Guilt-free pleasure

I would categorize myself as someone who can be a little rigid at times.

Disciplined. 

Routine.

Someone who likes a schedule.

Someone who likes to be on time.

It has its perks.

And it is certainly something that has allowed me to achieve all the goals I have set for myself.

If not THE reason.

Completing a marathon without having run before.

(Oct 2005)

Completing an Ironman without having swam or biked before.

(July 2009)

Completing a bodybuilding competition without having seriously lifted before.

(April 2013)

And then there's the thousands of hours at the piano, training to be a professional concert pianist. Since I was FOUR.

So you could say it's pretty ingrained. 

A big part of my personality.

Getting things done. Not skipping "scheduled" things.

So when it comes to relaxing and chilling out and doing "nothing"? That can be a huge challenge for me sometimes.

It has taken YEARS to unwire that way of being and just allowing myself to ENJOY doing nothing.

Like, I can allow myself to do something non-productive? 

For realz?

Read fiction. Watch Netflix. Lay on the couch. Do nothing. 

Literally. Nothing.

CHILL.

I was reminded of that this weekend as my brother was in town for President's Day weekend.

This is a real treat since he lives in North Carolina.

We had plans to see a few museums and hit some different DC sights.

I had every intention of getting up and going to the gym. With him. He is a Strongman competitor after all. There is a lot he can teach and show me.

But I opted to sleep in. To enjoy a leisurely morning without going to the gym and rushing around to get to the next thing we had planned to do.

To indulge in good food and drink.

We had a GREAT time.

That may seem like a super simple thing, but in the past, I would have beat myself up. Felt guilty for not having worked out. And continued to beat myself up.

It's silly.

This is not really a post about the need to take breaks when working out, or breaks in general.

This is more about giving yourself a break.

Not beating yourself up.

Not having to always do do do, go go go.

And that is super tricky for those of us with over-achieving personalities. Not even over-achieving, but goal-driven.

Do you know what the cool thing about all this was?

I didn't beat myself up.

I felt myself begin to go there and stopped it.

It was AH-MAZING.

Yey, progress!!!

Guilt-free pleasure.

YES.

No need to beat yourself up.

Catch yourself when you start doing it.

And then give yourself a break.

Because if anyone needs it, YOU do. We ALL do.

Four days off, and today's upper body workout:

Do what makes you happy.