A Few Simple Life Lessons

Random photo from my camera roll!

For months, I have seen people praising Pilates and their love for it on TikTok and Instagram. I felt like everyone was doing Pilates! Am I missing out?! I have been doing Orange Theory for nearly five years and love it so much, but maybe I should try Pilates! Everyone loves it so much! I don't see Orange Theory as much on social media. Does that mean it's not a good workout?! 

Consider me heavily influenced! I signed up for a Pilates membership and started taking classes. The first intro class went well. I thought, 'Okay, I'm excited to try this out!' The second class, 'OK, this is a little boring, but I'm just learning the basics.' Then, a few more classes, and I'm starting to wonder why everyone is raving about this workout! I wondered,  'Am I missing something?'

And then, a lightbulb went off in my head, and I was reminded of so many life lessons that apply to this situation.

Lesson #1

There's that saying, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' 

I have a great workout schedule that fits well within my life. It has been part of my daily routine for years. I go to Orange Theory a few days a week, walk Henry a few miles daily, and row on my rowing machine once a week. I have never been stronger or more fit in my entire life. This workout works for my body, wallet, schedule, and location. At Orange Theory, I have made friends and love all of the staff and coaches. It feels like a second home at this point. The studio is always so welcoming and upbeat. The staff is wonderful and friendly, and those in my classes are kind and supportive. It's always clean, and I can always get into a class. I love that every single workout is always challenging me. I feel the value for the cost is very fair. 

I think it's good to switch things up, but I didn't have a reason to. I wasn't bored by my workout and didn't feel like I needed something different. Though, curiosity got the best of me! 

Lesson #2 

I was heavily influenced by social media to try pilates. None of my friends do pilates in 'real life,' so this came from social media. I am quite literally a social media influencer, but it's a good reminder that everything being recommended on the internet doesn't mean it is a good fit for every person. 

For example, my mom doesn't like a lot of the makeup I use. We have different skin tones and ages, so it makes sense that we require different products. Just because I love a product doesn't mean everyone will. Everyone is different and has different tastes, needs, interests, and more! It was silly to think I'd love Pilates just because it seemed popular on social media! 

Lesson #3

This brings us to lesson #3: just because something is popular doesn't mean you need to do it. I mean, DUH! This is a lesson you learn in 1st grade, right?! I felt like I was seeing Pilates on social media more than anything else, so I felt like everyone was doing it, which gave me a bit of FOMO! But just because it is popular doesn't mean I need to do it! 

I remember learning this lesson when I was young. I enrolled in basketball when I was in grade school. I had been in dance my entire life, and it was my passion. But so many of my friends were playing basketball. My dad coached the team, which was so sweet. It was clear very early on that basketball was not for me. I was quite literally *scared of the ball*. I didn't love it. Dance and cheerleading were my things! 

Lesson #4 

In that same vein as Lesson #3, not everything is for you, which is OK! I needed this reminder the most! This can apply to literally every facet of life. There are SO many people out there who love Pilates, which is amazing. There are also so many people who love Orange Theory, which is also amazing. But there are also people who don't like either, which is also totally valid! There are many who have never done either and have no interest in ever doing any of these classes!

This is another good example of not everything being for me...  

I follow someone who is naturally blonde with blonde lashes and blonde eyebrows. I am naturally dark-haired, and therefore, I have dark eyebrows and dark eyelashes. This woman was sharing what she does to dye her eyebrows. It looked SO good. I added what she used to my Amazon cart. I didn't check out right at that moment. A few days later, I saw the dye sitting in my Amazon cart, and I thought to myself, 'Wait, why would I dye my eyebrows? I already have dark eyebrows, and my hair is light- I wouldn't want my eyebrows to be any darker!' And that is the type of thing you must keep in mind when you are on social media! Even though something is amazing for someone, it doesn't mean it will be amazing for you or is even meant for you! 

Lesson #5

It's OK to dislike something. So often, we are taught to never give up; don't be a quitter! But here's the thing, I'm 34 years old. If I don't like a book I'm reading, I will likely not finish it. If I don't love a workout, why would I continue to do it?! I'm not training for a marathon or looking for fitness accolades! First and foremost,  I'm just looking to keep my mental health in check. Anything else is icing on the cake. However, doing something I enjoy is *important*! In life, you often have to do hard things and things you don't like, but you *don't* have to keep doing a workout you don't love. Life is too short! Find joy where you can and eliminate the things you don't love within reason. 

Lesson #6

'Don't yuck someone's yum.' Just because I don't enjoy Pilates doesn't mean you can't enjoy Pilates. In fact, if anything, I want to highlight that finding what brings you joy, excitement, and happiness is important, and if Pilates is that for you, GO FOR IT!