🟣 Let's beat the butterflies into submission

As much as I am against animal violence, butterflies of the tummy variety can get fucked

And as I took to the stage in front of about 200 people at Biceps + Banter a couple of weeks ago, my stomach was full of them

 Anxiety has been enemy number one for a long time

 In primary school panic attacks floored me almost daily

 I had a phobia of sick, boats and my cat going missing ✌️ 

 And if I were to tell that kid that in the future my job would involve choosing to do stuff that made me scared on the daily?

 I think she’d be having words

See I’ve had to change my brain chemistry to do this job

I’ve made no secret of the fact my relationship with fitness is kinda what’s made me a functioning human being

I’ve written at length about how it helped sort my head out alongside being strong enough to open pickle jars

But specifically what its also given me is confidence to do the thing scared

When I drop phrases like ‘I’ve had to change my brain chemistry to do this’, I think many people assume that I’ve waved a magic wand 

That my anxiety has permanently fucked off like an unsaved word document on a deadline

And what’s left is this reborn woman, with glass skin and a new profound sense of self-understanding

When actually I’m still terrified

 But what’s different these days is not what I’ve lost but what I’ve gained

 When things get knotty, now I remind myself

 'Last time you felt like this, you survived’

It might not have been perfect. Might have sucked harder than a XXXX in fact

But you felt fucking great after you faced it last time

And if you’re just brave enough to start, you’ll get to feel amazing once you’re finished

This was what I was repeating to myself when I stepped out onto that stage

(Not my first rodeo – I’ve spoken at two or three of these things now, and I’ll be at FitXpo in May)

The butterflies were absolutely there

Little twirly bastards using my diaphragm as a trampoline

But instead of focusing on the sensation

Letting it grow in my mind and take over

I channelled their energy into doing the thing

I reminded myself there was no pressure to be perfect

That I could do it

That I’d be just fine

And it worked.

In fact I was even able to convince myself that I wasn’t nervous but excited.

The same goes for you when you rock up to the gym

Don’t let the fluttery fuckheads win

Instead channel their energy into doing the thing

As you bet your bottom dollar I was anxious walking into a gym for the first time

A lil stringy teen in a room full of grunty pros

No idea how to hold a barbel

Scared to ask about a machine

Worried everyone was just watching me, waiting for me to fuck up 

But I did it anyway. And you betcha I did it scared

At that point in time I would have given my right arm for something like the Bits app

Which I designed to help everything feel much more possible

On there you have a range of pre-set programs for every level plus a whole library of how tos to give you the confidence to smash it 

(Plus if you’re not feeling up to a workout out in the wild, there’s a home program to see you right)

Click here to grab a 7-day free trial and start showing those tickly buggers who’s boss 🦋 🤛 

Because each time you conquer the butterflies, it’ll get easier

Over time, your track record will improve

You’ll learn their patterns

 How to zig when they zag 

And even how to use them to get pumped for your workouts, rather than allowing them to take over...

...But I find it also helps to keep them in their place by calling them ‘fluttery little fuckers’

See also: winged wankers, dusty twats, clappy flappers

Big love 💜 ,

Rachel

PS hmu with your favourite butterfly insults pls