Forcing Myself Out of My Comfort Zone

I took the plunge and joined a gym this week.

When I walked in to take a tour and the techno dance music was pumping I felt like running for the door, when guy giving me my tour used the words "it will really pump you up" I felt like running for the door and when that same guy tried to pressure me into signing up for a membership on the spot without even trying the gym out I felt like running for the door. Everything at this gym is just so shiny and new, including the members.

I like music with a good beat and I know that fast paced music with heavy base can be very motivating for people while they workout, but my first impulse when I walked into the gym and heard the thumping music echoing around the place was to roll my eyes. How cliche, so typical really.

Do I look like a 300 pound body builder? Why in the world would someone say anything about pumping anything up to me? Well, unless someone wants to pump up my bank account and then we can talk.

I am that shopper that doesn't even want to be acknowledge while I shop, I see you eyeing me salesperson waiting right inside the door to pounce the moment I cross the threshold and trust me if I need anything I will come find you but until then I'm fine thank you, leave me alone. I don't like pressure. So when this guy tried to sign me up for the membership before I had even had the chance to use a trial pass and check things out on my own it was a major turn off.

Even with all this I didn't run out the door. I stayed and got my trial membership. I knew that it would be all too easy for my shy and insecure side to take over and send me running for home with my tail between my legs. I get so self conscious in a gym setting I knew I was letting myself get worked up over little things to try and talk myself out of it, after all I had been trying to talk myself out of a gym membership for a couple years with much success.

I wasn't going to let myself sabotage this attempt at being healthy. I had already battled myself far enough to get my body in that door to take the tour. I couldn't lose now. I was going to force myself out of my comfy little shell.

There might be a list of cons for why I shouldn't have a gym membership, money, time, scheduling. There is also a list of pros and those pros are pretty hefty. Health, and time out of the house are are finally outranking my cons list.

So after giving the gym a few trial visits and making sure that Monkey likes the kids club I signed up.

I am actually loving it. Love.ing.it.

Did I mention that they have TVs on the treadmills with lots of channels to choose from including Food Network? Oh how I love Food Network working out.

This doesn't mean that my insecurities have left me. I am still feeling those familiar feelings each time I walk in the building. I am just trying to build up my muscle so I can beat those feelings down little by little until maybe one day I will walk in the door filled with confidence.