Is it really as simple as…

Is it really as simple as that there are 4 types of people in the world?

Hear me out….If you have ever taken a group fitness class or work out, you will IMMEDIATELY get me.

In every class or online video there are breaks. Breaks in the music between songs, or a 15 second break from reps, and what you do during those breaks tells a lot about who you are. Follow along, and tell me if I am wrong!!!

1. Do you use the break to keep jumping/running, do jumping jacks, squats, even if you are exhausted and feel beat up?
2. Do you use the break to catch your breathe and get a sip of water, even if your tank is not depleted?
3. Do you use the break to stand still and in your brain think…”What the $%^&. Why am I even here? I will never be able to do this, and I don’t even want to. This just stinks. Who does this teacher even think they are?”
4. Do you use the break to mostly keep going, but sometimes you know you just need a water break, and you are going to take those precious seconds to do so?

As I was working out this morning to @Carolinegirvan and doing a 10 minute tricep workout, directly after I did a @Baileybrown boxing workout, I could feel my arms ready to fall off…..but, in Caroline’s video, there was a 15 second break between exercises, and I was so pumped up this morning that I started to work my inner thigh area during those breaks. I felt like a BOSS. No lie.

But, I am not here to tell you about my workout, but rather to explain how I came to my theory. So, there I was not backing down, when just yesterday while dancing for my daily workout, I found myself taking a few well needed water breaks. I began to think about how we approach our “ON” time, and our “OFF” time. It can be so telling about our approach to life.

It’s true. Sometimes, we REALLY need the break. We deserve the break. We need to recharge. Fill our internal selves with kindness and respect. Think about when you say either to yourself or to the world of social media…” I am listening to my body and showing myself some self love/care.”

And, sometimes we take the break because it is a habit. We have always taken a break, so we continue to do so… a sip of water, a little tv, a little (or, a lot) of TIK TOK.

And, trust me…we know the difference. We don’t always listen to it, and that is usually when we have regret at the end of the day. Regret that the day sort of passed us by without us getting accomplished what we had hoped. Didn’t challenge ourselves mentally &/or physically. I am not simply talking about tasks upon tasks. I am talking about taking breaks because. Because they are habit. Because we are afraid. We know when we are quitting but our bodies/our souls crave more, and can handle more.

We take that break, not always because we really need it, and it means that we run out of time. Time to journal. Time to create. Time to build that side hustle. Time to……you fill in the blank.

So, this year….listen to your body. Feel your rhythm. Know when you need to recharge. Know when you can push. Know when you want more, and make time for it. This is your life. We have one! Everyday we won’t knock it out of the park, but everyday we can try. Everyday we can take a break or two for an extra sip of water, and the other “breaks” can be used to work towards something that fulfills us.

Maybe by not taking that extra break, we have time to get home and try a new recipe, or meal prep, or even make it to the grocery before it is too late. Maybe by not taking that extra beak, it means we have time to journal, or learn a new language, or start fulfilling a big dream.

If you are using your break to glare at the teacher and have swear bubbles dancing over your head….maybe that is your personality trait that actually fuels you up…charges you to keep going. But, if it is not, and you are just hatin’ on your experience, then make change happen. Find a different workout program, job, hobby.

We all know someone that we can not figure out how they manage to get so much done. Or, how do they have time for such a great hobby/side hustle.They know how to use their breaks effectively. When to take them, and when to charge forward. They have a list of items they want to achieve when they actually have a break….not just tasks like cleaning, but a list like learn to play the piano….

I would think striving to be #4 will give you all the feels. It allows for boundaries when you know you MUST slow down, but allows you to keep chugging along…to not lose your flow. Have you ever realized how exhausting it can be to take a break and then struggle to get back in the groove? So, keep your journal nearby and keep a running list of the things you want to accomplish when you have a break that you aren’t taking.

Continue to challenge yourself. Don’t just wait around for the right moment, or for when your break is over. Sometimes, grab that break by the possibilities, and make it happen!

Much love and Happy New Year!