How to Stay Consistent When Healthy Habits Feel Boring

Recently, something came up during a coaching call that made me smile.

My client was telling me that exercise had started to feel boring.

She was still doing her workouts, she just wasn't feeling very excited about doing them.

At one point, she jokingly said something along the lines of,

"You probably can't relate. You must love working out."

I couldn't help but laugh, because that's such a common assumption.

Since I spent so many years in the fitness industry, people think I must wake up every day excited to exercise.

That I always have some big fitness goal I'm chasing.

Or that I never find workouts repetitive.

And while I absolutely believe exercise is one of the best things I can do for my physical and mental health,

I DO NOT always enjoy doing it.

In fact, I find it pretty boring too sometimes.

The difference is that I don't expect myself to stay excited all the time.

I know there are going to be seasons where I'm excited to train.

Where I'm pushing myself toward a specific goal, and I'm motivated to see what I'm capable of.

And I also know there are going to be seasons where I'm simply checking the box.

Where I'm moving my body because it's something I value, not because it's the most exciting or rewarding part of my day.

And this is one of the biggest traps women fall into when it comes to healthy habits.

They expect themselves to feel excited, interested, motivated...

Forever.

Think about that for a second.

Can you think of anything else that's going to be part of your life for decades that you expect yourself to feel excited about every single day?

Probably not.

There are days when parenting feels thankless.

Days when work feels monotonous.

Days when your relationship feels ordinary.

That doesn't mean you've stopped caring about those things or that they're no longer important to you.

It simply means that you're a human.

And humans have feelings.

And feelings are not permanent.

Your feelings about healthy habits are no different.

Sometimes exercise is going to feel fun and interesting.

And sometimes...

It's just something you check off the list because you know your future self will be glad you did.

That isn't a lack of motivation or drive.

And it certainly isn't a sign that something is wrong.

It's just the reality of doing something that will (hopefully) be part of your life for a very long time.

We've been sold this idea that consistency comes from "falling in love with the process".

But I don't think that's true.

I think consistency comes from accepting that sometimes the process IS repetitive and boring

...and showing up anyway.

Not because you always love doing it,

But because you've decided that doing it matters to you.

So here's what I'd love for you to reflect on today:

What's one habit you've been expecting yourself to feel excited about that you could simply let be a little boring for a while?

Send me an email and let me know.

I'd love to hear your answer.