By Devin Wakefield –
Keep Moving When You Hate Everything
Days come when I need to dig deeper to motivate myself. I’m tired, I’m sad, I’m scared. I don’t want to. Whatever is going on in life, sometimes I might need some help.
I recommend starting with respecting yourself. What would you say to a friend? What would you say to someone you’re mentoring? Say that to yourself. If you think something rude about yourself, recognize it and apologize to yourself. Forgive yourself. If this is too hard (totally understandable! I have trouble too), try talking with a therapist or counselor.
Friends motivate me the most during a workout. When I struggle next to someone I respect, I know my friend will give their all, and I want to keep up. Exercise feels less challenging. I’ve got my buddy, and we kick butt.
During this pandemic before vaccination, I worked out with folks outdoors spaced far apart or on zoom. I live on the West Coast in Seattle where we don’t often get snow, so usually it doesn’t get too cold. When I really don’t want to go outside, partnering with someone online works. Even asking a friend to text me things like “Sweat so hard, babe! Lift that lift! You’re amazing!” helps me go. Reach out.
Who says you need real friends? Create some imaginary friends who’ll work out with you. My favorite imaginary friend is this really hot guy, and yes, I admit sometimes I get more distracted than helped. At the end of the day, I find joy in my workouts.
Memories can remind me of my goals and push me forward. A memory of a friend handstand-walking across the room inspires me to pick myself up. I might also remember a time I felt shitty, but pushed myself to keep going. Remembering what I’ve already accomplished shapes a healthy perspective. I got this!
Sometimes, I have to be my own cheerleader. “Go Devin go!” Say it with me (use your own name, obviously). “Go, [me] go! You can do it! You’re going to be so sweaty! Keep it up, I love you!” Seriously! It helps me. Say it to yourself now. Write it on sticky notes and put them all over your home or workout area. If they start to feel corny, write some new cheers and put those up. Maybe write it in a journal a few times before you work out so you start energized.
Cuss. Some science experiments find cursing makes you more resistant to pain and a little stronger! Flip the bird and go. You got this. Keep f—ing going! Hell yeah.
Good luck out there!
Devin Wakefield is 30 years old and has CF. He lives in Seattle, WA. In his free time, he likes to run, hike, and backpack. He is a writer for CFRI’s Community Blog.