Join a gym. It changed me.
Let's talk about having an epiphany: I need to sleep more so I stop feeling so sluggish. I really want to read more. I have got to change something or I may lose my mind. Well, CityMom Alicia did just that: I need to join a gym. Not just because I want to change the way I look but because I need a new way of life. And she's here to tell us how it changed her. Read on, reader...
Do you ever have epiphanies in weird places? My greatest ideas or thoughts come to me in the weirdest moments. My last one decided to show up in the dressing room of TJ Maxx a couple of weeks ago. I was quickly trying to find a swimsuit that I could wear for our impromptu, out-of-town waterpark trip with my parents. I really love to shop for everything but two things: swimsuits and jeans. Normally, I would have been grumbling and picking on myself for the imperfections or what I call “areas that need work.”
But this day was different and lead to my epiphany. I tried on a couple of suits and liked each one equally. For the first time in a long time, I was noticing the new muscles in my arms and enjoying the flatter tummy I’ve gained. But also, I was so busy noticing those new things; I ignored the jiggly legs that may have some cellulite. Most importantly, I noticed a change in the way I was seeing myself. And the past few weeks, I’m still noticing the little changes in my mindset.
What have I been doing differently to promote this change of mindset, you might ask? Well, I joined a gym a couple of months ago.
I decided that despite going to grad school, raising a son with special needs, and the duties of being a wife and a mother, I needed to take care of me. We, women, do a lot of things really well: we take care of everyone around us and make sure their needs are met. But our downfall is forgetting to take care of ourselves as well. I am really guilty of this fact as well. I fulfill my duties in all my other roles but being the caretaker of my own body and mind. Those things get ignored because there is always an appointment to be going to, a dinner to be made, or for me, a paper that needs to be written.
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I decided a few months ago that I didn’t like how I looked and especially didn’t like how I felt and thought. The positivity and cheerfulness in my mindset just weren’t there. I knew I needed to begin working on my body and mind. For me, the answer was joining a gym and committing to going as much as I could. I did a trial of Burn Bootcamp and fell in love on my first day. I was finally reserving 45 minutes of time just for me; no phone to monitor emails and texts, no kiddo, no one needed me but myself for that time.
Now a few months later, I’m beginning to see really positive changes in my health and my mental state.
I’m relying less on stress eating and focusing on processing emotions differently. I’m making better choices on how I spend my time with less late-night binging Netflix because I have to get up early to workout. I’m becoming aware of how I treat my body and how I’d like to continue to treat my body. I’m surrounded by an amazing group of women who insist on cheering you on through high-fives and the words “you did well today” or “I think you could definitely go heavier with those weights.”
I’m so thankful for my journey and being able to have the platform to share it. I know that perhaps joining a gym isn’t an option or there are barriers to your health that prevent you from exercising like you want. But I really do encourage all of you wonderful mamas to find a way to love and care for yourself. You are so deserving of a little self-care. I wish you all happy, TJ Maxx dressing room epiphanies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alicia Hazelwood is pretty sure she will never actually graduate from school. She is currently pursing her Ph.D. in educational psychology with a focus in online learning.When she’s not knee-deep in research, Alicia serves in her favorite role as mommy to her four year old son.She enjoys crafting, Costco and chasing a good coupon deal. She uses cycling and running to compensate for her love of eating too many tacos.
