They say time flies when you are having fun, right?
Sometimes you ponder this saying, and think, well I must have had a lot of fun ’cause here I am hitting middle age and still wonder how the fuck I got here? What a ride!!! When we reflect, we know we have achieved some great things so far, or maybe we don’t think we have achieved much at all, we never really give ourselves enough credit for how much we have achieved, do we?
Whether we followed the traditional life stages, got the job, got married, built the house and had children. Or whether we followed a less traditional life stages, the outcome is, we got here, didn’t we?
We fail, we succeed, maybe fail some more, maybe some more success. Then the doctor’s appointments change, don’t they? Apparently, we need to exercise more, eat well and live better? So, we start looking at how we can get more exercise, some find it in the gym, some find it running marathons or cycling. So here we are now, hitting the gym, running and cycling literally for our lives. Before we know it, we are signing up to run marathons, triathlons or cycling events, we are training our asses off, now aren’t we? The doctor will be happy with us, wont he/she?
Yet, despite all this, we might still feel a little stuck, lost or looking for direction (what’s next) outside the ass-kicking exercise. What now? Or maybe where do I belong? Maybe you still feel alone/lonely even when you are surrounded by people?
We all have a basic need to belong in life, whether it’s in a relationship, at work, in the community/social networks (Beutal et al, 2017). According to research, a sense of belonging gives us greater emotional fulfilment in life, and without it, we start to feel alone, lonely and even isolated (Beutal et al, 2017). Further research suggests that men aged between 45 and 54, report higher feelings of loneliness during this time, perhaps suggesting this is a ‘sticking point’? The what now moment?
So, what now?
If we want something to change, we need to do something, differently right? Or perhaps you are familiar with the old saying, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity? Either way, you get the gist.
Then what?
Check out the guys at cycleWELL, if you are trying to improve your fitness, if the doctor has given you your marching orders to exercise, they have you covered. If you are trying to improve your life satisfaction, figuring out the what next, what that looks like for you and where you fit, they have you covered. Perhaps you are wanting to work on your mental fitness also, they have you covered. And maybe you are feeling a little stuck, maybe lonely and looking for where you belong, they have you covered. You don’t have to be a competitive cyclist to come along to these camps because guess what, they have coaches and support networks for that, they again, have you covered.
And then?
You gain a sense of belonging, increased self-esteem, goals with a plan, direction, you figure out where you belong and then, you know where you are going, your destination, on and off the bike, for a healthier, happier more satisfied life.
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