Work Out Solo for Self-Esteem

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A little introspection is good for you.

In the modern age of gym memberships, exercise is seen by many as a social activity. You go to the gym with your friends, get pumped, and hype each other up. Nothing wrong with that. But once in a while, you ought to consider flying solo when you work out. As much fun as the social hype is, a solo workout is actually very good for your mental state.

Some folks, due to body issues or social anxiety, don’t like to work out in social settings, and for some of those people, that simply means not working out. It’s okay to go it alone, though, because solo exercise helps you to reaffirm your desire to better yourself physically. When nobody is around to be your hype man, you need to be your own hype man. You should be exercising because you want to get in better shape and be healthier, not to meet some silly societal standard of appearance. If you can get yourself to exercise of your own will, you’ll find your self-respect increasing.

Longer exercises like runs also give you a chance to quietly reflect on your day. The endorphins you get from exercising will keep you plenty stimulated, so you don’t need to worry about feeling lonely. Like I said, there’s nothing wrong with working out as a social activity; in fact, there are times when it’s better to have others around. You may not push yourself as hard if you don’t have another person to hype you up. Just remember to mix and match, like with a workout menu. Some days, go to the gym and be an iron social butterfly. Other days, stay home, do some aerobics and cardio, and remind yourself that your pursuit of physical fitness matters.