We all have our strengths. Mine, sadly, do not include athleticism. While I’ve dabbled in physical endeavors in the past (gymnastics, ballet, volleyball, and running), none have stuck and I’ve mostly resigned myself to not being an athlete. Getting in shape again has always been a wish of mine, but it hasn’t been a priority—until recently.

A couple weeks into summer break, I realized I was still repeating my late-semester mantra: this summer I’m going to get in shape, this summer I’m going to get in shape. I kept telling myself this and anticipating how great it would feel to work out again… instead of actually just working out. When I came to this realization, I made a deal with myself that I would try to work out every day for the rest of the summer. And while I’ve already broken that deal, I’ve worked out with more regularity in the past three weeks than I have since the last time I took a structured P.E. class—which was my junior year of high school.

Ironically, with anything physical, the hardest part is totally mental. It’s hard to motivate yourself to work out, especially when it hurts and there are approximately a billion other things you would rather do. The idea of doing a hundred burpies when you’re curled up with a good book or in the middle of watching Gilmore girls for the third time? Yeah, gross.

Over the years, I’ve received and collected a lot of tidbits and mantras, many of which I’ve held onto and repeat to myself frequently.

Work out because you love your body, not because you hate it.

As someone who has long struggled with my body image, this was a big one. There’s always the desire to work out in an effort to change my body. And while that in itself isn’t a problem, it’s led me to an unhealthy mindset in the past. Recently, I’ve been trying to embrace working out for the sake of working out and being healthy and so far, I’m enjoying it.

It hurts if you walk and it hurts if you run. But you get there faster if you run.

This was said to me by my ninth grade PE teacher and it echoes in my mind every time I go running, when I want to give up and walk the rest of the way. It’s so true

It’s better to do a short, simple workout than nothing at all.

20-minute ab circuit? Better than nothing. A 10-minute jog? Better than nothing. It may not feel significant, but it helps stay in the habit of being active every day.

If you’re gonna do it, you might as well go all-out.

It’s more satisfying to give something your all and be super tired and sore than to give up early.

Finish strong.

The last part of the workout is the woooorst. But like going all out, it’s more satisfying to finish strong than peter out.

I don’t for a second pretend to be an expert on working out or on motivating others. But these motivate me to exercise and help me get through workouts. But hopefully sharing them can help motivate my fellow non-athletic exercisers. Go forth and get fit!