I’ve just begun to understand how important exercise truly is in our lives. Not even just exercise, I’ve just realized how important a healthy lifestyle is. Ever since the pandemic came into our lives, I’d been a total couch potato. Before that, I’d gotten my fair share of exercise through dance and simply walking everywhere I went. But, after months of slouching around everywhere I went, I had to get back into the routine of taking care of myself.

So, I took the leap… literally. I started to exercise and change my eating habits. Of course, the reason I started being more rigorous in my practices recently was due to my upcoming dance recital in June.

So, I got up and set a regime for myself. This meant at least an hour of practice every day, cutting out unnecessary junk foods, eating protein bars to get the boost of energy before activity, and sleeping at the right time (something I’m still working on).

But, something that I’ve noticed is that sometimes, it’s more habitual than it is motivational. I mean, of course motivation is the final push you need to actually start something. But, once you start doing it, motivation can run out. You might start thinking, “it won’t matter if I miss out on one day” or “I’m a little tired today”. And that’s completely ok… if it’s the truth. If your mind is telling you those things out of laziness or disinterest, then the progress is all lost. This is where the habitual aspect comes into play. When you’ve established this practice for a while (and have managed to continue it without your subconscious getting in the way), it will start to feel weird when you don’t follow your newly established routine.

To be fair, I’ve only been following this new practice for maybe two weeks. But, if you’re committed enough, that’s truly all the time you need to make an established dent in your lifestyle.