Committing to Fitness: New Goals for Health & Self-Care

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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by The Smetz Files

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Are you keeping a gratitude journal? I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media recently during this season of Thanksgiving about people keeping gratitude journals and demonstrating small acts of giving thanks for the month of November.

Guts, grace, and gratitude. I read these three words recently and they resonated. In some ways they stand in contrast to one another. How often do you describe someone or something as gutsy, yet graceful? 

Perhaps that’s what I like about this trio of words, they are in contrast and yet they are beautifully connected. Even in times of needing guts to make the hard decisions, there are moments of grace, and certainly points for showing gratitude for those who helped you along the way. 

Guts

Several weeks ago I posted that I was working on something new on my Instagram stories. The project I’ve been focused on is me. I needed to focus on prioritizing and establishing consistent, healthy habits. 

I don’t know if was pandemic hangover, aging (hellllo 40s!), or being a working mom raising active kiddos, but I had long since neglected consistent fitness. Yes I walk the dog. I practiced yoga here and there. But I did not have a daily workout regimen. And let’s be real, the frantic race to get kids to all their activities meant I was eating at odd times and not always the most healthy meals. I’m sure you can relate! Also, the fact that I’m getting ads for blue light readers is a topic for a whole other post – but these are pretty cute!

I have a petite frame, so I’m not looking to lose weight. I was in need of a consistent fitness plan, one that helped me sculpt and included weight training, cardio, and my love for yoga and mindfulness. 

So, I had to dig deep and prioritize healthy habits. And let me tell you, it took guts and a little humility to get back into being fit. I chose to work on some digital bootcamps with BODi with a fellow sports mom, Jen Williams.

Grace

I was motivated to make healthy changes. But I definitely needed to extend grace to my body and my limitations of not consistently working out for years. I could have defaulted to all the excuses. I’m too busy. I don’t have the energy. That workout is too hard for me.

But I committed. I stuck with it. I modified as needed. Now that I am 40 workouts in, I see the moments that took guts and the times where I needed grace to stay on track. Spoiler alert: I’m still not where I want to be! 🙂

Gratitude

I am grateful for the guts and grace I’ve displayed. I’m grateful for the encouragement along the way. Part of being in Jen’s bootcamps is getting digital affirmation from others working out and making healthy habits a priority. My kids have recognized my commitment and have asked me about my workouts. S has even done a couple with me!

I read recently that if you started working out now you would be 60 days ahead of your new year fitness resolutions. I’m grateful I’ve given myself the head start the last six weeks. If you have intentions of making a change, I say go for it! 

Have guts. Extend grace. Demonstrate gratitude.

So, in the days ahead, as you reflect on the gifts in your life, I encourage you to think about the demonstrations of guts, grace, and gratitude. Where do you see examples of guts, grace, and gratitude in your daily experiences?

Keep cheering me on! Follow The Smetz Files and let’s connect!