Aug. 16: Why Do We Skip the Things That Will Help?

I have a question of the day.  Actually a question of the life, because this is something I've done for years.

WHEN I'M HAVING A TOUGH TIME EMOTIONALLY, WHY DO I AVOID DOING THE VERY THINGS THAT MAKE ME FEEL BETTER?

Exercise makes me feel great.  Lifting weights makes me feel strong and powerful, like I can take on the world.  I see results every time I walk into the gym.  I either hit another PR, or a notice a new bit of definition that wasn't there last time.  So, rolled into one activity I have:

a self esteem boost

a step towards better health

a release of anxiety

a sense of accomplishment

So, why, then, when things are going badly, do I avoid the very thing that will make me feel better?  I looked at my workout journal today and realized it has been one month to the day since I have lifted a weight.

This directly correlates with the realization that I am in a race with the bank to see if they get to foreclose on my house or if I can sell it before they do.  It correlates with the fact that I make nearly $800 a month less than my monthly expenditures, and I am totally maxed out on all of my credit, and I just can't go on this way.

So I skip the gym?

In the wise words of my 9 year old.................

duh.

So what am I going to do about this?  Well, today I got my butt to the gym.  I felt great.  I only lost a tiny bit of strength, which should come back quickly.  I went back to my original full body workout, and for the next two weeks, I am alternating a cardio day and a lifting day, six days a week.  I'm just going to do it until it's a habit as ingrained as brushing my teeth.

This is more than physical well-being at stake here - it's proving to myself that I don't deserve to feel bad and anxious.  It's saying to myself that I get to do things to feel good, no matter what else is going wrong.  It's basically telling me that I MATTER.