A letter to those who are struggling

I just finished teaching my morning class and I just had this feeling I needed to sit down and write this. I love what I do but there are many days, especially lately, I just want to keep sleeping or not do the hard thing. I know that I need to exercise  regularly or my quality of life suffers but lately it feels harder. #thankscovid

After years of teaching fitness classes, I have picked up the ability to know when people are feeling generally well and also when they aren’t.  When they are feeling good, they move their body more. When they are struggling, they move it less. Fifteen months into a pandemic I can tell you there are SO many people in a deep exhaustion from living this covid life. Even in knowing they will feel better for it, they just don’t have it in them. This collective tired is really tough to beat. Trauma can be paralyzing and regardless if you are in a safe place like me in Prince Edward Island or have been in lockdown for months, everyone is feeling it somehow. Everyone is missing someone somewhere. 

If you are reading this and this is you, I want you to know that I see you. I want you to know that you are’t weak. You aren’t lazy. You aren’t a quitter.

You are tired, you are sad and thats ok. 

I will tell you that if exercising at 5:30 am in the morning, wasn’t my job, there would of been many days that I wouldn’t of been able to find it in me. I am tired and I am sad too. 

I know there is nothing I can do to change what people are going through right now but I can let you know that you are not alone. Every person has their own story. Every person has their own hardship. Comparing circumstances and feeling like someone is handling it better or someone else has it worse so you should suck it up etc. etc, that’s not getting you anywhere. Sometimes self care means acknowledging that you are having a hard time and then figuring out how you can move through it. 

On my hardest days, the most powerful words I use are “this too shall pass.” This has been a marathon friends, but I PROMISE you, this too shall pass. Take a big freaking deep breath. Have a big glass of water and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Remember every single day is an opportunity to start again. Whether you walk for 5 minutes, have an extra glass of water in the afternoon or buy yourself flowers, the little things add up and can make a tough day, an ok one. Just don’t give up you guys. You CAN get through this. You WILL get through this.

Before I go, I wanted to share my favourite power song right now. Blast this one when you have a chance but first remember:

You are strong.

You can do hard things.

You are so damn resilient.

You are worthy of a beautiful life and the clouds will clear soon.

Keep moving forward.

You got this. 

Xoxo

Trace