I would say that I am a relatively confident person. I don’t mind being the center of attention with my friends, I have an outgoing personality with my co-workers and I never panicked before a school presentation. But the one place I want to hide and all confidence flies out of the window: the gym.
I am not a natural athlete in any way. I didn’t grow up kicking goals or hitting home runs. I dreaded Field Day because of the fear that I would get picked last for the kickball team. It was not that I was horrible at sports, I just never had a competitive spirit. I grew up doing dance and when yoga became a thing I jumped on the bandwagon fast.
The bigger issue is that the gym and I fall in and out of love often. Sometimes I can’t get enough of my personal sweat sessions, but other times I need to be in the open air, trying a new class, overdoing it on the workout DVDs. So when I have gone through a gym slump, walking through the air conditioned doors and placing myself on a treadmill next to a clear gym addict gives me a bout of insecurities.
Is my flab showing because my shirt is moving up while I jog?
Oh no, I have to walk…again. The guy next to me has been going at speed 7 for six miles.
Why oh why did I think it was a good idea to place myself between buff man A and B in the weight room?
I look like a fool in the back of this class and those 2 girls in the front are clearly staring/judging me right now.
It seems crazy that I love the health and wellness world as much as I do when I have a genuine scardy cat syndrome of getting judgey eyes in the gym. But, we all have our faults. Luckily I am working very hard to overcome these silly insecurities. And often times they fade once I get my gym groove back, but in the meantime here are some gym-truths I continue to repeat to myself when gym insecurities sneak in:
- Everyone is in their own zone. Or at least that is what I tell myself. I’m not cool enough/goofy enough to draw any extreme amount of attention my way.
- And in the rare case that I do, looking like an idiot is okay, truly. No one is good at everything on their very first try and I need to cut myself some serious slack.
- Focus on myself and my fitness distractions (ie music, book, magazine) instead letting a nervous mind get the best of me.
- When it is all said and done…you never, ever regret a workout. The endorphin high you get post-workout makes all of the silly fears digress.
Is anyone else intimidated by the gym? How do you conquer these insecurities?
photo credit: Pewari via photopin cc
