the flame of your passion?

[freedom]

how do you reignite the flame of your passion once it's gone? i've been weight training for over four years now, and i've really enjoyed doing it. it has made me a stronger and more disciplined person. it has boosted my confidence and self esteem. i feel much healthier and take much better care of my body now. i've enjoyed exercising like this for the last four years.

recently i've found it very difficult to get my butt into the gym to work out. i don't feel lazy and put it off, i don't feel like i need more rest, i just don't feel like doing it anymore. in my mind, i want to work out, i want to get into the gym and hit the weights hard, but my heart's not into it anymore.

does anybody have any experiences that can relate to this? i really do want to keep working out, but it's just not in me anymore. i used to love working out, but now i don't. it used to be an integral part of my life. i haven't worked out in two weeks now and i feel a huge void in my life because of it. i don't know if this makes any sense at all to you, but any advice is greatly appreciated.

thank you.

-freedom

 

[Brian]

You have to mix things up a little bit, is my experience.

I basically eat, sleep, and breathe Fire and EMS. I read trade magazines, textbooks, take classes online and off, discuss tactics and techniques and recent events, and I actually *live* at a fire station, 24/7 if I'm not out and about or at work (which is an ambulance job). And if I travel, it's to a fire dept. test or interview.

It's been a rough year. My assistant chief died, I lost my paid fire job I had after a greatly prolonged political battle between the dept. and the county, and just yesterday I was on a bad car wreck where a little kid died and I packaged two other patients off to the hospital. And, I'm the new guy at the ambulance trying to earn my spot, so I'm on double-time to make sure I'm picking up my end of the work there and learning patient care.

Right now, I'm kind of burned out. I've barely slept the last two nights and at one point laying there in bed, I was seriously questioning my career choice and the way I spend my off time; I was ready to get up the next day and take up an office job at my friend's company and try to earn a place for myself there. Work a normal 8-5. Didn't care if I saw another fire, even though I love em. And the last thing I wanted was another patient, when I'm usually hot to trot and jump on the ambulance first chance.

I realized I'd been at this grind for the last 7 months on the same exact routine with very little variance. And that kills people inside.

So I promised myself that today, I was going to fill out the two job applications I need to fill out, and then I'm grabbing my bicycle and going up to the lake and riding one of the trails, no exceptions or excuses. And tomorrow, I'm going to start working out again (something which I've fallen off the bandwagon from). That's what I stopped doing when I entered 'grind' mode and I need to get it back. I've been on my bike exactly once this year, and that's my primary way of blowing off steam that keeps everything else enjoyable.

So try and find something to mix in to your life that gives you variety. Go fishing, or take a camera and go for a hike. Bring a book and a sack lunch. Otherwise, what you normally love becomes a chore. And that's bad.

 

[Electric_Fusilier]

Freedom, that sounds a bit like the loss of motivation that comes with depression. Having had a few myself, the feeling is kind of weird - there are things you usually enjoy doing, but somehow ... I dunno, you just don't feel like doing them. Take a look over your general recent mood: do you think you could be going through a depression at the moment?

 

[Wailun]

how do you reignite the flame of your passion once it's gone? i've been weight training for over four years now, and i've really enjoyed doing it. it has made me a stronger and more disciplined person. it has boosted my confidence and self esteem. i feel much healthier and take much better care of my body now. i've enjoyed exercising like this for the last four years.

recently i've found it very difficult to get my butt into the gym to work out. i don't feel lazy and put it off, i don't feel like i need more rest, i just don't feel like doing it anymore. in my mind, i want to work out, i want to get into the gym and hit the weights hard, but my heart's not into it anymore.

does anybody have any experiences that can relate to this? i really do want to keep working out, but it's just not in me anymore. i used to love working out, but now i don't. it used to be an integral part of my life. i haven't worked out in two weeks now and i feel a huge void in my life because of it. i don't know if this makes any sense at all to you, but any advice is greatly appreciated.

thank you.

-freedom

I'm not sure if it's the same, but I think I might have experienced something like what you're going through. I started working out a few years ago and was really motivated, I'd go a few days every week with the thought of running a marathon with my friends. But then everyone kinda just forgot about the whole thing and I slowly lost motivation to go.

What i think that might help you spark up that passion again might be to think about what got you started working out in the first place? Was their any specific reason you started? If you didn't maybe you should give yourself one to set a goal. or if you already had one and accomplished it, you can set an even high goal?

 

[lomojojo]

how do you reignite the flame of your passion once it's gone? i've been weight training for over four years now, and i've really enjoyed doing it. it has made me a stronger and more disciplined person. it has boosted my confidence and self esteem. i feel much healthier and take much better care of my body now. i've enjoyed exercising like this for the last four years.

recently i've found it very difficult to get my butt into the gym to work out. i don't feel lazy and put it off, i don't feel like i need more rest, i just don't feel like doing it anymore. in my mind, i want to work out, i want to get into the gym and hit the weights hard, but my heart's not into it anymore.

does anybody have any experiences that can relate to this? i really do want to keep working out, but it's just not in me anymore. i used to love working out, but now i don't. it used to be an integral part of my life. i haven't worked out in two weeks now and i feel a huge void in my life because of it. i don't know if this makes any sense at all to you, but any advice is greatly appreciated.

thank you.

-freedom

I don't know if I can give you any advice but it definitely makes sense to me. I have been in that situation many times. I recently (6 months ago) started running again. I was determined to run my first half marathon in June. I trained and followed a program, I participated in a 5k race and suddenly I stopped. Since then I've been beating myself up for it thinking why I stopped and instead of getting myself back on track I am even gaining some weight. So I wonder what is lacking in my life that I can't seem to accomplish any long term goals.

 

[freedom]

Freedom, that sounds a bit like the loss of motivation that comes with depression. Having had a few myself, the feeling is kind of weird - there are things you usually enjoy doing, but somehow ... I dunno, you just don't feel like doing them. Take a look over your general recent mood: do you think you could be going through a depression at the moment?

yes, i've been depressed for ten years now, but my loss of interest for exercise has only started recently. two months ago i was on fire. one month ago i was hanging in there. now, i just don't feel like working out.

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how do you reignite the flame of your passion once it's gone? i've been weight training for over four years now, and i've really enjoyed doing it. it has made me a stronger and more disciplined person. it has boosted my confidence and self esteem. i feel much healthier and take much better care of my body now. i've enjoyed exercising like this for the last four years.

recently i've found it very difficult to get my butt into the gym to work out. i don't feel lazy and put it off, i don't feel like i need more rest, i just don't feel like doing it anymore. in my mind, i want to work out, i want to get into the gym and hit the weights hard, but my heart's not into it anymore.

does anybody have any experiences that can relate to this? i really do want to keep working out, but it's just not in me anymore. i used to love working out, but now i don't. it used to be an integral part of my life. i haven't worked out in two weeks now and i feel a huge void in my life because of it. i don't know if this makes any sense at all to you, but any advice is greatly appreciated.

thank you.

-freedom

I'm not sure if it's the same, but I think I might have experienced something like what you're going through. I started working out a few years ago and was really motivated, I'd go a few days every week with the thought of running a marathon with my friends. But then everyone kinda just forgot about the whole thing and I slowly lost motivation to go.

What i think that might help you spark up that passion again might be to think about what got you started working out in the first place? Was their any specific reason you started? If you didn't maybe you should give yourself one to set a goal. or if you already had one and accomplished it, you can set an even high goal?

that's a great idea and the kind of thing i think i need to do. i remember when i first started working out, i did it because i wanted to get in shape and look good. i've gotten much better looking with age, and i'm in pretty good shape. maybe that's why i don't care anymore... ???

 

[Badjedidude]

I think what Brian said makes sense.

Too much of something good can sometimes be a bad thing... so you either need to find a reason to continue exercising and working out, or you need to find something that will replace that in your life.

I think a good idea might be to get into sports or something. I dunno if you already do that, but even just meeting some guys on the corner for street ball can be a **** good workout and give you a chance to be competitive and aggressive... which is really fun, IMHO.

I guess I'm just saying... try to mix it up! Do some things that don't necessarily feel like working out, but give close to the same results. Hell, maybe you could turn it into a money-making opportunity! Start advertising yourself as an amateur trainer! Maybe someone will purchase you as a motivator to help THEM lose weight and get in shape, and that way you could earn money, exercise, AND feel good about helping others do the same!

lol I dunno. Good luck with things, anyway.