I've never been someone who enjoys exercise!

Keren Smedley | 22nd July 2016

I’ve never been someone who enjoys exercise!

I have never been someone who enjoys exercise. That’s been the case since I was young. I wasn’t very good at it and I must admit that put me off. If I’d been chosen for the first netball team I may well have become keen! I chose to focus on other things which I was better at or where I was compared to others directly. When I was a teenager from where I sat there seemed to be two groups of people – those that were good and got a lot of enjoyment from it and those like me who weren’t and any sports session at school was torture and to be avoided at all costs! Many of you like me will remember from an early age when teams were picked and you were still standing alone near the end or at the end feeling rejected.

Exercise has increasingly been seen to help us to live a healthy and happy life. I know it is only one ingredient but not one I or you can continue to avoid. I can clearly see that my body has changed over the years and that if it’s going to be able to do all the things I want to do it’s in need of an overhaul!

It’s not surprising with all the negative messages from my youth that I’ve never found anything I really enjoyed. A couple of years ago I suffered a period of prolonged backache and after a long conversation with an orthopaedic surgeon I decided that I really needed to do something. I could see that my body was ageing, my hips are somewhat arthritic and so is my neck. I didn’t fancy the scenario they were painting of increased pain and then possible surgery. I knew it was important I took control so on their recommendation I started going to Pilates.

I have to admit it’s been a struggle for me as until recently I’d rather have been doing other things than going to a class. I found a class that is for older people, so I didn’t feel a ‘fish out of water’. As many of the other people also showed the wear and tear of life I didn’t feel as inadequate as I would have done with a group of 30 year olds! I have so many negative messages from my youth about how hopeless I was in this field that I needed to combat this. The first thing I did was question this somewhat competitive approach of mine. Was it needed here? Was that an out-dated way of thinking? How was it helping me? It was clear that it was not getting me to be fit! A non-competitive form of exercise was without doubt the best place for me. I didn’t want to be the last one standing when the teams were chosen!

However, as the months have passed I have noticed an improvement in my mobility. I’ve still got a fair way to go but aim to stick with it. And I have to admit I am beginning to enjoy it!

It got me thinking about good intentions and our lack of meeting them and achieving what it is we really want. I’ve noticed with the people that I work with that one way to release the blocks and to embrace something new is to talk about it and share with others who can help you to see your patterns so you can do something different that is more effective and positive for your well-being.

I’ve never been someone who enjoys exercise!

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