3 Ways You Can Live Life in Full Color

I’m going to take us back to the end of last year, December 27th, 2023. I was in Asheville, North Carolina at a week-long lindy hop event. Aside from seeing lots of friends, my main goals were to 1) check out Asheville because I’d never been before, and 2) dance as much as possible with all the amazing dancers present.

That day, some friends and I drove to a nearby mountain for a hike. Being December, it was a little chillier than I would have wanted, but overall nice weather for a hike. After living in Indiana for a few years by this point, it was nice to get some elevation! The views of Asheville and the surrounding area were gorgeous, even without green summer trees; I can absolutely see why the area is called the Blue Ridge Mountains. Goal #1 achieved!

The band started playing at 9pm that night. Now, this is not just any regular music, this band was composed of some of the best musicians in the country playing rarely-heard-live jazz songs. I danced, and danced, and danced…. and danced some more, to slow and very fast songs. It wasn’t until those dark hours of the morning that I finally went to sleep. I danced with dear friends and met many new ones on the dance floor!

Goal #2 achieved!

amazing photo by Paul Quay

That day was a huge success, and I’ve scheduled many similar days in the past. Why? It brings me joy! I love dancing, hiking, and moving in ways that help me explore and connect with others while knowing my body is strong and can support me through all of it. This is what my version of living life in full color looks like!

What about you?

The main mission of my coaching business is to help you do the same- have fun and live life in full color. Strength training is the way I help you get there. I believe that caring for and supporting your body opens doors to joy, exploration, growth, and connection.

To get a better idea of the impact strength training could have on your life, let’s look at these two profiles:

Person A

• feels sluggish and unmotivated
• struggles to break out of their comfort zone
• tired of their body feeling fragile
• always pushes fitness off until later
• holds back from active things because they’re worried about getting injured

Person B

• focused, energized, motivated
• feels strong and unbreakable
• pursues activities they’re passionate about, even when it’s something new and a little scary
• moves confidently in day-to-day life without worrying about getting injured

The person living a black and white life is Person A- missing out on opportunities, holding back. Person B, on the other hand, is living life in full color- ready for anything that comes their way. Which one looks more like your current life?

Strength training is more than just physical strength- it’s mental strength, community, and the capacity to fully embrace your life and have more fun! As a strength and movement coach, I help people at all levels of movement ability get stronger so they can become more like Person B and leave Person A in the dust. Your version of a full-color life might look very different from mine, and that’s okay!

Before actually getting to the lifting weights part of strength training, here are three ways I help my clients live life in full color and make changes in their life. How can you apply these to your own life?

#1: Let yourself explore and discover ways you like to move.

The first step, before you even worry about what exercises to do in the gym, is to find ways you enjoy moving. Not all types of moving are for everyone- some people love yoga, others hate it. Some people love team sports, others would never dream of stepping onto a field. It’s time to experiment and dive into activities you know you enjoy or try some new things.

Just because you’re exploring movement options, doesn’t mean you only have to look to “formal” classes such as yoga studios or gyms. There are SO many other ways to move your body! You can really love walking your dog or playing on the playground with your kids. That’s movement!

You can also consider sedentary activities and figure out how to add more movement to them. For example, I love reading, and I’ve found that a great way to read is to prop my book or Kindle up on my desk and use my walking pad. I get to move, which helps me feel good, and do another activity I enjoy at the same time.

Once you’ve found ways you enjoy moving, do them! If you haven’t been moving much recently, you might quickly start to notice some changes in your body and how you’re getting stronger. The next step is to add in some strength exercises that will help support your body during your new activities. This will help you feel even more able to show up 100% and have fun!

Extra credit: For whatever activities you choose, find a community to do them with! Community is a critical part of keeping any movement/exercise plan going, whether it’s online or in person. They don’t even have to be moving with you- asking close family and friends to check in with you is beneficial and motivating.

#2: Add more self-compassion into your life.

People often struggle with exercise because our society has created a lot of rules around what “counts” and what doesn’t. Fitness mantras like “no pain no gain” and “never miss a day” swirl around and make you feel like you fail if you miss a workout or don’t sweat enough.

A crucial part of moving more and getting stronger is giving yourself compassion. I don’t know you, but you’re probably way too hard on yourself when it comes to exercise! Here are a few examples of things you can tell yourself (and I have told myself many times) to help break down these arbitrary rules you’ve been told:

• “It’s okay to miss today at the gym because _____. I’ll reschedule it for Wednesday instead.”
• “The way I’m moving my body is valid and my choice to make.”
• “I can choose to exercise for one minute or one hour. All movement counts, no matter how long I do it for.”
• “Being consistent doesn’t mean I have to do this every single day, just that I keep doing it as it fits into my schedule.”
• “My movement counts no matter what time I’m doing it at or where I’m doing it. There’s no “good” or “bad” time to move.”

It’s important to recognize that you aren’t going to feel exactly the same every day. Your emotional and mental health play a huge role in your physical health. For example, you might notice you don’t feel like moving as much during a high-stress work week. Instead of trying to push through, honor how your body feels and adjust as necessary. This guide might be helpful for you!

Extra credit: Check out Train Your Brain, my five day fitness mindset refresh program to help you reset how you think about fitness.

#3: Make movement your essential self-care, your non-negotiable.

The key to making your body stronger is to keep moving. It doesn’t have to be every day, but you want to move as frequently as possible. The way you make this happen is by reframing fitness from a chore to an essential self care practice. Instead of something you have to do, #1 and #2 will help you build a more enjoyable movement plan that you want to do to help yourself feel your best.

When you believe your movement plan is essential to your wellbeing, it becomes a non-negotiable in your life. Pay attention to all the positives when you move your body. Do you feel more energized? Focused? Did you notice something new as you were moving? What was the part you enjoyed most about moving today? Are your interactions with other people better after you move your body? This will help your brain associate movement with positive thoughts and self care that makes you feel good.

Now, knowing that movement is important to your wellbeing doesn’t make it effortless. There will still be days where you have to drag yourself out of bed and you won’t feel like doing it. The beneficial thing isn’t always the effortless one. That’s when it helps to rely on strategies that make it easier to stick to your movement habit and go beyond just the good feelings you get at the end.

As you explore new ways of moving and adding movement as a constant in your life, you’ll find you’re able to build strength and do more than you thought possible. My final question to you is: How do you want to live life in full color?