Today is my 32nd birthday.
You know, a lot of people dread turning 30, but I have to admit that my thirties have been pretty darn awesome.
I got married, went on an amazing honeymoon, quit my 9-5 job, started my online business, and hired a business coach.
I’ve connected with so many strong and powerful women through my online business who inspire me every single day.
I’ve continued to prioritize strength training and not only challenge my body, but respect it too.
Tim and I hosted our first Christmas for our families, we’ve traveled to so many fun places, and we’ve continued to celebrate so many of our friends getting married and starting families.
I could go on and on, but instead of listing out all the fun stuff I’ve done in the past two years, I’ve decided to switch things up on the blog today. In honor of turning 32, I am sharing 32 lessons I’ve learned that can be applied to fitness and/or life in general. I hope these provide a little inspiration if you need it today!
32 Fitness and Life Truths I’ve Learned Over The Years
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Respect your body because it’s the only one you have.
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It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks of you as long as what you are doing makes you happy.
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Decisive action gets you closer to where you want to be than relentless planning, talking, and wishing.
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Quick fixes are not sustainable for the long-haul. Getting results takes TIME and a whole lot of patience, persistence, and perseverance.
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We don’t HAVE to move and exercise our bodies, we GET to.
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If you don’t like vegetables, too bad. Stop complaining about it, find a way to like them, and eat them anyways. We aren’t children.
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Diets don’t work. What does work is eating when you’re hungry, stopping when you’re full, and choosing foods that satisfy you both physically and mentally.
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Don’t underestimate the power of a solid night’s sleep.
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There are no foods that you don’t have control over. What you actually might not have control over are the underlying emotions that cause you to turn to food.
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There are about a hundred things that can affect the number on the scale. Get rid of it.
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Wellness works best when it’s simply an automated part of your life and doesn’t dominate it.
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Just because certain approaches work for your friends and family, doesn’t mean they will work for you.
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Hitting a goal weight or size doesn’t always equate to finding happiness and loving yourself.
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Bad days, less than stellar workouts, and a few days in a row of not so great food choices are inevitable. The path back on track is always in your next choice.
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More isn’t always better. Strength, performance, and sanity will always be better choices than exhaustion.
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Your wellness starts with YOU, not anybody else.
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Consume information from resources who inspire you, not from people who make you feel flawed and not good enough.
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It’s okay to fail, it’s how we choose to grow and learn from our failures that matter. Don’t discount your weak moments.
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Stress can really mess up our bodies in some effed up ways. Know your limits and honor self-care.
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You aren’t always going to feel motivated, but sometimes you just have to tell yourself to stop your own bullshit and do it anyways.
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There is nothing that will make you feel as empowered and confident as lifting heavy weights will. The fat loss and getting lean is just a pretty sweet bonus.
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If it doesn’t feel right, it’s probably not. Trust your gut.
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Asking for help when you need it doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you. It’s an essential part of self-care. Don’t be afraid to invest in a personal trainer, wellness coach, career counselor, business coach, therapist, etc. It will be money well spent.
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Surround yourself with people who support you, encourage you, and lift you up. Find this tribe, love them hard, and then distance yourself from anyone who doesn’t treat you with the respect you deserve.
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The only way to know what will happen is to just do it and find out.
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Change is inevitable. Having the ability to be flexible will take you a long way in life. Adapt to your circumstances, don’t give up.
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What you believe will happen is what will happen. If you say you can’t, you won’t. If you say you can, you will. Most constraints that you believe exist, don’t.
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You can’t hate yourself thin. Get your mind right, and the rest will follow.
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Everyone has belly rolls and cellulite. You don’t have to love yours, but you don’t have to let your “flaws” define you either.
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It’s okay to say no to the things you actually don’t want to do. It’s even more okay to say yes to the things that excite you, even if that’s not what everyone else is doing.
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Continuously challenge yourself. Life’s too short to stay stagnant and boring.
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Finally, consistency will always trump perfection. Every damn time.
Here’s to another year of personal growth, business growth, and kicking ass! Can’t wait to see what this next year has in store for me.
Readers, let’s chat! Which of these resonates with you the most? What fitness or life truth of your own would you add to the list?
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<3 you! and This! HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!
Happy happy birthday ?? Thank you for doing such a wonderful job inspiring us !!!
Happy birthday,Athena!!Hope to see you in Greece someday!!Be yourself ,as you alraedy do and you will thrive!!!!Kisses…(I liked “Asking for help when you need it doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you. It’s an essential part of self-care. Don’t be afraid to invest in a personal trainer, wellness coach, career counselor, business coach, therapist, etc. It will be money well spent.” Soooo trueeee!!!)