Balance, kindness, and self-love are all topics we discuss regularly at CFB. We want health and fitness to make your life BETTER, not bring you down.
That said, we walk a fine line: Not being too hard on ourselves but understanding that sometimes self-kindness means doing the thing you don’t want to do.
What does this mean?
Having perfect days 365 is impossible: Life is chaotic and unpredictable, stress can be high, and sometimes we are just BURNT OUT. There may be days that you can’t get yourself to get to the gym; you need to binge-watch some Netflix or a week that you choose to have a glass of wine before bed every night.
At a certain point, though, it’s good to check in with ourselves to make sure we’re not simply allowing self-love to slowly creep its way to becoming excuses that prevent us from making the progress we’re looking for.
You may need a couple of days without working out, but after a week or so, you may start to experience the adverse side effects of not moving your body. A glass of wine before bed seems nice, but what if it turns into two or three? Or what if you suddenly find yourself drinking every night? There are times when the kind thing for your body IS going to the gym or skipping the glass of wine, even if it feels rigid and hard in the moment.
The question is: How can you figure out the balance?
- Regularly check in with yourself.
- Take time to think things through.
- Lean on your support system.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself when identifying what self-kindness TRULY looks like.
Will I feel better after I work out, or do I genuinely need a rest day? If I don’t work out, what will I fill my time with? Will I go for a walk, do some yoga, read a book, or read my Facebook feed?
Why do I feel like I need to have a glass of wine? Can I stop at one glass? Will having one make it hard for me to say no to more? Will it affect my sleep and how I feel tomorrow?
You can answer the above questions with anything: food, walking, exercise, etc. The important part is that before you do or don’t do something, get to the bottom of your WHY. Take time to think things through and allow yourself space to make sure you’re taking care of yourself effectively.
Lastly, remember you have a crew of coaches at CFB you can lean on for support and advice. Shoot us an email, hit up the FB group, or send us a text. We’re here to help you reach your goals however we can!