For months, I told myself I wasn’t avoiding the gym.
I was “preparing.”
Because preparation feels productive. Avoidance feels lazy.
In this episode of Brain vs. Me, I talk about why walking into the gym was harder than the workout itself — and how anxiety turns simple actions into psychological obstacle courses.
This isn’t a fitness episode. It’s a story about uncertainty, visibility, overthinking, and the fear of being new in public. About how our brains demand confidence before action, even though confidence only comes after repetition.
I break down what actually helped: shrinking the mission, normalizing awkwardness, stopping the meaning-making spiral, and letting “normal” be good enough.
If you’ve been emotionally preparing for something way longer than necessary, this episode is for you.
You’re listening to the Brain vs Me podcast - A show about the moments your brain gets ahead of you — usually before you’re ready.
Here’s your host, Joshua Ericson.
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