Moving to Stellenbosch has definitely had its trials and tribulations. I’ve made incredible friends and missed home A LOT but I think one of the biggest things I have struggled with is getting my routine back with gym, especially in the first semester!

I had to change gyms which I was excited for in the beginning until I got overwhelmed and always found an excuse as to why I shouldn’t go to gym rather then why I should.

I ended up changing gyms twice before I found one that I thought “okay, I can do this” and eventually I started getting excited to go to gym. So if you’ve been struggling in this department, don’t worry. I feel you!

Find a gym you are comfortable in. I don’t care what anyone says, I could never go to a gym that I wasn’t happy in and then still expect to see results. You work best in environments that are comforting and exciting rather than daunting and unmotivating.

I’ve said this before and i’ll say it again, find an accountability partner and start gyming with them. The easiest way to get comfortable around a gym and get used to the way it works is if you’re getting used to it with someone else. Bonus if they were gyming there before you because they can show you the ins and outs!

If you don’t have a friend that you can go to gym with, take your earphones with. I struggle to go to gym by myself if I don’t have earphones with me, it allows you to focus a lot more on what other people are doing rather than what you are supposed to be doing. Listening to music thats your own vibe will help you focus more on what you’re doing rather than worrying about what other people are doing.

Another thing that I find helps me a lot at the moment is deciding what to do in the gym, before getting to gym. I often just write down a workout in notes on my phone. I’ve found that if i go to gym without a set plan I feel a bit out of place and I become uncomfortable. I’m more preoccupied with figuring out what exercise im going to do next and seeing what machines are open then with the actual workout.

If you struggle with moving around the gym or going to the weight section, make sure you can do your workout in one spot, whether it be a full body workout without any weights or a dumbbell only workout – doing it in one area that you feel comfortable in is another way to help fight feeling anxious in the gym!

We all have times where we feel like the odd one out in a gym but just remember that everyone is there to work on themselves, they aren’t worried about what everyone else is doing. The more often you go, the more comfortable you’ll become and the more motivated you’ll get!

If you have any tips on how you fight anxiety or being uncomfortable at the gym, leave them in the comment below!

“In any given moment we have two options: To step forward into growth or to step back into safety”