid of discomfort?

I don’t remember where I read or heard this, but once I really started asking myself this question, my perspective on exercising and achieving things, in general, started to change slowly.

Sweating is not very comfortable, neither is being out of breath. I was afraid of discomfort, I truly was.

Why was I avoiding discomfort? I still don’t really know. But just realizing I was, caused me to really question my actions. Discomfort is not only something that could be experienced while exercising, but many situations in life require you to go through some sort of uncomfortable struggle in order to see growth.

Not meeting your friend because it’s cold and rainy, or not taking the time to prepare a healthy and delicious meal because of yesterday’s pile of dishes you haven’t done; these are all moments of a little bit of discomfort or struggle one has to go through to make something better happen.

Discomfort is part of the journey to a better place, to a place of growth. It’s what eventually makes you feel proud of yourself. I was standing in my own way.

What did I do after this realization?

After realizing I was often avoiding discomfort, I started taking action. I told myself to be very aware whenever I was about to not do something or to quit because of discomfort. I told myself to not quit and to start those uncomfortable things I always wanted but never did.

One of those things was going to the gym.

The gym intimidated me so incredibly much; the sweating, the not knowing what to do there and of course all those fit girls and boys.

But, despite my fear, I became a member of a local gym. I wanted to get in better shape. I wanted to experience that great feeling people describe after a work-out, and I was prepared to feel the discomfort on the way. So, on my first day, I participated in a class my gym offers; kickboxing. And guess what, this class started with some old-school running around. Lucky me.

After the kickboxing class, I felt great. I was proud that I had entered a gym for the first time in my life and that I hadn’t quit.

At my gym, they offer to help you with a training plan or schedule, when you’re new to the world of fitness. This was great for me because having this plan and the app that comes with it that shows your progress gave me motivation.

I now I have come to truly love the fact that I feel stronger and very energized after a gym session. And every time I feel discomfort, I try to see it as a game in which I try to endure the discomfort for as long as possible. And on days I’m not going to the gym, and of course, during corona time, I am even going for runs around my neighborhood. I even enjoy that as well. It’s amazing how a person can change.

Besides going to the gym and loving it, being aware of what I avoid out of fear of discomfort is helping me in other areas as well. And the fact that I made myself truly love the gym and exercising in general, motivates me to grow in other aspects.

Loving new habits takes time, but if you see your ideal self having those habits, stick to them and go through the moments of discomfort. It’s so worth it.