I've always wanted to be someone that exercised on vacation. WHAT?!?!? Vacation is a time to rest and relax, right? Right. Totally. Absolutely! Yet I found myself year after year, tourist town after tourist town, longing to be like the people I'd see out and about getting their cardio and strength on despite being on vacation. Nothing was stopping me from joining in, except me.

You see the shift I wanted and needed to make was that exercise wasn't a punishment and something that needed to be escaped but rather something that was so inherently part of me, my day, and my lifestyle that it would feel foreign and weird if I didn't engage it.

When I exercise I'm guaranteed time in my own head--Something I've quickly realized is a must for my mom brain.

When I exercise I sleep better, I eat better, I'm in a better mood. I know all this. I've seen first hand the positive benefits, yet every morning I think "Not today. I'll get out there tomorrow." Every day those thoughts are there. Every day I counter attack them. Every day I say "It's one hour. Yes, you don't want to go. You never want to go, but you're always happy you went. There hasn't been a day you've regretted exercising, but you regret the days you passed on it." I talk myself into it every. single. morning.

People generally like the path of least resistance. Exercise, despite it's amazing benefits, is chalk full of resistance for me. I fight every day to overcome this resistance because living the life I want is way more important than falling victim to listening to one apathetic, scared part of me.

To quote Annie Dilliard "How we spend our days, is of course, how we spend our lives." Positive life changes don't happen without daily action and silencing the part of you that says no.

Have a happy and healthy day!

Dr. Fairbanks

P.S. I'm happy to report, this past summer, I finally became a person that exercised on vacation!!! I was who I wanted to be, not someone longing to be different.