It’s remarkable how addictive your new favorite hobby can become. If you are lucky enough to find one that is active as well, then you are set. We recently started riding bikes, and we cannot get enough. After a long, stressful day, it is so freeing to get back on the saddle and ride in God’s creation. As well as the exciting anticipation looking forward to going on a new trail on the weekends. It is so invigorating to get up while others are still in bed and see the sun rise through the trees. Hear the birds singing their morning song. Feel the cool fog slide across your skin as you ride your bike in the fresh morning air. It really frees your mind to focus on the sound of the tires spinning when biking or the cadence of your feet on the pavement while running.
Finding a physical hobby is important because:
Community
This creates a more enjoyable experience. This can look like bike or run clubs, dance groups, hiking buddies, or weightlifting partners. When you hit a low point in the workout, look to the person beside you. If they are still going, it encourages you to keep pushing as well. Not only that, but your friends and family can also be incredibly encouraging, making the activity even more enjoyable and uplifting. Creating more of a group mentality or team effort.
Accountability
When you find a hobby that you can do alongside other people, there will be more opportunities to get out and do it. If you create a group text, people will throw out plans, and you will find yourself attending more than you would have if it were just up to your motivation alone. You feed off each other’s enthusiasm. There are also some cool apps available that can track your progress/workouts, and share them with those you want to see.
An app I like is called Strava, which not only tracks your distance and average speed but also draws out a map of your workout. It has features for you to note how you felt during the exercise, the intensity, and you can post it in a kind of encouraging active social media platform. Oh, did I mention that this is all on the free version? I love looking back and seeing if I have gotten faster, or looking back at pictures taken on each ride with family. Of course, no affiliation, but that would be really cool one day 🙂
Discipline
Making yourself get up and get outside, or getting yourself to the gym, can be really challenging at times. When you are lying in bed and it is so comfortable, you really have to force yourself to get up, even when you don’t want to. Because at the end of the day, you will be so glad you did. Over time, this will build your discipline. There is something about doing hard things that you once thought you never could that is very empowering. This can become a normal daily or weekly habit you do on autopilot. Eventually, you might even crave it and feel weird when you miss.
Learning Opportunities
You can learn a great deal by asking questions to others in the group who are more experienced. They will probably give you tips and advice that will bless your experience, also. More than likely, they can save you from quite a few hiccups if you listen and learn from them. I am sure they have learned the hard way. I have been saved from mistakes, frustration, and injury because of the advice my mother-in-law, father-in-law, and my Dad have imparted to me about biking. ** That does not mean I have been free from injury and mistakes, though, haha -still very helpful.
Have Grace for yourself.
Yes, it is so important to push yourself and be motivated, but sometimes life can become very hectic, and you will become discouraged if you put so much pressure on yourself. Let me give you an example from my personal life. I started this blog post in June…yes, almost two months ago now. At the time, we were crazy about biking. Every opportunity we had to ride, we did. Since then, though, life has become a bit fuller. With work, church, family, housework, and we got a dog! Who is such a light and blessing in my husband’s and my life. A sweet addition to our little family. However, we now want to spend as much time as we have with her. Taking long walks, playing fetch, etc. We have been less likely to leave her and be active on our bikes when we can be active with her.
A change of perspective
Although we definitely need to get back in the saddle, we plan to get back to it this week. In the grand scheme of things, what is important is that you are being active and enjoying life and God’s creation. I do not know if you struggle with this, but so often I have an expectation for myself, and if I do not meet it, I am frustrated because I did not do it exactly how I wanted to. But it does not have to look that way.
What I and possibly you need to see is that life can be good without it looking precisely the way we want it to. Maybe I am not at the gym hitting a PR, maybe I have not been on my bike since I last wrecked it, but I have enjoyed spending time with family on our large walks at our local greenbelt. I have had a blast playing games with our youth and college students at church. Activity might look different from what I had in mind, but that does not mean it does not count, and the reality is so much more fun and beautiful.
Give it all to God
I hope this encourages you to try something new, be okay with failing or not being good at it, stop being so hard on yourself, and go enjoy life! God is the one in control, not you; He has written a beautiful story for His glory and your good. All you have to do is change your perspective and trust him with your life.
The heart of man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps. – Proverbs 16:9
Lord, please help my heart and mind remember that I can make plans, but it is Your will that will be done. Your ways are far greater than our own; help our wandering hearts cling to you. You are trustworthy and such a good Father. I know it good and well, I pray that whoever reads this today knows it also. To you be all honor, glory, and praise, Father, Amen.
If you want to know more about God, I would encourage you to read this post: https://wonderfullymade-kmk.com/christ-is-our-only-hope/ Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have. I would be honored to answer you 🙂