The art of just WINGING IT
December 12, 2023
Recently, while on my Peloton doing a class instructed by Dennis, I had a bit of an epiphany. Dennis, early on in the class spoke about the importance of staying physically loose on the bike and loosening the grip and emphasizing that especially when we become overly focused, we have a tendency to stiffen up. It struck me how this principle extends beyond spinning on the bike and can apply to all aspects of life.
Life often requires us to “loosen up”, to let go of the need for absolute control, and to embrace the art of just “winging it”. It’s not only crucial for the longevity of our goals but also for maintaining presence in the moment, becoming more aware, and truly finding fulfillment.
You see, I myself wear many hats… I am a coach, mom, wife, friend, family member, and, most importantly… I am me. If we don’t take a moment to reset and loosen up in life, we risk leaning too heavily into one aspect of our identity, leaving the other equally important part unfulfilled and unbalanced. To truly live in balance, we must learn to let go and be adaptable.
Throughout many years of my life, my need to control every outcome and setting sky-high expectations often left me feeling disappointed when things didn’t go as I had planned. The need for meticulous planning and control may have worked in many areas of my life and yielded success ... but, what but what it also did was limit the opportunities that may have been present but overlooked.
Instead, I have now learned to just do the things that you need to do to progress and grow. The goal itself has becomes more about enjoying the journey and finding fulfillment in the process, and you know what…. It’s working!! Relinquishing the worry that comes with such high expectations has allowed me to really get excited about all the potential outcomes. I am finding that not only is it making the process so much more enjoyable, but I am also finding the outcomes are far better than I had envisioned in my head. How about that?!
Even this ride itself was a great example of just how this works. I chose a ride that met the timeframe I was looking for, the music choice I was feeling and the effort I was expecting to put in. Typically I approach these rides with an output goal, beating a previous numbers etc. During this ride, I allowed myself the freedom to tune out of the instructions and get lost in the music, in my thoughts and even writing… and even though I wasn’t following instructions as closely, I was experiencing something truly special. What started as a merely an exercise became an enjoyable experience simply by changing my mindset. I not only got an incredible work out in, meeting those initial metric goals, but I ended up being inspired to write and I had fun.
What was planned as just a work out, became an experience and the only thing that changed.. was my approach.
Life, like that ride..can be turned into something enjoyable with the right mindset. It’s about embracing the unexpected, finding joy in the journey, and letting go of rigid control.
So, as we move forward, I encourage you to consider where in your life you might loosen up, let go of control, and embrace the art of just winging it. You might discover that some of your most fulfilling experiences await in those moments of surrender.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with me. Here’s to finding balance, fulfillment, and the beauty of winging it.
