Find the Joy in Fitness

Spark Joy in Fitness.

Today we live in a data driven world. We track everything from our food intake to how many steps we take daily to how many miles we swam, rode or ran on our watches then download all the data to analyze our personal improvement. Is this you? If so, you are probably nodding your head, “ Yup, that is me, “ but we know that quantitative data is only one method to assess fitness. In all honesty, how much time do you spend reflecting on how you felt about your workouts? Quantity does not equal quality. As Marie Kondo would ask, “Did your workout spark joy?” According to Kondo’s KonMari method if something does not spark joy, it should be discarded. No, this doesn’t mean you get to sit in front of the TV and eat cake all day, but one can use Kondo’s concept in their fitness journey. Are you tied to a number in the scale, race time or training schedule? How do you feel if you do not get to a goal weight, get a PR or miss a workout? Perhaps, it’s time to get rid of the scale, sports watches or training plans from time to time and ask ourselves are we having fun? Did we find joy in participating in an event or just starting the workout even if it did not go as planned. By now, you are probably chuckling at this, but it is important to ask yourself from time to time, “How did I feel about my workout or race outcome rather than what my sports watch said?” Adding joy to a fitness goal can increase your self- confidence, self- efficacy and self-growth. Embracing these measures may be the very ones needed to keep you engaged in an activity until the quantitative measures meet your newly found enthusiasm. Try to find joy in the journey.

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