It’s Harder To Lift With a Heavy Heart

On the rough days, be kinder to yourself

It’s harder to lift with a heavy heart.

So much harder.

Lifting anything with a heavy heart requires more strength, more focus, and more fortitude.

We often forget that as we forge through our lives, so intent on being strong and carrying on. We convince ourselves that we are unstoppable.

But we break … even when we are trying to move beyond broken. And even when we do not break, we still hurt. Life sucker punches us sometimes.

Today Might Be One of Those Days

Maybe you find yourself at the gym, trying to get a workout in, with your heavy heart dragging on the tops of your sneakers, so large and red and … beating. (It almost seems silly that the others can’t hear it.) Your emotions pulse with the music. And you know:

Life would be easier if you could turn emotions on and off, like hot and cold water faucets. A little hot anger here, temper it with some cool humor. Now just a nice, warm rinse.

Neat. Tidy. Wipe the sink counter and move on.

But that’s not how it is — or ever will be — and so, on the days that emotion and memory whisper in your ears, even as you back squat, with the hoarse whisper of longing and regret wrapped into the knurl of the bar and a pinch of deep sadness curled under your thumbs, on those days — especially those days —try this:

Be light with yourself.

Be kind to yourself. Let your compassion flow for you, too. Not just for the others.

And maybe take some weight off the bar … and off you.

When your heart is heavy, it’s okay to let the bar be a little lighter. Something has to give. Better it be the weight than you.

And remind yourself: at least you made it here today. You are moving. You are breathing.

That might be enough for this moment.

You can always save the PR attempts for another day.

For now, it’s okay to just breathe and go on.