Every year, we pay income taxes, federal taxes to support our government and the services that help us live day to day life.
Schools, roads, bridge maintenance etc. These are necessary evils to live and the burden is on our wallets.
We also pay another type of tax: A sort of Health Tax. When we’re unhealthy, we don’t get to do all of the things that we enjoy. When we’re overweight, we don’t always get to say “YES!” when our kids ask to go to the park. We have to rely more on other people to help instead of being able to help ourselves. When we’re unfit, that invitation to go hiking for the weekend, doesn’t sound so appealing. Starting a fitness program becomes increasingly more difficult because whenever we start, everything hurts. Can’t jog because our knees hurt, can’t lift weights because our back hurts; can’t cut out carbs because it’s the only thing that helps us feel whole.
Those things are taxes. Physical taxes. But they’re not the WORST taxes we pay.
The worst tax we pay is the Mental Tax.
When we’re self-conscious about our fitness or health, we don’t want to start exercising. We don’t want to look dumb. We don’t want to fail because we have failed so many times before that we are stuck in this continuous loop.
We don’t want to start a new diet because our families judge our decisions and tell us what’s good for us even though we know we need a change and we need to make it now before it’s too late.
When we’ve been off program for months, we don’t even want to step foot in the gym, because we know how bad we are going to do. It’s going to suck, we will come in last and it’s embarrassing.
The government makes us pay financial tax. But the other two—physical and mental—are self-imposed.
No one cares if you’re slow.
No one cares if you finish last.
No one cares if you blow your diet and have to start all over again.
You’d stop caring about what others thought about you if you realized how rarely they actually do.
Everyone thinks about themselves, mostly. That’s the tax they’re paying. And most of us overpay.
We’re taxed enough. Stop worrying about what you look like and start caring about what makes you feel good.
When you’re ready, come see us at Dark Athletics. Book a No Sweat Intro today to speak with one of our Expert Coaches.
Inspiration provided by Chris Cooper at Catalystgym.com.
