The alarm goes off...
I’m out of bed, and I told myself I’m going to do a 30 minute peloton ride before the boys wake up. Coffee, cleats, water bottle, go.
Once I’m in the workout I have fun, but I don’t always want to start the workout. But I have someone, outside of myself, who I’m doing this workout for, and that makes it easier.
Of course I’m not as intense about my workouts as I’ve been in the past. I follow a more “intuition-led” approach to working out (versus the calorie-based or time-based workouts of my past…gross). I remember making myself stay on the elliptical until it hit the 60 minute mark when I was in high school, or running to burn X number of calories, and being a slave to my workout routine. I’m not that girl anymore. Thankfully, something shifted in my early twenties and I’ve never looked back.
I workout now for my future self.
^ Me at the barre studio 5 years ago. I’m so thankful to that girl for all the muscle she built during those classes.
Here’s why it makes so much sense to workout for the benefit of your future self:
(1) My current self right now has strong shoulders and powerful legs because of workouts in my past. I am sooo so thankful to 2017-2020 Kelsey for those hundreds of barre classes she did. I’m thankful to the childhood/teenage/college version of myself who spent 15 years in the pool and built up muscles that I get to enjoy for life.
And so I tell my future self, the version who’s a little bit older and finds it more difficult to build new muscle, that I’ll build some muscle for her. “I got you, future self. This arm workout is pushing me to my limit, but I’m doing it because I know you’re enjoying the rewards.”
(2) Immediate gratification isn’t always there with workouts. There are some things I get instantly like that endorphin hit (feels soooo good!) and strong mental health for my day (I notice it instantly after a workout). But seeing an immediate change in my core muscles after a 10 minute class? It doesn’t work that way.
Thinking of myself 10 years in the future helps me remember why I’m doing the work now.
Does this resonate with you?
We have a cold, rainy weekend up ahead here in Austin. Hope that you’re staying cozy, wherever you are in the country! Have a wonderful Friday!
