Spun Out, Coming To Terms With The Impact Of A Week Without The Gym.

Hey guys,

A warm welcome to you all on this delightful Sunday! After a whirlwind week in Dublin, my soul is filled with joy as I land in Portugal. I had a fantastic time attending the VIP awards, revelling in the glitz and the glamour and catching up with old friends. Still, there’s a certain contentment that only our regular routines can bring. On top of that, I have a really exciting photo shoot on the horizon which I want to be mentally ready for. 

So… Let’s rewind to before I flew home when I tentatively dipped my toes into our local gym’s spinning community down here in Portugal. Believe me when I say that my first encounter with the spin class was anything but love at first sight. However, thanks to the encouragement from Dylan and the addition of comfort-enhancing equipment like saddle shorts, a padded saddle and spin shoes, I returned. And oh, am I glad I did! After returning home, my well-tuned routine came to a shrieking halt – a blend of work commitments, long overdue family dinners, sparkling happenings at the VIPs – the whole nine yards. I won’t sugarcoat it; it’s left me feeling less than stellar.

For me, the gym is far more than a space to merely ‘work out’. It is my sanctuary, my zen. While blessed with good genes (thank you, mam!) The gym has nothing to do with chasing weight loss or some ideal body shape but everything to do with my mental and physical well-being. In my gym routine’s absence this week, I felt sluggish, uninspired and generally off-kilter. I could sense a shift in my energy levels and motivation, and even just completing my usual daily errands felt like scaling Everest! That’s why returning to Portugal feels like a breath of fresh air. I’m itching to mount the spin bike tomorrow. Yes, it will be challenging, and there’s a good chance I’ll contemplate quitting five minutes in, but that’s not the point. The point is I’m trying to show up, even after a big derailment from the routine.

As the summer days unfold, it’s easy to lose sight of the daily rhythm of our training and healthy behavioural patterns amidst the haze of a sun-soaked Algarve. But remember, it’s perfectly okay to fall off the bandwagon occasionally. The trick is to get back on the bike (wink!). So as we sail into June (can you believe it?), Please share something you’ve been meaning to try in the comments. Let’s make a pact to ourselves to at least give it a go! Twelve months ago, I would have never pictured myself in a gym, let alone a spin class. But look at me now! As we journey through the remainder of 2023, I’m setting myself up to maintain at least three healthy habits:

1. Uphold my workout and nutrition routine.

2. Be more diligent about nights out and going for unplanned drinks, which can ruin the next day’s routine. ( I’m a divil for this)

Now to the final and most important of my healthy habits, improve my personal growth through books, podcasts, and mindfulness practices that I’ve left on the long finger using everyone’s favourite go-to excuse, “Ohhh, I’ve no time!!!” So, I’ll admit to often getting sidelined in the hustle and bustle of life or getting sucked in by my phone when I’ve got stacks of books gathering dust, a host of podcast episodes on pause, and a million other inspiring things I’ve promised myself I’d explore. So, here’s my confession – I’ve been a bit of a procrastinator. But you know what? Now that I’m back in Portugal and getting back into the swing of things, I’m excited to carve out some time for this essential ‘me time.’ One of my little projects is to create a hitlist – a personally curated collection of these inspiring gems I’ve been meaning to dig into.

Imagine it as a spread of knowledge, inspiration, and personal growth that I’ve come across online and saved under a promise to myself that I’ll get to that at some point. Of course, I’ve also been sent some wonderful things by like-minded friends and followers, which I’ve also shortlisted. So, I can’t wait to indulge! There’s a thrill in the anticipation of diving into these unexplored territories, learning new things, and expanding my horizons. So, the plan is to be a little more disciplined, prioritise, and start ticking off these nuggets of wisdom one by one.

So stay tuned for my journey through this treasure chest of self improvement! I’m eager to share my discoveries, insights, and the lessons I’ll undoubtedly learn. And here’s hoping these new pursuits add a fresh layer of excitement and fulfilment to my life and perhaps even give you some inspiration for your own personal growth journey.

Remember, we don’t need to wait for New Year’s Day to start afresh. Any day is perfect to embark on a journey of self-improvement. So why not seize the day and start now?