I watch men walk into the gym with what I would consider their "game face" on. They have a one set mind as if they have been at work thinking of this workout all day long. They get right to work, and unless they are Mr. Social, they get their workout in, done, and they're out.
Then there are the women. WOMEN are just COMPLEX! (Sigh) :)
However, the biggest difference I've concluded between men and women is how hard women are on themselves verses men. I've had a couple conversations with men where I've really had to take a step back and try to see things through their lenses (as scary as that sounds). Women, in general are their own worst enemy. We'll stand in the mirror for HOURS and criticize ourselves for ANY or EVERY imperfection. We judge ourselves before anyone else does. And most of the time we put ourselves down before anyone else does.
BUT MEN, on the other hand, they are their own personal cheerleader for the most part. Couple weeks back, I was talking to this guy about past sports and his exercise history. He told me he used to play football and so forth. He then asked me how old I thought he was. I said probably 30ish. He said 37 and I told him he was in really good shape. Definitely didn't look 37 at all. He smiled and said, good. But then after hearing about how active he was in his past and how his dad taught him the importance of being fit, it made me curious what his current fitness goals were. I guess that's just the trainer in me! His response though was one that I've heard several men tell me when I ask what their fitness goal is. He said, "to be the fittest 50 year old I can be!"
As I thought about that, I've come to the conclusion not that I want to BE a man. But that I would like to develop some of the same like-minded thinking. That I need to focus on being the best me, no matter my age. That I'm not here to impress anyone by how I look, and that I do what I do because I want to help others. It's so easy to get caught up in things that don't matter and that's the perspective I was able to see from this gentlemen's story. We're all on this journey and it should be for no one but for our own betterment.
I'm challenging myself to think less about why I'm doing something or how I look doing it and just DO IT. Don't overthink and just enjoy the process of becoming the best Alison that I can be.
I challenge and encourage you to do the same.
BeBlessed
A
