1. They exercise for the right reason
If exercise is a means to an end, it’s hardly ever sustainable. If you're so focused on your goal, that you lose sight of the benefits you're receiving today, you’ll inevitably burn out.
Try giving up the ecstasy of obtaining an outcome, and focus on the little joys you receive from the pursuit.
It’s hard to grasp, but we all know that the journey is where the joy is.
2. They actually enjoy the exercise they’re doing
If you would ask me, “what’s the best way to exercise?”
My initial answer would be, “what do you enjoy doing?”
Too many people are exercising in ways they “should” vs in ways they actually want to.
The best exercise is the one you’ll do consistently, and the one you’ll do consistently is the one you enjoy doing.
3. They consistently give themselves permission
We all know you can’t “pour” from an empty cup, but it’s very difficult for a lot of people to give their self-care needs a priority in their lives.
Despite the difficulty, if a new behavior is perceived as fuel for what matters most in our lives, then exercise changes from another thing on our “to do list” to a gift that fuels what matters most to us.