There are many types of fears, often unconscious, that force the human being to change certain behaviors. Often, the result translates into the renunciation of doing something that could, on the contrary, be useful and healthy. If you are not used to physical activity, you may be terrified of the possibility of entering a gym full of people. Strangers who observe you as someone who does not belong to their “group”. But there may also be the fear of getting hurt, of not being up to it. In this article, we will try to help you overcome the fear of playing sports.
The first thing to do is respect these fears and focus on why, on their causes. Only in this way will you be able to open an internal dialogue and overcome them effectively and, above all, definitively. Phobias, complexes, insecurities of various kinds can hide behind the fear of doing sport. But concentrate on the reason for taking this big step, on the enormous benefits you can derive from your life. And we are not just talking about physical well-being, but also about a new aspect that will improve your relationship with yourself, therefore, with others.
Are you ready to make a change in your daily life? As you will see, playing sports is a beautiful and rewarding experience. Just find the courage to wear all and sneakers for the first time. The rest will come by itself.
Overcome the fear of doing sport with these 4 tips
1. Do not listen to what others are saying
Insecurities, the fear of acting, are the worst enemy in the relationship with the environment and self-esteem. Often, some people think of how ridiculous they may appear to be by exercising. They worry too much about their appearance “in overalls” or “while sweating”, giving too much importance to what other people say or think.
The first step to overcome the fear of playing sports is not to care about what others will say. It is essential that you focus exclusively on yourself and on the goals you want to achieve through physical activity. Perhaps the fear you feel is not about fatigue, effort, sweating, and failure. Most likely you fear the opinionated and critical gaze of someone who has a better physique than you or who has been training for longer. Well, remember that one day they too found themselves in the same situation.
Of course, there will be people who will contribute negative and positive thoughts. However, the important thing is that you find the courage to go ahead, for yourself. Regardless of whether others try to discourage you or move away from your goals. This is a first, very important test and will allow you to move from fear to motivation.
2. Don’t be afraid of failure
The fear of failure is very common in any area of life . It is possible to experience the fear of not making it at work, in studies, in love, in friendships and even in sport. It happens that people create certain expectations that they want to satisfy. But, if these are disregarded, the aspect of failure emerges.
In reality, “failure” is just an opportunity to learn, grow and gain more strength to try again. Don’t worry about what will happen, don’t be afraid that everything will go wrong.
Instead, focus on hard training and think about all the benefits you are getting. Every small step counts every single repetition, every minute spent on the treadmill in the gym. And if things don’t go as you imagined, don’t make a drama out of it. Consider it as a new starting point: consider where to improve and react, starting over again.
3. More safety and less fear of doing sports
The unknown can evoke different emotions, such as curiosity, nervousness, emotion or fear. At the beginning, these emotions can take over, especially when you enter an area that is not familiar to you.
In this context, trust is essential to overcome the fear of trying something new. Most people who don’t like physical exercise never devote sufficient time to experience it thoroughly. And this inevitably favors premature abandonment.
Fill yourself with safety and confidence to immerse yourself, as much as possible, in this new sporting experience. Little by little, the fear and discomfort will disappear, leaving space for a different point of view on training. Don’t forget that the support of a personal trainer can also be beneficial.
4. Visualize positive changes
When you start exercising, you will notice some changes in your daily routine. But also in yourself: both physically and mentally. Not being ready or completely willing to assimilate these changes can cause fear of doing sports.
In view of this, it is necessary to understand that most of the changes that exercise involves for your life are absolutely beneficial for the body (and the mind). Some of these could be more complicated than others but, nevertheless, the prize at stake is really high. Let’s talk about the constant and global improvement of your life. Which is not at all little.
By overcoming your fears, you will begin to discover the enormous benefits of physical exercise. And gradually, those who initially considered radical changes will become a fundamental part of your daily life. And you will think: ” how could I have lived without all this? “. Think no more and give yourself the chance to test yourself, in the gym, outdoors or practicing one of the many sports available today. In addition to the advantages in terms of physical and mental wellbeing, doing sports will help you mature, grow and overcome other fears or concerns that you might have. And at the same time, it will strengthen the best qualities you already have.
