Taking A Break

Today I went to Physical Therapy after running too much, to the point where my knees were starting to ache. After a great session where my pains were alleviated and a new stretching routine given, I left the office wanting to head straight to the gym. I hadn't taken a genuine break from exercise believing the notion that I could over-exert myself because, in the end, it would all be worth it. This flawed way of thinking has led me to so many unnecessary injuries. So many useless days where I woke up needlessly sore. On top of my insistence on no rest day, add the fact that I have a pretty lackluster stretching routine, and you have the perfect conditions for my body to be hurt for absolutely no reason. There is another reason why I go to the gym so often, and it comes from a deep-seated fear that this habit will only become a passing thing which I only did for a couple of weeks before giving up. After spending so long where I would try a new habit or attempt to learn a new skill and giving up. I now get anxious whenever I don't do a particular habit, I am afraid that my not doing something once is only the precursor to me slipping back into a lazy and stagnant Sebastien. For example, if I wake up and set a goal for the gym in terms of distance or calories burned or weights lifted, and I get to the gym and for whatever those goals can't be met that day ( almost always because of time constraints). I start to blame myself and have this fear that today was just Day 1. in a slow decline which would eventually lead me to not going to the gym and being the same unhealthy bum I was 18 months ago. So today while I left the Physical Therapy Office and prepared to walk to the gym, I chose another course of action. I made a U-turn and walked my way home.  I reassured myself that one day of not sticking to a habit isn't the end of the world, in fact, sometimes it can be quite beneficial because burn-out is a real thing. I got home and relaxed and had a pretty amazing rest of the day. I think the lesson which I experienced today was that habits and consistency whilst important are not supposed to be suffocating, occasional breaks and leniency are not only fine but must be made.  The same way we all strive to work hard, let us not forget to rest hard.