I honestly never thought that I would be recording a podcast episode about this, but join Jesse and I this week as I share how I started going to gym classes for the first time in my life! It all started when my friend Kate told me about a gym in our area that offers free childcare. Jesse and I signed up, thinking that we could just use the childcare and work while the kids were taken care of. After all, the childcare alone made the cost worth it.

However, when it was suggested that I should take a gym class myself, I was initially completely against the idea. It truly scared me. After all, I had had a traumatic experience in PE as a young girl, where I was always the one who couldn't do the exercises and felt so embarrassed. I carried that shame with me for decades, but I ultimately decided that I needed to face that fear. I told the internet that I was going to do it, which helped hold me accountable.

Walking through that door for the first class was definitely the hardest part, but the instructor was so kind and encouraging, helping me feel comfortable as a total beginner, and something amazing happened; I kept going back, week after week. I've even started making "gym friends" and look forward to the classes. It has been so incredibly empowering to push past this fear that's held me back for so long!

Of course, it hasn't been without some embarrassing moments, like the time I had a little accident during an intense workout (listen in for those details!), but I am learning and growing through it all. This experience has made me realize how many other areas of my life that I have avoided due to fears and insecurities from my past, and I am so glad I didn't let that stop me this time. I hope my story will inspire you to identify things that scare you and help you find the courage to take that first step in facing them! You never know what good could come from conquering a fear!

 

 

In This Episode

[0:35] - Jesse and I are talking today about how I recently did something I never thought that I would do - join a gym class!

[3:33] - We initially joined the gym for childcare, but a tiny nudge led me to try a class.

[6:55] - I reflect on how childhood gym class failures left me feeling humiliated, inferior, and determined to never repeat it.

[9:42] - Jesse notes that proper coaching could have reframed my struggles as growth, not lifelong self-judgment.

[10:23] - Hear how I began replacing old shame with courage, embracing things that once terrified me.

[13:20] - To help hold myself accountable, I told the internet and asked one of our daughters to go with me for moral support.

[15:34] - Hear how I chose a beginner class, asked for help, and felt welcomed by a kind instructor.

[18:21] - Conquering my fear, I now attend regularly and look forward to it!

[21:33] - I discuss how the instructor’s kindness and nonjudgmental attitude helped me rediscover confidence and encourage others.

[24:48] - I really appreciate the inclusive, non-competitive environment!

[26:55] - Hear about a little accident that I had during an intense class, hoping that others didn't notice.

[29:36] - I stealthily exited the gym, horrified to find the evidence painfully visible and unforgettable.

[31:38] - Jesse reminded listeners to stay clean and emphasizes that gym mishaps happen more often than people realize.

[33:09] - I invite listeners to reflect on their own fears and take one bold, courageous step forward this week!

 

 

Links & Resources

 

Crystal Paine

 

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