At the beginning of the school year, I decided I would start going to the gym. For me, it wasn’t that I had an issue with going the first week, it was the idea of feeling embarrassed about going to the gym. Here are some ways I overcame that and the advice I’m passing on to you.
- Find a workout buddy.
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Personally, having my roommate there with me, in the beginning, was one of the few things that kept me going back to the gym. I would feel nervous in a way if I was alone when lifting. It was new, and there were a lot of people around me that I constantly felt were watching me, which of course wasn’t the case, but it felt as if that was happening. Having her there made me feel as if we were in it together. Also, she would push me to do better while we were there.
- Be comfortable with failing.
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You’re not going to be able to do everything as well as someone who has been going to the gym for years, and that’s okay. Start where you feel most comfortable and continue to push yourself to do better. If it feels like you aren’t ready to run as far as you are, or lift as much as you are trying to, be consistent and slowly work your way up.
- Wear what you feel most comfortable in.
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This may seem unimportant, but I have realized that when I am at the gym is something that makes me feel confident, I feel more confident in myself. Of course, you shouldn’t feel the need to spend hundreds of dollars on workout clothes, but find a few items that make you feel like you.
- Listen to music.
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Make sure to make a gym playlist. Have that playlist that makes you feel like getting things done and makes you feel pumped to work out. Being able to ignore all the background noise and focus solely on your workout and your music can make you more comfortable at the gym.
- Consistency.
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Nothing is going to make you feel better about being at the gym than being consistent. You get used to the environment and the people that you are around. It’s something that will change the way you view the gym when you consistently make it a habit to go.
My short-term goals in the gym have become long-term goals because of the time that I have put in. It is something that has become a part of my life that makes me feel good about myself. Beginning a new journey in a situation that I did not feel comfortable with has allowed me to grow in ways I didn’t know that I would.