Working Out to Feel Good
11/6/2020 - Tobin Carlberg
this is heavy!
It's no secret that exercising is good for your health — it helps build strong habits so you can work towards something new each day.
However, no matter what you do, your intentions should be pure.
In other words, WHY you're doing something is just as important as WHAT you're doing. If you decide to work out for the wrong reasons, it becomes an unhealthy matter.
Let's say there's this kid named Johnny. He started lifting weights because he wanted to impress the cute girl in class. After two months of exercise, he sees improvement, but still doesn't look like the fitness models on Instagram. To speed up this process, he decides to start taking steroids.
With these enhancements, Johnny is shredded. He's ripped, jacked, yoked, swole — whatever you want to call him. Just know that he's a big boy.
But wait, there's a problem...
It's not about the girl anymore. Johnny is still insecure because he feels the need to be BIGGER.
What used to be a fit young man is now a hulk with arms that aren't proportional to the rest of his body. Johnny will never truly be happy because he's always comparing himself to others.
I use that example because it's important to do things for the right reasons. If it's all about your looks, then it will ultimately lead to obsession.
Exercising is about what's best for you and your health. Whether it means taking the dog for a walk, hopping back on the skateboard, or doing those daily squats — consistency is key. There's no need to rush because these things take time. By developing a routine, the results will come. You just have to enjoy the process.
If it gives you that natural high and helps you get up in the morning, that's what it's all about. I'm not saying it's bad to
work out because you want to look good, but it's about feeling good too.
Everyone wants to look their best, of course they do. There is always someone out there that you want to impress. The problem is that many forget about the most important person they have to impress: themselves.
Do it for you because it makes you happy and helps you feel better about yourself. I may be on the thinner side myself — and definitely in no position to give out real fitness advice — but I've found peace in a daily routine. It's even helped me eat more salads and bananas, and I don't even like bananas.
I used to be so insecure about how I looked and what other people thought of me. Now, I feel much better. I stopped caring about what others think because it's my journey, and I'm happy with where I'm headed.
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."
-Ernest Hemingway