FIND YOUR WHY
Your ‘why’ is the foundation of your journey, the reason
you jump out of bed, the reason you keep pushing yourself
to do the extra set, complete the extra mile and keep
coming back. Without your ‘why’, your purpose and reason,
healthy habits, routines, discipline and consistency will fizzle
out before you’ve even completed your free trial at the gym!
Take a minute, sit back and ask yourself – why have you
picked up this book? Why are you reading it? I hope it has
something to do with your desire to be a better version of
yourself, to evaluate and change up your fitness and health
routines, to make you a priority. So many women struggle
to put themselves first because they think it’s selfish; they
feel guilty for prioritizing themselves and making time for
themselves above others, whether that be loved ones or work.
I don’t think putting yourself first is selfish: you need to
allow it to feel necessary and positive. It’s self-love, self-care,
meaning you are ever evolving with the power and confidence
to always do what works for you.
I know finding your ‘why’ is not as simple as saying or
starting with the words ‘health’ and ‘happiness’. For so many
of us, our ‘why’ is rooted in other people – children, parents,
partners, loved ones. However, your happiness cannot be
rooted in other people. Yes, you love them, they matter, they
are important and necessary parts of your life. BUT, you
cannot be the best person for them if you’re not the best
person for yourself. To be fully present, happy and healthy
for them, you have to start with you, and this is exactly where
your ‘why’ for your fitness journey needs to start.
By applying this principle to your personal goals, you can
discover what truly drives you, and that will be the foundation
on which you build a healthy lifestyle.
WHY FITNESS?
People don’t believe me when I say fitness changed my
life. They think I’m being over the top, exaggerating or
that somehow it comes easily to me. It isn’t easy and I’m not
exaggerating. Fitness came to me at a challenging time and
has had the greatest, most positive impact on me.
In the past, most of us have been taught to see working
out as a physical benefit. Our doctors tell us it’s good for
us, and the positives highlighted are usually all related to
physical health:
• Bone and joint health
• Heart health
• An increase in stamina
• Less risk of injury and disease
• Likely to live a longer life
You might expect me to focus solely on the physical benefits
of exercise. However, I truly believe it is as much about
the mental and emotional ones. My work ethic, schedule,
discipline, resilience and consistency all come from fitness.
I cannot emphasize that enough. I truly mean it when I
say it has changed all areas of my life. It puts me in a good
mood; it wakes me up; it gives structure to my day; it keeps
me focused; it’s my therapy, my stress relief and, above all,
fitness makes me happy.
TASK: NOTE DOWN YOUR ‘WHYS’
The first thing I want you to do is grab a pen and paper then
write down why you are embracing fitness and a healthy
lifestyle from this moment onwards.
There is no right or wrong, except your ‘why’ is
totally to do with you. We all have our reasons, and they
often start with an aesthetic goal. If that’s true for you, then I
want you to try to think of the mental aspect of what you’re
reaching towards. Perhaps, for example, you want to lose
weight to fit into your wedding dress. As much as that might
be true, your real why is actually to feel confident, to smile,
to be happy in your own skin on your wedding day.
I want you to write down your ‘why’ but I want you to think
about the difference it makes to your mind and body. Think
about how you want to feel, what you want for yourself.
Get it down on paper so you always have it to look back
on. When you’re feeling low or unmotivated, your ‘why’ will
come through, trust me – I live and breathe it!
Your list of reasons why is solely for you, but I want you
to monitor the positive impact they have on those around
you. I get it: loved ones, work, friends, everything around
you is important. But, I want you to remember that, by
prioritizing your health and fitness and your reasons for
wanting to smash a workout, you will be a better person for
everyone else, too. People will feel your energy, they’ll love
your strength and they’ll admire you for it. Don’t be afraid of
putting yourself first, ever!
