F*ck Funks
We are not always our best selves 100% of the time. It’s officially April and I haven’t written on this thing in almost two months — Mega fail. The truth is, I’ve been in a funk. While I absolutely love my job as a Fitness Instructor, and it keeps me fit and happy, I want to do more outside of the industry. I know I have more to offer the world, something more creative. My brain is teeming with half-baked ideas I barely know how to execute or put on “paper.”
I told myself I’d write weekly #healthyballance entries this 2019 calendar year, but that just didn’t happen. I began to doubt myself and didn’t know what to write. I worried what I had to say would be redundant or not interesting enough. You know, that self-deprecating BS we’re all guilty of sometimes...it’s called being human.
What do you do when you find yourself in a funk?
The first step is to acknowledge said funk. I’m not suggesting you sit back, relax, and let it dissipate on its own, but judging yourself for being “off” is wasted energy. A more proactive approach is being aware of those feelings and doing your best to channel that energy into something that elevates your mood. When I’m feeling down I like to work out, or write in my journal. Other times I like to binge-watch tv or curl up on the couch with a good book.
In one of my previous posts I suggested physically writing down what you want to accomplish to put that energy out into the universe. Although I, too, wrote down my tangible goals, I realized that my self-doubt was hindering my creativity. My anxiety of not being “good enough” was holding me back from making any progress whatsoever — sometimes I find it hard to get out of bed. In order accomplish my goals, I needed to be held accountable, which is something I wasn’t executing myself.
Writing my ideas down on paper was a good start but, as it turns out, I need external pressure to move forward.
One of my Insta-friends and fellow bloggers messaged me calling me out, asking when I would be producing new content. P.s. — thank you for that little push and confidence boost. A little validation goes a long way.
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Flywheel is a place where athletes come to train. Where [regular] people come to blow off steam for themselves or to get a taste of a little friendly competition on the leaderboard. This morning an above-averagely fit middle-aged man in his late forties approached the front desk prior to class, asking if he could check into back to back spin classes; he was riding a double Flywheel class from 6:30/7:30 am. Stanley* sat front and center, rocking his “Ironman” T-shirt.
“Is that your shirt?” I asked, in astonishment. For those of you who don’t know, the Ironman is an elite race that consists of a 2.5 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, topped off with a full-length 26.2 mile MARATHON. Suuuper casual.
“It is,” he beamed.
I wondered how long he’s been training for events like these…
Stanley finished top seed on the leaderboard, a solid sixty points ahead of the rest of the room, and was ready for round two. I approached him afterwards to ask about his Ironman training. Five years. That’s it! He must have started in his forties. Stanley went on to tell me when he first began he would get breathless after ten minutes on a treadmill — that he even hired a swim instructor to teach him how to swim properly and efficiently. Stanley started small. Little by little, without getting discouraged, he pulled off a full Ironman.
Talking to Stanley changed my perspective. Hearing his preserverence and ultimate success was inspiring.
[Side note: one of my New Years resolutions, aside from weekly blog entries (ha ha), is to run a half-marathon, something which I know I am capable, I just don’t want to run one if I don’t run it fast. I’m afraid to “fail.” I’ve been putting off training partly because of my funk, partly because the weather in New York City has been dreadful. To put it in perspective, it’s April 2nd and I am completely content in my faux fur Zara jacket, and sweatshirt underneath for an added layer. I want to start training but I keep procrastinating and making up excuses.]
I decided needed to get started if I want to see results. The longer you wait to begin something, the more daunting the task at hand seems. You don’t have to achieve your goals in one day because what kind of half-assed goals would those be? The ones that make you feel accomplished and alive are the ones that take effort. Persistence. Incremental growth.
It is important to do something — anything — to position yourself to reach your long-term goal(s). Doubting yourself only blocks your path to success and prevents progress. Sidestep self-doubt by getting others involved and invested. If holding yourself accountable doesn’t work, try talking to other people who share your interests. Let’s say your goal is to be a published author. (Hi). One step you could take to get the ball rolling is to talk to other people in the field. Making time on your calendar to talk to established writers will hold you accountable to their time. Do your research to make that valuable time allotted to you more productive. Attend a seminar. Sign up for a workshop. Start small and get that dopamine kick that comes from crossing a tiny task off of your bucket list. It’s never too late to start something, but getting started takes confidence.