Boredom, it happens to all of us. I know boredom well, very well. I am not completely satisfied by a meal unless there are several delicious options on my plate to satisfy my palate. My fashion style changes every few days. I love something one day and never want to wear it again, well at least for the next few months or so. I used to change the color of my hair constantly. When my hair was short I wanted it to be long and as soon as it was long I’d chop it all off again. My interest in exercise is no different.

If I do the same routine day after day, take the same class every week, or run the same path every time I leave the house, I eventually just get bored and bummed and stop exercising altogether. The thing is, I love working out, so that’s not the problem at all. It’s the spark. The mystery disappears. I already know what to expect and I want something new. I know I’m not the only person that experiences this and based on the questions that I receive and the posts I’m seeing on social media I’ve put together a little list. Below is the aforementioned list. I hope you find these tips helpful and I wish you all a year full of satisfying, exciting and productive exercise regimens.

5 Tips to Ignite Your Exercise Program

1. Do What Makes You Happy
   This is number one on my list for a reason. If you’re not participating in exercise that you like you will never overcome your feelings of boredom. If you hate running then running will forever be your nemesis and inevitably you will procrastinate and come up with excuse after excuse for why you can’t exercise that day. When we start putting our happiness first and foremost we are more productive and more successful in our ventures. There are so many things in life that we can’t control, this is not one of those things, so take control and do things you love. If you love yoga (which of course I hope you do) then do yoga. If you love swimming then find a local pool or join a gym that has a pool. If you love to dance then sign up for some dance classes. Dancing is an amazing way to get fit. Just do you, do what you love.
2. Switch It Up
   This applies to everything in our lives. You cannot do the same thing everyday without losing interest. You don’t watch the same movie every night or listen to the same music every day so why should your exercise routine be any different. Programs like ClassPass are great for individuals that like to switch it up. They offer one monthly fee for access to a large network of studios. You can do yoga, barre, pilates, CrossFit, and more all in the same month. YogiNest offers the same options for your yoga routine. We create a routine that’s desirable for you. You can do yoga one day, learn about yoga philosophy the next, clear your mind with meditation the following session and relax with essential oils the next day. One word of advice however, pick a few forms of exercise that you love, sign up for those classes and then make yourself a schedule and stick to it. If you want to advance in a particular style of exercise you need to do it often enough. As you all already know I’m a yogi so I do yoga several times a week but I also hike, cycle and weight train. Keep it interesting, fresh and exciting.
   
3. Get Your Priorities Straight
   Determine what’s important to you and then make sure to make time for those things. Exercise is extremely important to me for multiple reasons. It keeps me in shape, but more importantly with my Lupus it keeps me healthy. I literally need exercise to keep my symptoms at bay and exercise was and still is a huge component in my remission. If you know that exercise is a priority for you, for whatever reasons this might be, then make it a priority. Just like waking up in the morning, showering, brushing your teeth and eating, you can find time for exercise. I like to make a list of priorities multiple times throughout the year, because of course this list changes as I change and as the things in my life change. As I’ve mentioned in posts prior to this, writing things down is extremely powerful. It’s a tool of encouragement. Make a list of your priorities and then place it somewhere that you’ll see it often. Seeing that list day after day is motivating all on it’s own. Set your priorities, write your priorities, see your priorities and then put them into action.
4. Appoint An Accountability Partner
   “Two heads are better than one.” “It takes a village.” I’m sure you’ve heard these idioms before. Guess what, they’re true. I consider myself to be a pretty strong person all on my own, but when I have someone else by my side, watch out. So you’ve determined what makes you happy, you’ve written down your priorities and made your exercise schedule but it still doesn’t seem to be enough. Do you have a friend that loves yoga too? Do you have a personal trainer? Does your significant other share some or all of the same interests in exercise that you do? Having someone in your life to hold you accountable and vice versa can be extremely beneficial. On the days that you just can’t seem to muster up the energy to go for that hike with your friend they will be incredibly essential. You’ve made a commitment to them and they’ve cut time out of their day to do this with you. They will push you to keep that commitment and once you’re out of the house I guarantee you won’t regret it. Trust that they will have those days too and you’ll have your chance to pay it forward
5. Hold Yourself Responsible
   Of course we can’t depend on everyone else to hold us accountable all the time so then you only have one person to rely on and that’s you. If getting into shape, eating better, becoming a healthier person or signing up for your first 5K is important to it, then do it! Make yourself a promise. Make that promise to do more things you love and more things that make you happy. Hold yourself accountable and give yourself this gift. The gift of setting a goal that makes you happier, healthier or just an overall better version of you. When we commit to making ourselves happy first, we automatically commit to making the ones around us happier too. Happiness is infectious, motivation is infectious, determination is infectious. Be positively infectious!

Best,
Jenna Taylor