If you can survive a break-up, you can survive boot camp

Break-ups, they are horrible. Gut wrenching, nauseating, physically painful, life changing experiences. And usually by the time we reach our 40s we have had at least one, if not several in our life. And as if the break-up alone isn’t hard enough, the process of the break-up can drag out over a mind-boggling period of time. Because anytime you have been in a relationship for an extended period of time, generally you don’t just get the break-up post it note and it’s over (boy would that be easier, initially very hard, but easier long term). It’s a process. You break-up, you get back together, you break-up, you get back together, you break-up again, talk about how things will change, get back together, nothing changes, break-up again. This cycle can last anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months, and I hate to say it, to a few years. It really lasts as long as you allow it to. But as we all know, when emotions are involved and you’re in the moment, sometimes your head is second fiddle to your heart. So we go through the process until we are physically and emotionally drained beyond belief and are finally done. And you know when you are done. Done to the point of blocking phone numbers, erasing contact information, move to a new city, 100% over it, DONE! You are exhausted. And while you are exhausted, you have a new sense of survival. A new discovery of mental toughness. A realization that a new, more powerful you has been born. And it’s time to come to life. It’s your turn now. Ready? Because if you can survive a breakup, you can survive a boot camp class. And it’s time to get your life back.

I don’t teach boot camp, but I have taken them, and they are no joke. I’m talking move your legs, get your heart rate up, dripping sweat, flipping tires hard! And just when you think the class is done, there is always a bonus round (throw up, I mean YAY)! And you don’t want to be the one person who doesn’t do the bonus round. So you power through it (mind over matter), thinking of throwing up but you don’t (and if you do who cares), thinking you can’t finish (but you can), just wanting the class to be done, and finally, yes finally, you are finished. You have just completed your first boot camp class. And guess what, you didn’t think about your ex once. You were concentrating too hard on trying to breathe to think about anything else.  Food for thought? If you think you aren’t tough enough either mentally or physically to start working out, take a look at everything you have conquered in your life, and think again. Fitness is for everyone. And my guess is that you are one tough cookie.

And here’s the thing. Fitness isn’t always tough. It doesn’t have to be the boot camp class. It could be yoga, walking, strength training, or swimming, it all works. If you are feeling broken, stressed, confused, or feeling a lack of direction; stop, pause and pick yourself up. Take a deep breath, and start taking back control of your life. Right now, this second. Not tomorrow, or next Monday, or January 1st of 2021, absolutely right now. You want to feel better? You want the days to come where you look back on your ex and wonder why you were ever with them anyway? You want to build your self esteem so high that you rediscover what this happy little thing called life is all about? You want to move to a new place, meet new people, literally become the person that you know you can? Then do it all. And start by making a plan, a routine, a schedule, to get your health back on track. Because when you start feeling the effects of working out, your mind will clear, your focus will come back, and all those little pieces of your life that somehow were put on hold, will start to fall back into place.

We all have struggles in our life. Whether it’s a break-up or something else life changing, we are guaranteed a colorful life of unexpected situations. So why not align yourself with the best formula to getting tough with life, when it gets tough with you. There is strength in numbers, strength in prayer, and absolutely strength in fitness. So grab some friends, say a prayer for strength, and go kick some butt in the gym.

How has fitness helped you in times of struggle? My hope is to share stories of strength with readers so we can motivate each other to get healthy, live our lives to the fullest and to conquer what at times, seems impossible.