Ever feel guilty for choosing something else when you technically could workout?
Like sleeping an extra hour, grabbing dinner with friends, watching the newest episode of Bachelor, replying to work emails, or baking cookies?
On Sunday afternoon, I had an hour of time to myself and was deciding what to do.
I could have done a workout class or some form of movement.
But, I landed on baking chocolate chip cookies instead. (Psst, these Amazing Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies to be exact. They really are amazing.)
There was a time when that choice to bake rather than move would have left me riddled with guilt.
It probably would have triggered me to binge on the cookies, too.
Can you relate?
That’s because back then, I saw movement as something I needed to do to control the way my body looked.
I saw movement as the ‘good’ choice.
It was a ‘have to.’
But on Sunday, it was truly nothing to pick baking instead of doing some barre or taking a walk.
So, what changed?
My ‘why’ behind movement.
I’ve practiced over and over again shifting from using movement to try to control the outside of me to seeing movement as something that benefits me on the inside:
Like helping me feel relaxed.
Helping me feel less anxious,
Helping me feel more energized.
And, helping me to feel a bit more connected to myself.
So on Sunday afternoon, when I was really craving something to help me relax, movement was one option to help me get closer to that desired feeling.
But not the only option.
Because you know another way I like to relax? BAKING 🍪
And Sunday, I landed on that.
No guilt.
No right v wrong choice.
No fear.
Just two great options for relaxing — moving and baking. And I picked the later.
Focusing on the benefits of movement that go unmeasured has helped me to find more joy and intuition with movement.
And, it’s also helped me release the guilt and shame when I choose something else instead.
I’ve heard from so many of you that you want more of that joy and intuition in your relationship with movement. And definitely less of that guilt and shame.
I hear you!
Which is why I created the a week-long movement mindset series — 7 days of shifts, reframes, and intentions to help you have a more joyful and intuitive relationship with movement. Join the free 7-day series here.
