How to make your workouts and your social media life giving again.

Yep, both in one post. Very Eclectic.

Between kids, home, study, and the socialising that spring brings, my little bits of creative time are more ‘Instagram’ and less ’Substack’, if you know what I mean. 

I have sworn off Instagram many times. If you’re reading this on the Substack app, you might have too. I’ve deleted the app from my phone for months at length (bye Felicia!). I’ve deactivated my account. I’ve been shadow banned for as long as I can remember— whether because of my content or my inactivity I don’t know. I’ve told myself that I don’t need it— and this is entirely true. None of us need it. 

I decided recently that if I am going to show up on there, I’m going to do it on my own terms and to redefine what that means. I have three little kids. I refuse to spend my precious time, days and life competing with an algorithm or worse yet…. Giving the power of my creative expression to my audience. 

Have you noticed how we do this? We do. We give them too much power.

Instagram used to be so innocent. In 2011, I’d post a photo of a smoothie with the X-Pro filter, get 2 likes and be as happy as Larry. Then as my audience grew and grew, they started to expect things from me (vocally). I mean, how much does a person change in 13 years spanning from their early 20’s to their mid 30’s? A lot. 

People forget that we can only ever express from our unique perspective. Both the creator and the consumer both forget this.

Now too, there is the obsession with going viral. We, perhaps unknowingly, start to mold our God given creativity and unique life perspective into a ‘pick me!’ and ‘me too!’ form of expression. We’re letting the algorithm and our audience control our art, our expression, and sometimes even our lives.

Yuck and no way. Take the power back.

I noticed a while back that Instagram started to feel like nails on a chalkboard for me. I started to only want to post when I felt it was a perfect post (if there is such a thing). I have been very vocal about controversial things online and my skin has grown thicker because of it— but sometimes too, posting about those things just wasn’t always worth it. 

Kids. Home. Real life. I need to be good for those things first and foremost. The children God gave me are my most important life’s work.

What I have learned is something you no doubt already know too—  

1. People will talk about you, regardless of what you say, write, do. Gosh. Some people are tragically addicted to bagging out strangers.

2. It is impossible to show the totality of yourself on a bloomin’ social media app. I am so emotional and high integrity that sometimes I feel frustrated that I cannot give the full picture. I hate the instagram bio. It is never a complete depiction. CHALKBOARDDDD! But then I remind myself— social media is a game. It’s not real life. Express yourself how you want to. Reserve what you want to (like how I don’t share my children online). And most of all, let it be life giving, or do not do it at all. 

This is particularly important for us mothers. 

I’m going to share some words that I shared there this week. Apply these words to any social media, or places where you express yourself online. 

I don’t know who needs to read this but, let your Instagram/Substack/X be fun again. 

Let it be a treasure trove of your own personal expression again. 

Let it be life-giving and innocent again. 

You are giving your audience too much power over your expression and becoming a ‘pick me!’ creative and that’s why it feels like nails on a chalkboard. 

Back in the day, it used to be so straightforward but now it’s like you’ve got to wear a clown suit and study consumer psychology to get people to see your stuff— this has changed our behaviour and made a lot of creative people siphon themselves into a ‘me too’ and ‘pick me!’ expression. What’s the point? What’s the point in giving any of your precious days, your precious life, to (excuse the tough love) being a try hard? 

Return to the roots of what your expression is, the gifts God put in you, the perspective that is unique to you, and the way in which you can help people— this is when it will feel life giving again. You’ve forgotten that expression IS life giving.

Your time on any of these apps needs to be disciplined, life giving and replenishing otherwise get rid of it. 

Here’s the new deal: If you’re going to spend any of your precious time on these apps, it HAS to be life giving. If it’s not, re-think your strategy. Life is too short to let strangers on the internet (unknowingly) micromanage your life force. 

Now while we are here and focussing on being all life giving again, I want to share some things about workouts too. Because hey, creative expression and workouts— both are my jam. I have a room in my home that I’ve turned into a writing + workout studio. It’s a peanut butter and jelly combination. 

(Piccie ^ from lunch with hubs the other day. A cherished spring time date).

Here are three ways to make your workouts feel life giving again.

1. Remember you are training to be an agile, vital and vibrant 80 year old. 

When you zoom out from the 6 week, and 90 day goals and remember you are training for the purpose of MORE and BETTER life… it is easier to make it a part of your daily discipline. You are training for vitality & longevity, resilience & vibrancy.

2. If feeling bored and bleh, follow a movement method so you can improve athletically again. 

Moving in all planes is important but sometimes we are too spread out over too many methods. Eg, reformer one day, barre the next, strength the next. While this is fine, sometimes what we need is to follow a discipline so we can see specific improvements and body changes and not just throwing mud at the wall to see what sticks. 

I know for me, there are seasons (eg postpartum and pregnancy) where just staying nimble, fit and strong are what matters… but then I start to feel like I wanna train for athleticism again— it’s hard to see improvements when we’re too spread out across modalities. Again, seasons! But it might be time to ‘get really good at something’ rather than just workout for the sake of working out. 

Back when I was doing just reformer, or just Tracy Anderson, or just strength training, my body would respond super quick because ONE method was having its way with my body (plus walking). Right now I’m enjoying a strength/mat pilates/walking split. 

3. Save your caffeine for workouts. 

Sometimes a little boosty boost is what you need to get momentum again. Have your matcha (or whatever your bevvie of choice) before movement, rather than before just sitting down. For me, it feels good to properly metabolise caffeine in this way. I have a low caffeine tolerance and don’t have coffee, so when I say caffeine for me I mean a good frothy matcha or loaded cacao but I know for some of you (and my husband), that’s all child’s play!! I’ve never understood how people can have a ‘night time hot chocolate’. I’m sorry what? If I had a night time cacao I’d need to go dancing. 

Next on the ‘life giving things’ list is some things we’re doing in our home with the kids. Stay tuned. 

Lotsa love, and bless you loads… 

PK XX