I’m sitting, right here, right now, in the I won’t judge-me zone.

Pull up a chair. All are welcome.

Honestly, I’m a little sweaty from the workout I just did.

But I’m smiling from the inside out and what’s even better than that … I can feel it too.

Fun fact about me:

According to all who know me best, I’m just about the most stubborn person around. In a good way. (I think.) Once I make up my mind, I’m just about immovable.

And I’ve made up my mind to make my body feel better. (If it starts to look better too … well then, that’s an excellent outcome as well, but not the original goal.)

So I just spent 40 minutes or so up in my bedroom balancing on one foot or the other, with and without weights, bending – reaching – lifting – curling – sweating – and working muscles.

As an aside … are you left footed or right? I never realized before that I have better balance on my left foot. I’m all kinds of wobbly on my right.

But.

I sit here in the I won’t judge-me zone, so I care not about my wobbles. Or my fumbles. Or about how I could only do 12 reps – with no repeat. I don’t mind that I’m probably doing it all wrong. Or that my body doesn’t look – or behave – like the woman’s body does in the picture.

Because I’m doing it.

I do belong to Planet Fitness, famously home to the judgement-free zone. Funny thing is, I wouldn’t really think for a minute about judging someone else working out there. (I’m too busy judging myself.)

Do you ever hear the voice? The one that tells you … you’re not fast enough, strong enough, young enough, thin … pretty … smart … or fill-in-the-blank enough?

I wondered today if that’s what Planet Fitness means by the judgement-free zone. To stop judging … myself?

So from here on out, when working out or writing or cooking or public speaking or teaching or parenting, or living … you’ll find me in the I won’t judge-me zone.

You are welcome to join me.

The voice, however, is not.