I vividly remember going to a kickboxing class on my college campus with a friend of mine. The instructor was a ripped body builder woman, and I’ll admit I was a bit intimidated, but excited nonetheless. Until the push-ups. She told the class to do ten push-ups and if anyone let their knees hit the floor the entire class had to start over again. My heart sank. I couldn’t even do ONE regular push-up let alone TEN. The class started the push-ups. I shakily did one, two, maybe three, but I just couldn’t hold myself up any longer. My knees hit the floor and she shouted out to the class to start over. I was mortified. If my face could have gotten any redder from the physical exertion on top of the shame, it might have caught fire. I felt embarrassed, guilty, and blatantly called out in a room I already felt so out of place in. I wanted to like this class, to find an activity that I could enjoy doing that was good for me too. But I knew in the moment I would never come to another kickboxing class there ever again. All this to say, I get it. I understand being uncomfortable working out in public, feeling embarrassed about not knowing how to use the equipment, or being terrified that everyone is staring at you. But here’s the thing - for the most part everyone is too caught up on their own selves to pay much attention to you in the first place. And hey, maybe gyms aren’t your thing! But that doesn’t mean that exercising isn’t your thing. Maybe that kickboxing instructor wasn’t the right fit for me. But that didn’t mean that the Zumba class I never tried taking wasn’t either. The best way to find out what your thing is, is to go out and try something, anything! Maybe for you it’s hot yoga, barre, or cycling. Maybe it’s kayaking, hiking, or dance parties in your living room. I’ve lost 122 pounds WITHOUT a gym membership. I run and walk outside and use free YouTube workouts from the comfort of my living room with hand-me-down dumbbells and a $10 yoga mat from Amazon. M O V E M E N T is for everyone, my friends.