My friends/family/pet lizard think I'm crazy!
Continuing the theme of commonly-asked-questions, I’ll turn today to addressing the concern many people have that, by implementing some of the strategies in Everyday Exercise, people will think they’re insane.
I can sympathise with this one to a large degree myself, as I spent most of my life as a deeply self-conscious person. Anyone who knew me in my teens and early twenties in particular, could probably tell you a few stories of just how painfully awkward I could be (ask them about Pukkelpop and watch me squirm). Even now, I’m no paragon of exhibitionism by any stretch, but at least I’m not afraid of people noticing me anymore. I realise this isn’t unique either – many of us spend most of our lives trying to fit in, even if we profess the desire to be special. The primal fear of ostricisation is deeply engrained – thousands of years ago losing your tribe would mean certain death.
The way I see it, there are two main points (and a secret third mega point!) with which to alleviate this concern in the context of everyday exercise.
1. Use everyday exercise as a little thing each day that scares you
I first heard of the idea doing something every day that scares you from this classic track. Let’s take a moment to appreciate it (or at least set it playing while you read).
For the beginners out there, or the very self-conscious, even the slightly out-of-the-ordinary ideas can seem intimidating. It’s hard to be the person in your group of work friends who elects to take the stairs instead of the lift, with all of them wondering why. If your husband walks into the living room and finds you stretching in front of Masterchef you might feel a bit silly and embarrassed.
I truly get it. The first time my housemate caught me brushing my teeth in Jean-Claude Van Damme mode we shared a moment too long of the kind of dead-eyed stare that neatly conveyed how weird I looked, and how much I knew it. It looked a bit like this:
The thing is, a dose of these moments can be good for us. It’s good to be the weird one sometimes. It’s good to feel that tickle of mild embarrassment, and to then get over it. As I say in the book, a little bit of hardship is beneficial. We don’t want to be such fragile creatures that someone commenting on us running up the stairs sends us into a tailspin of humiliation.
By exposing ourselves to tiny moments where our comfort zone is stretched, we can in turn stretch out the boundary of what it takes to embarrass us, the conditions under which our faces go red. This is worth striving for – we can hold ourselves back from worthwhile things with the fear of feeling stupid. I nearly didn’t tell people I was writing the book, or write it, or tell anyone it was written, purely for that reason. Each stage was scary. Each stage was rewarding and worthwhile and in hindsight one of the best things I’ve ever done.
2. Get those people involved!
Something that helped enormously for my fears of looking stupid book-wise was the support of my friends. This can be applied to lots of things, and certainly to leading a more active life.
For starters, exercise is a far more accepted thing these days. New gyms are sprouting up left right and centre, and all of them packed to the gills after work each evening. #fitspiration is taking over Instagram, with magazines excitedly shouting about how strong is the new skinny (though just like with worshipping skinniness it’s worth not getting too carried away!). It’s fantastic, both for society as a whole and for us everyday exercisers.
Now, when your coworker catches you doing a bit of at-desk stretching you can tell them straight up what you’re doing and the chances are more than good that he or she will be interested and appreciative rather than find it weird. Tell them with confidence and some positivity and you might even find them wanting you to show them how it’s done, which leads on to the next point.
Involving others is a great way to spread the message and have more fun with it, while avoiding the embarrassment. Make it a game with people: who can get up the stairs fastest; who can walk the most steps in a day; who can stand on one leg longest with their eyes closed (much tougher than you think). The competitiveness can be a joy for some, and the social aspect can be a boon for others. Either way, getting a few colleagues, family members or friends in on the concept is going to make it more fun for everyone concerned.
Finally on this point, look to lead by example. You don’t want to lecture or preach to people who aren’t initially interested. Let them see you enjoying yourself and making a healthy change in your lifestyle. Tell them about the hike you went on or laugh with them about your attempts to touch your toes – whatever works. When people see how much fun you’re having, and how good you feel, they’re sure to want to get involved. The thought that you are leading instead of doing something odd can be a real help for that self-consciousness. It turns the behaviour from weird to pioneering and brave in your head, and that can make all the difference.
(Secret mega)3. Apart from all this though, it’s worth asking yourself a big question – which of the following options is actually the least crazy?
- Sitting in a chair all working day, followed by sitting in a car, followed by sitting on a couch, followed by lying down in a bed, day in and day out?
- Jacking it all in to join the circus, turning to high seas piracy when you fall on hard times and wrapping up your life with an extended period of isolated painting using only scavenged materials and your own bodily fluids as the medium?
3. Livening up your day with some healthy incidental movement or a thrilling set of stealthy toilet squats, and getting fitter and happier in the process?
Hint: As appealing as option 2 might be, option 3 is the best plan for a healthy life.
The bottom line is that standing out in small, beneficial ways is nothing to be afraid of. Look for that tingle of discomfort and use it like a divining rod. Embrace the idea that you’re living a little differently, and spread the message to those who comment on it. Get them involved and bring them on the journey with you. Let’s all help make the world a healthier place!