The Difference Between 'I Can't' & 'I Don't Want To'
Are you the only thing standing in your own way?
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Presented by LMNT:
5:56 a.m. I didn’t want to get up. I had rolled over around 1:30 a.m. just a few hours before, dreading this moment. My 6 a.m. alarm, lingering. (Tell me I’m not the only one that instinctually wakes up minutes before their morning alarm, yes?)
I blinked. The morning blur disappeared as I started to come to. I knew what I wanted to do: I wanted to move my body before spending a couple hours straight sitting. On the day’s agenda: A flight to D.C. for a little work/play combination, my first in over a year. I wondered: “Can I do this?”
“I don’t want to move.”
Inhale. I rolled over. Slowly, I sat up and put both of my feet on the floor. I took a deep breath and tip-toed around my sprawled open, mostly-packed suitcase toward the kitchen closet where I happen to keep my sports bras.
After shimmying into some Spandex, I reached for a pair of sneakers, grabbed a sweatshirt, mask, and AirPods, and headed for the gym. After making a pitstop in the locker room, I headed toward my go-to treadmill, the one in the almost-always empty corner with its own TV (plus, remote privileges). I hopped on, and a wave of exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks.
“You’re here,” I told myself.
“You can do this.”
With that, I turned up the speed and got into a jog. I already knew what was on deck: A quick little 5K run with some speed pick-ups. A few minutes into the jog, I started to feel more capable. When the first speed set arrived — 5:00 at tempo pace — the “can I do this?” thought crept back in.
I persisted.
One down, three to go. I turned on a different playlist. I picked up my pace again. The sweat started dripping down my chest. By the end of the second rep, I had a completely different outlook: “You’re almost done, now.”
Before I knew it, the effort was over.
Were there points where I wanted to quit? Sure. To be real, I’ve been lacking all sorts of motivation lately, likely induced by the Daylight Savings time shift. Still, every single time I wondered “can I do this?” over the past week or so, the reward of sticking it out and giving back to me felt extra sweet. Every single time, I was reminded of the beauty of my own will.
Maybe it’s with a work out.
Maybe it’s cleaning the apartment.
Maybe it’s with a work to-do item.
Maybe it’s a tough conversation you’ve been putting off with a friend.
Whatever hurdle you have on deck in the coming weeks, I encourage you to remember this: You can. You’ve just gotta believe that, first.
PROMPT: What’s one thing that you can do to give back to you (and your body!) in the next 72 hours?
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HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
CHECK OUT: The New Peloton x Adidas Collection
I recently sat down with Cody Rigsby to chat about the newest Peloton and Adidas collaboration, which I wrote up for Men’s Health. The collection will include tanks, tights, shorts, hoodies, tees, crewnecks, sports bras, and joggers ranging from $30 to $85. Sizing ranges from extra small to 2X, with women’s, men’s, and unisex options.
WATCH: Ginny & Georgia on Netflix
The gist: Georgia is a mom that moves with her two kids — Ginny and Austin — to a new town for a fresh start. The catch? Momma’s got a lot of skeletons in her closet. The most substantial watch ever? Definitely not. But, a good binge.
HURDLER SPOTLIGHT: Counter Programming with Shira and Arielle
Shira Moskowitz is a Hurdler who asked if I’d highlight the newest season of her podcast in the newsletter. Happy to! (Want to be featured here? Simply shoot me an email to emily@hurdle.us!) Season two of Counter Programming — a comedy podcast —discusses topics with the word “count” or “counter” in the title. (Seriously.) Expect a mix of historical context, fun facts, and personal anecdotes.
DONATE: Support the AAPI Community Fund
There’s been a rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans, including a recent shooting in Atlanta that claimed the lives of eight people — six of them Asian. The Support the AAPI Community Fund, created by GoFundMe.org, will issue grants to trusted AAPI organizations working to rectify the racial inequalities in our society.
LISTEN: Life Kit: “A First-Timer’s Guide to Filing Taxes”
Life Kit strikes again. It’s that time of year: Tax season. Being a 1099 employee (with a helluva lot of 1099s), I work with an accountant. But! If you’re one of the brave ones doing them on your own, this podcast episode is super helpful, breaking down the filing process and tackling common COVID-19-related tax questions with a CPA.
NEW RELEASE: Lululemon Swift Speed Tight
My all-time favorite tight from Lululemon is the All the Right Places tight, which is hard to come by, unless you buy it online. It’s got three different pockets, the Goldilocks amount of compression, and as a result I’ve worn it for over a dozen races. They just released the Swift Speed tight, which I have a feeling is what’s going to replace my favorite. I snagged a pair this week. They’ve got a lot of the same greatness: Three pockets, a snug fit, and they’re high-waisted. Hello, new go-to.
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE: 151. Dr. Michael Gervais, High Performance Psychologist
Top athletes. Actors. CEOs. Dr. Michael Gervais is a high performance psychologist who has worked with some of the best to help them master their mind and better their craft. For episode 151, we talk about how he got to where he is today. The Finding Mastery podcast host and author chats with me about how his experience surfing growing up actually lead him to getting more interested in the mind, and the memorable #hurdlemoment that taught him how to navigate hard times and get brave in front of large crowds. He also details how we can decipher our purpose, articulate our philosophy, and separate the two different types of thoughts.
🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE: #HURDLEMOMENT: A Beginner's Guide To Breathwork
Dr. Gervais talked to me about the power of the breath. So, for #HURDLEMOMENT this week, I decided to bring in an expert to explain all things breathwork. Meet Joy Dushey, a spiritual and holistic life guide, intuitive energy healer, breathwork facilitator, and host of The Methodology podcast. We talk about everything from the benefits of the practice to how to execute and the difference between breathwork and meditation. Also: How breathwork helped Dushey deal with past trauma, so much so that she made teaching it a part of her life’s work.
Thanks to this week’s Hurdle sponsors, BLUBlox, Beam, Athletic Greens, Super Coffee, and Baronfig! For a complete list of the show’s sponsors and some really great deals, check out the sponsors page, here.
UPCOMING
Hurdle Book Club! We’ll be reading The Art of Gathering, and I’ll announce a date in the coming weeks for our April Zoom meet-up. To sign up to be kept in the Hurdle book club loop, click here.