Change is good

#respecttheoldseekoutthenew2022

“One reason people resist change is because they focus on what they have to give up instead of what they have to gain.”

Have you ever found yourself a little bored of your usual routine? Have you ever thought of making some changes in your life, but you’ve been unsure about following through for various reasons (e.g. undecided of what changes to make, disturbed by what you’ll need to give up, unsure of whether you’ll be good at the new thing you want to try, worried by what people might think…). 

Not too long ago, after I had crushed 2-3 months of really good training at the gym and had a few successful fitness competitions/qualifiers, I began asking myself the question “What’s next?” As most of my close friends and family know, I really enjoy setting goals for myself as they often keep me motivated and focused, while bringing out the very best in me. 

So, there I was, towards the end of 2021, entering a period of reflection, beginning to re-assess my goals for the months to come and thinking to myself that I needed a break from my routine and a new kind of challenge. At that exact time, I ran into an old football/soccer teamate who invited me out to train with a new team; the timing could not have been more perfect.

Despite the fact that I felt pretty rusty in my first few sessions (I had not played consistently for a few years), I was asked to join the team in playing their first match. Now, 2 months later, I find myself training 3 times a week and playing 1 game a week. Clearly, this has become a much bigger commitment than I anticipated and as a result I have had to cut back quite a bit on my training inside the gym. 

It’s no secret that I absolutely love CrossFit and Weightlifting. Over the last few years, being fit and being strong has helped shape me in more ways than one. However, as much as I am a little sad about giving up my consitent training days in the gym for the time being, I do feel like change is good once in a while, that there can be so much to gain from pushing yourself outside your comfort zone or your usual routine and that challenging yourself to do something else every so often is necessary for growth.

The gym will always be there and I know I’ll be back training hard and competing in the near future, but for now, it’s time to take advantage of an opportunity that came my way and to enjoy the present moment.

“Sometimes, a little change is a good thing.”