What's stopping you?

Summer is FINALLY, almost upon us!

For most, the change in weather, the warmer climate brings about a massive boost in motivation, not just towards physical goals, but it can improve your work rate at your job, the motivation to go after something new, go for that promotion, start that business you have always thought about, the possibilities are endless.

For some it can bring a lot of pressure into our lives, I know it does for me.

Here’s why, and I hope you can relate to this.

I have defiantly been feeling the change in motivation in different areas of my life. I don’t have a particular fitness goal at the moment but I am defiantly enjoying my training a lot more now the weather is warmer. That dose of vitamin D can really do a lot to change your mood.

I have found I look forward to the early starts at work more. I usually start around 7 am most days and I’ll tell you now, it was horrendous getting up and about at that time of the morning to come in for that time. It was freezing cold, dark and gloomy by the time I got into the gym, and by the time I left it wasn’t a lot different as I often finish around 7 or 8pm so I often wouldn’t see daylight out of work. 

The change in weather has certainly helped in that aspect.

During this change of motivation, I also forgot about the pressures that this time of year can bring on us, especially if you are working towards a personal goal. Again not just a physical goal, but a personal goal.

Anyway to the point, I started back up at my boxing gym last Thursday and it felt great to be back, do to work commitments it has been difficult to get myself up there but I managed to change a few bits around and made sure I made some time for myself.

After the boxing, I met up with some friends to celebrate my mate’s birthday. We were meeting at the local curry house for a meal.

Now, as I was enjoying my training so much, I wanted to make the right choices so I had water instead of beer and a tandoori mixed grill with no rice and no sauce. I kind of healthy option I guess.

The lads I was with all ordered the standard curries and were starting to put the beers away.

No comments were made but I did feel a little bit self-conscious of what I had in front of me.

As the night went on and the conversations flowed, I began to notice a pattern in the conversation. And a lot of it involved alcohol.

Now, I’m not a big drinker these days and I haven’t been since I had my second hip operation. I wasn’t allowed to drink for around 6 months due to medication vacating my system and I never really missed it.

The pattern of the conversation was what everyone had coming up this year. A lot of what the guys had plans were revolved around alcohol. Stag do’s, golf weekends, trips to magaluf, all trips that involved them getting as smashed as they could whilst away.

Before I go on, I don’ have a problem with them doing those kinds of things and nor would I try and convince them to try something else, that is there choice. I have been on stag do’s and celebrated mate’s birthdays and it’s been great but it’s not something I generally get excited about

But it did get me thinking, I don’t enjoy any of that stuff anymore. I’m border line T-total and that’s just my choice.

But over the past year or so, I have been labelled boring by these friends and I can see why I guess. I had nothing to contribute to their conversations as I didn’t have anything like that planned and there were a few weekends there that I haven’t been invited too because they know I am not a big drinker.

Being labelled boring left me feeling very hurt and gave me a sense of loneliness. If I don’t enjoy the things these guys do, then where does that leave me?

This kind of criticism can often lead you to doubt your own path.

I often think: Am I boring? Is there something wrong with me for doing something different? For not wanting to go out drinking every weekend? I am I a loser because I enjoy being fit and healthy?

It left my brain in a bit of a whirlwind and lot of self doubt began to creep in. This can very often derail a persons goals and aspirations.

I am off to Finland next week and I am going on my own because I couldn’t think of anybody I knew that would be interested in doing something like that. At first I felt really proud that I had the guts to do a trip like that on my own, now I feel a bit like a loser after hearing all my friends go on about their plans this year together and there’s me about to jet off on my own.

The summer time is a big time for socialising and don’t get me wrong, I do a lot in the summer with friends where you don’t feel under pressure to drink and but we do live in a country that has a big booze culture and lot of us can feel a bit under pressure.

It is a time of year where there are a lot of physical events going on, half marathons, mud runs, the race for life etc. You might feel motivated in your training towards and event in the summer but there will always be that pressure from people who won’t quite understand why you’re doing it.

Pressure to go wayward on your diet, to drink, to skip a training session, there are loads of variables.

This can often lead to stress about what it is you’re supposed to do. Are you going to stay committed to training? To working towards that goal at work? To put in that extra work on a Saturday evening instead of going out to the local pub or bar?

You will always get people who will understand, and those who won’t understand and probably pile on the pressure to stray from what you are working towards.

At the need of the day the choice is yours. The important thing is not to worry about other people opinions and to carry on your chosen path.

It hurt being called boring by friends and then not being included in certain things, but I remain happy with what I am trying to achieve and what I am working towards which is feeling and being the best person I can be.

Everyone is entitled to be happy, whether that be boozy weekends away, training for an event or working towards that promotion at work. We all need to understand each other and not judge one another as we all enjoy different things.

Whatever you enjoy doing, go out and do it!