Hey everyone! 🤍 I wanted to share a little bit of my experience with the community because I know there may be someone out there who is currently in the same position I was in. I hope sharing my story can help even one person take that first step! Before starting group coaching with Star, I avoided the gym because of my anxiety. The gym brought up a lot of thoughts, emotions and “what ifs” for me, and because of that, avoiding it felt like the easier option. Star encouraged me to go to the gym as it was something that aligned with my values. It was something I wanted to do and something I would choose to do if anxiety wasn’t making the decision for me. I had been avoiding the gym because of the thoughts and feelings that came up for me. Instead of waiting for those feelings to disappear, I made the decision to go anyway. And not just to any gym — I chose the bigger, busier gym that I would have chosen if anxiety wasn’t a factor. Was I scared? Absolutely. Was I anxious? 100%. But I went. During one of the first group calls with Star, we created a gym plan and schedule that I would follow. I committed to 3–4 gym sessions each week, with every session planned out. Whether it was leg day, back and biceps, or another workout, I knew exactly what exercises I was doing, along with the sets and reps. Having that plan gave me something to focus on when my brain was trying to convince me not to be there. And this became one of the biggest lessons for me. Something Star has always taught us. I didn’t have to get rid of the thoughts before I could take action. I didn’t have to feel confident before walking through the doors. I didn’t have to wait for anxiety to give me permission. I could feel anxious AND still do what mattered to me. When my brain would start throwing thoughts at me and try pull me into the anxiety, I’d basically say: “Cool… but we’re doing the leg press now.” 😂 And I’d continue with my workout. I didn’t need to argue with every thought or make the anxiety disappear. I just kept bringing my attention back to what I was there to do.