“Exercise is a celebration of what your body can do. Not a punishment for what you ate.” – Women’s Health UK.
Ready for a pep talk..?!
Sometimes I think we all, myself included, need to look at ourselves and our daily ‘performance’ differently..
It’s great to have ambition and goals – this keeps us motivated but I also think there is a real need to appreciate and praise where we are at in this present moment. What we have achieved already..
In the context of my little London life and Pilates..
With the ever growing fashionable healthy fitness world that we live in – I swear that after 6pm on a weekday 80% of people in Clapham are in their ‘active wear’ (lol) – coupled with idealising beautiful images/videos of these super gorgeous fit bodies plastered all over social media and their perfect lifestyle– it really is no surprise then that we aren’t satisfied with our bodies and our way of life.
Crap – I didn’t make that green smoothie before work, I forgot to do my ab exercises last night before bed, I failed at trying to avoid chocolate for a week (/a day!)…
I say to you..don't be so hard on yourself.
On the mat – I often catch clients looking at others around them and comparing how much ‘better’ the person next to them is doing an exercise or how much more flexible they are to them. These insecurities are damaging..particularly because this is NOT what Pilates is about.
Some friends of mine that come to my classes ask me about each other ‘Is Zoe good at Pilates’ I think that is a really bizarre question..
This external focus that we have takes us away from our own bodies – our mind drifts and we lose our awareness. Pilates is such a personal practice and a journey, a process. And it's just about you.
So if you see the person on the mat next you perform the ‘perfect’ Teaser (if it really exists), sure, let that inspire you to keep practicing but more importantly, recognise the progress in your own body as you strive to achieve. Congratulate yourself..hooray for you!
By the way – the moral of this story applies to all aspects of life. Pilates is just a very good place to start.
You're welcome ;-)
