6 Life Lessons I Learned In The Gym

It goes without saying that going to the gym is good for your mental and physical health. I've developed stronger muscles and a leaner body, but when I look back on my fitness journey, what stands out to me the most are the lessons learned that translate into other aspects of my life.

Physical changes might be the reason you start -- and that's without a doubt what it was for me. BUT to keep going you absolutely must develop deeper reasons.

I believe going to the gym has made me a tougher more intentional person, and that the lessons I have learned translate into my day to day life more than I could ever have imagined at the beginning.

Here are the 6 best life lessons I learned at the gym.

1. Grit is essential

If you're determined to have fitness a crucial aspect of your life, you have to be willing to keep showing up. Even when you think you look the same or would rather lay in your comfortable bed. Of course there have been days where I've decided to stay in my *very* comfy bed, but what's important is that you make the conscious choice to keep going and to never back down.

Grit is an essential life skill that I believe any successful person absolutely must have. Life in and out of the gym is never a smooth ride and you are going to have to overcome roadblocks both small and large. We all feel that resistance -- it can feel like the air around you is heavy making every movement forward tough -- but practicing moving past that however many days you commit to the gym, will only strengthen your grit in all aspects of your life.

2. Patience ... and more patience

Results take so much longer than any of us want. You may see some beginner results within the first few months of your program, but after you and your body have become accustomed your results will inevitably slow down. This part of going to the gym is really a mental game and I believe it is the reason why so many people stop showing up.

Developing physical fitness is one of the very few areas in life where you cannot pay someone to do this for you. You must put in the patience and push past your desire for immediate results. I struggle with this mental game all the time, and I have to remind myself that life is only a series of days in a row, and the choices I make now will severely impact my future.

Focus on the day in front of you and ask yourself - what can I do *right* NOW to propel me forward? (HINT: Sitting at home avoiding your to-do list probably isn't the answer).

You absolutely have to put in the physical work, but it also critical that you do this mental work that allows you to keep going.

3. Failure is really the beginning

Failure is inevitable, but it is incredible to me how safe it is to fail at the gym. You have the opportunity to practice failure over and over again. I'm talking about the days... or week where you miss the alarm, fall over in a lunge, knock your head on a barbell, or go for a new burpee variation and completely fall on your face.

These things happen to everyone, which means that they WILL happen to you. But I think it's important that you never see failure as a reflection of your self worth. Does it make me a terrible person because I fell over? No, that sounds absolutely ridiculous. But in the moment, those are the types of thoughts I have through my mind. You will learn how to recognize this spiral and pull yourself back together -- because that is where the magic (and progress) starts to happen.

"Failure" is always a lesson that you are meant to learn, and is really the beginning of you mastering something new.

4. Prepare for what you value

People ask me all the time how I am able to go to the gym everyday before work. It's really simple I tell them - I do not make it a choice.

Have you every found yourself debating whether or not you should go to the gym? To me this is the most agonizing part. I absolutely hate it, and found myself feeling terrible about myself when I was able to rationalize not going. For this reason - I prepare ahead of time and go first thing in the morning. This is absolutely a practical decision since I work 8 - 5, but it's also part of my mental game.

The night before I pack my gym back, lay out my clothes, review the next days workout, and pack my breakfast and lunch. This way when my alarm goes off, I literally make my bed, chug the water by my bed, brush my teeth, splash water on my face, change into my gym clothes, grab my stuff and head out the door. Some people may not like rushing like this in the AM, but this instant action rather than thinking (I am very prone to over-thinking) helps me to keep me moving.

If you value something, you have got to put it in your calendar and take the necessary steps, whatever that means for you, for it to happen. If you are the type who schedules a workout after work only to cancel - try out my method and see if removing the internal debate keeps you going.

I always hear people speaking in general terms when considering the gym.. such as "I really want to start going." Ok - that's wonderful, but put it on the iCal and make a prepare list on your phone... and get it done.

5. Be willing to be the new girl -- and find what you love

I always found the idea of finding what I loved intimidating -- whether it was related to exercise, my career, or even things like where I wanted to live. Like I said - I am such an over thinker and planner. I like to know what is going to happen, do as much research as possible, and even through in an excel sheet.

While I love this about myself, it can cause inaction. With fitness, I learned that the only way to find what you love is to just jump in and try stuff. Try the fitness classes your friends keep inviting you to and be willing to be the new girl. Be willing to step on the gym floor and perform that first bicep curl. You may love it or you may hate it, but there is quite literally only one way for you to find out. YouTube videos and blogs can only get you so far.

And when you are trying that new thing, be present and tune into your self. Do you feel strong and empowered, or bored and ready to be done? Try to avoid confusing the challenge or negative self talk with the true feeling of disliking the workout. Being wiling to try new things AND being willing to listen to your own feedback is crucial, and will help you find what you love in all aspects of your life.

6. Live an intentional life and live it today

Someday I will be that girl. Maybe next week I will sign up for that class.

That was me for a long time. I used to sit on the sidelines, looking at other girls on Instagram and YouTube. It was a very long process for me to get the guts to just start doing the thing. I was afraid and allowed the resistance to keep me where I was.

To propel yourself forward you absolutely must start today. Maybe you don't go to the gym today. Maybe you research fitness programs or order some new clothes.

That's fine, but make sure that you schedule your start date and follow up. There will never be a perfect time, you will still feel the same resistance tomorrow, that I can promise. Don't ever forget that our time is limited on this earth. We have a set amount of days remaining. Just because we don't how many we have left doesn't make it any less real.

Life is very precious and can be taken from us in the blink of an eye. I know people say that all the time, but do you feel that within yourself? Can you feel how precious it is to take the next breath?

Once this resonates with you not much can get in your way. We only get one life - who are you going to be? Decide right now to show up and don't let your ego talk you out of it.