I know a lot of people have a fear of going to the gym because they feel insecure, and they feel like people are watching them.
I also see a lot of well-intentioned coaches and fitness people say things like "No one is watching you" or "People are doing their own things, this is just in your head." As much as I want to alleviate your fears and agree with that, the truth is that those statements aren't necessarily factual.
Yes, it's true that MOST people are doing their own things and not paying any attention to you, but if it were ALWAYS true, we wouldn't have these gym fail videos and memes that I HATE so much. (Side note: As a fitness coach, I get tagged in those fairly often. Listen, if you've done this, I'm not mad at you, but please, don't do it anymore. These types of things exploit people who are trying to improve their lives and who are learning something new, and you wouldn't want someone doing this to you).
This may seem like a real downer post, but I'd like to give some encouragement in a different form.
I know it's difficult, but if you can, switch your mindset, and STOP CARING what these people think. I mean, I know it’s not easy, and it’s not that simple, but sometimes just being told it’s okay to not care is what people need. So here I am, saying (typing) that. Literally drive a stake through your concern of other people’s opinions. If they've got the time and energy at the gym to critique somebody else, they've got a lot of time to make improvements in their own lives, trust me.
If I allowed myself to remain paralyzed by my thoughts of what people think (and I used to have a LOT of them), then I'd still be stuck in a lot more unhealthy patterns in my life for no reason other than the fact that I wanted to appease overly-opinionated people. My value is not in their opinions, and neither is yours.
Now, in most categories of my life, I sincerely could care less what people think about me. I listen to opinions and make real changes when people offer me valuable critiques, but I completely tune out the people who offer their opinions just because they like doing it. I smile. I'm kind to them. But I've got goals and things that have to happen in order for me to reach them, and I simply don't have time to care what gym bro Collin or co-worker Susan thinks or says about it. Most of these people don't really even think below surface level of why they do what they do anyway.
Practice your polite smile and crush your goals, and let me know if you need some help.
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