Stop Waiting to Feel Like Exercising

If you had told 25 or 35-year-old me that one day I’d look forward to workouts, I would have laughed. Loudly.

I hated exercise. Not a little bit—completely. I couldn’t stay consistent with anything: gym memberships, running plans, home DVDs (yes, I tried them all). I’d get a burst of motivation, maybe two weeks of effort, and then… poof. Back to square one.

Every start was fueled by the same bargain with myself: Maybe this time I’ll finally want to do it.
But that magical want to never lasted. I thought something was wrong with me.  I knew exercise was something I had to prioritize if I wanted to be strong and healthy; but I could not make myself stick to moving consistently.    Can anyone relate?

The Game-Changing Advice

The turning point came from a coach who told me something I’ll never forget:

“Stop waiting for your brain to tell you that you want to exercise. That signal may never come. Decide anyway.”

That sentence cracked something open. Exercise wasn’t about waiting for motivation—it was about deciding.

So I stopped bargaining with feelings. I started planning to feel uncomfortable. And I showed up, even when every cell in my body argued for the couch.

Life Is Hard. Goals Are Hard.

Somewhere along the way I realized: life is hard. The goals worth having are uncomfortable. That’s not a reason to skip them—it’s the very reason to keep going.
Hard things grow us.

I began to train my mind the same way I trained my muscles. Each time I moved when I didn’t feel like it, I proved to myself that I could do hard things on purpose. That’s emotional resiliency in action.

My Real-Life Reason

Today, at 53 years old, movement is non-negotiable. And here’s the funny part: my big reason isn’t about a perfect number on the scale—it’s about a 90-pound golden retriever who thinks every trail is a downhill sprint.

If I didn’t work out, that dog would pull me face-first down every hill. Strength training keeps me upright (and my dignity intact). Daily movement lets me live the life I actually want to live.

Your Turn

What are you putting off until it “feels right”?
Is it exercise? A new job? A conversation you keep postponing?

Stop waiting for a feeling. Decide. Move. Repeat.

Because in the end, your health—your heart, muscles, bones, balance, and stability—is all you truly own. And movement (and resistance training) is how you protect it.

Bottom line: You don’t have to love exercise to start. You just have to stop waiting to feel like it.