Yesterday I told you about falling at the gym, and how in that moment I hit a fork in the road. Do I get off the bench, change the weights, maybe even stop working out because clearly I'm out of balance and I'm going to hurt myself? That same week, two completely different clients brought me two completely different situations that were really the same thing at their core. One had gotten into an argument with her partner — one of those deep, intimate relationship moments where we all know how to shut it down, numb it out, and let things slowly erode. The other was talking about exercise and said, "I'm hoping you can make this fun for me because I won't do it if it's not fun." And I thought — both of these are forks in the road. Both are invitations to choose.
Here's what I've come to believe: hard is a thing, and we need to practice doing hard. I love fun — trust me, I get it. But at this moment in our lives, the growth lives in the uncomfortable. When we choose to get back on the bench, or sit in that difficult conversation instead of walking away, we're deciding who we want to become. We're practicing becoming her. And when it comes to exercise not always being a party, it goes back to this bigger piece — making tough decisions and doing stuff that isn't always super fun builds our bodies stronger, yes, but it also builds our courage. It opens up freedom and adventure and possibility for our future.
So the next time you're standing at that fork in the road — whether it's in your relationship, your workout, or any part of your life — I want you to stop hanging out in fear. Stop telling yourself you shouldn't do something because you're too old or too out of balance or too anything. Step into the uncomfortable and say, "I decide."
Key takeaways:
- Hard is a thing we need to practice — it builds the courage and strength that open up freedom in our future.
- Every uncomfortable moment is a fork in the road and an invitation to choose who you want to become.
- Stop letting fear or the need for everything to be fun keep you from stepping into growth — say 'I decide' and show up.