For a long time now, I've struggled with my body and self-image. To put it blunt, I'm not satisfied. One of the ways I've sought to improve this was by improving my body through exercise.

However, I've also struggled for a long time with giving myself the motivation or enacting the discipline to commit myself to any kind of fitness plan long-term.

Looking back at times in the past when I DID regularly exercise, it was mainly societal/external motivation that kept me going day-by-day. The specific examples were being in a team sport and feeling ashamed after being made fun of by a girl I liked (very effective!). I'm sure there is more to it, but external pressure seems to be the common denominator. Another reason I assume external motivation, is that whenever I try (and fail) to get back into exercising regularly, it comes from some sort of external motivation. To be clear, this does include internal motivation telling me to do so, and I have genuinely wanted to do so forever, but that which is most effective is external.

The conundrum I'm facing now is that I'm in a place far from any reliable friends or connections to motivate me, but even if I was close to friends I would prefer not to rely on external motivation.

So in the absence of external motivation, how can I find in myself the internal motivation to exercise?

I know this is a difficult question for internet strangers to answer, but I figure bouncing ideas off of other people never hurts :)

  • hahafuck [they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    I take a Calvinist view. Some people simply do no have it in them to change their life in this or any way and will only cause themselves pain in the effort. Even the best advice is wasted on you if you are not already among the elect. Not saying that's the case but it might be

    • Mother [any]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Terrible take imo everyone has what it takes to put on shoes and walk around the block

      • hahafuck [they/them]
        ·
        3 years ago

        Well yeah it seems completely trivial to you, because you are among the elect. But lots of people nevertheless do struggle with it and never work it out. Viewed through your lens, where it's easy and everyone has the capacity to do it, those who don't must look like real PoS failures. Couldn't even put on shoes and walk around the block, how foolish and morally weak! Whereas through my lens, where it's easy for some but impossible for others, there is no moral failing. Some of us just aren't loved by God