Ugh, Mondays...

You know those days when you feel like it's going to take an actual miracle to get you out of bed in the morning? I had one of those this week.

I managed to get up, get dressed (you're welcome), make my way to the gym for the early classes (shout out to the 5:30 crew and my french press for putting a smile on my face!) and get to the warm-up for my post-teaching, morning workout with Nia.

But even after leading classes, I was back on the struggle bus. I started to move around a little bit and just couldn't get warm. All my joints were extra creaky, and my muscles felt like the ghost of 18.4 would never stop haunting them.

To accompany this picturesque display of athleticism, my brain also wasn't in the game. "You deserve to just chill today ... There's always tomorrow ... Breakfast sounds way better than this torture, etc." The lack of inspiration in my head was truly next level.

I wrote all this down because I know I'm not the only one who has days like this. What ended up happening? We started the clock and I did the damn workout. It wasn't anything to write home about, and I sure as hell didn't set any gym or personal bests that day, but I did feel a whole lot better when I was done.

We tell our people to train with intention precisely for situations like this one. Why do you work out? I'm in this fitness thing to be in shape–for the rest of my life. I sometimes get in my head too much and try to self-sabotage by convincing myself that unless the outcome of a workout, and the circumstances of starting it, are perfect, that it's not worth doing. Then, every time I shut that voice down I couldn't be happier that I did. Expecting perfection or skipping workouts both only serve to keep me from working towards what I'm really after.

I spent the rest of that day with a sense of ease because I knew I had done what I needed to–a feeling I hope I don't soon forget. As much as I want to remember this instance for me, I also hope this story takes up a morsel of memory in your brain and can serve as the kick in the (pants) that will get you going the next time you need a boost.

Just so we're clear: there are days when it's important to take it easy and rest. This wasn't one of those days, and as much as I tried to convince myself otherwise, I knew it.

Excuses are insidious; don't let them creep into your mind and start to derail what you ultimately have full control over!