Self-reflection is deeply ingrained in discussions surrounding emotional intelligence and widely touted as the way to self-improvement, but could it actually be hurting you?
According to Harvard Business Review, self-reflection is the act of looking back on your day to evaluate your thoughts and actions without regret. The key point here, though, is those two words at the end of the sentence, “without regret”. Effective self-reflection means contemplating your behaviors without beating yourself up for it. Easy in theory, difficult in practice.
The Analogy
In my mind, self-reflection is akin to completing a graded assignment. That score received for that assignment will either signify a job well done and boost that student’s confidence, or be poor and instill feelings of disappointment, shame, and inadequacy.
The method of rote feedback in schools evolved as a way for teachers to assess larger groups of students, at a time when class sizes were increasing. It provided a means of standardization through a universal scoring system, effectively moving away from detailed, growth-based feedback.
The grading system is widely popular in modern education, but it is not without its critics. In 1918, economist Thorsten Velben was quoted as saying the “system of academic grading and credit… progressively sterilizes all personal initiative and ambition that comes within its sweep.” In other words, students are taught to stifle their creativity or refrain from indulgent exploration around a topic in order to achieve a worthy score.
The Downfall
I see self-reflection working in the same way. Daily self-reflection can lead to heavy self-critiquing and adaptation of behaviors to prevent future embarrassing situations or interactions. The trouble comes when so many adjustments are made that eventually the person loses sight of who they truly are.
Or, because that personally is constantly analyzing themselves, they discover patterns in their thoughts, behaviors, and actions that reflect poorly. Just like a stream of bad grades can wear down a student’s academic confidence, noticing recurring patterns of undesirable behavioral tendencies can wear down a person’s self-esteem.
If self-reflection leads to too much course-correcting or creates unhappiness from the observed behaviors, a detrimental downward spiral may be imminent.
The Strategy
Self-reflection is a great way to help yourself improve, but those who engage in it should also be aware of how negative thinking can hijack it. Here are three strategies to help protect yourself from hurtful self-reflections:
Don’t grade yourself so harshly. It is all to easy to quickly assign poor “scores” to behaviors you look upon less favorably. If this happens, try to remove yourself from it and approach the situation from another perspective. Imagine someone you love exhibited those behaviors. How would you “grade” that behavior. Most of the time, you will find you are grading yourself harsher than is necessary.
Be gentle in the way you address your behaviors. Negative talk, like gossip, is so easy to participate in. Train yourself to be kind to yourself and leave room for grace if you don’t get it right away.
Double the positive reflections. If you do find negativity creeping up in your self-reflections, make an effort to list twice as many positive reflections. This means that for every scenario you reflect upon poorly, list two positives that came out of it.
As a bonus tip, decide how detrimental some trait or behavior is to the grand scheme of your life. If you see it becoming a problem in the long run, find ways to improve that area without beating yourself up for it. Approach it as a skill you already know but need to tune up a bit. If it doesn’t affect your overall quality of life, perhaps it’s not worth dwelling on.
The Final Message
Self-reflection is a great way to empower yourself, improve yourself, and help yourself to achieve your potential — if done correctly. Be as tough as you need to be to help yourself reach your goals, but don’t forget to take care of the fragile self behind it all.
I’m fairly certain everyone is familiar with the old saying, “the rich get richer…” — especially since it has resurfaced to throw sour grapes at modern billionaires — but what about the fit get fitter? The Case for Professional Athletes This idea was initially inspired by the professional triathletes I have been following through the…
Self-reflection is deeply ingrained in discussions surrounding emotional intelligence and widely touted as the way to self-improvement, but could it actually be hurting you? According to Harvard Business Review, self-reflection is the act of looking back on your day to evaluate your thoughts and actions without regret. The key point here, though, is those two…
As someone from the upper region of the northern hemisphere, I was no stranger to all four seasons. I switched sports depending on what time of year it was; ice skating in the winter, basketball in the spring, softball in the summer, cross country in the fall. I watched farmers sow crops in spring and…
As someone from the upper region of the northern hemisphere, I was no stranger to all four seasons. I switched sports depending on what time of year it was; ice skating in the winter, basketball in the spring, softball in the summer, cross country in the fall. I watched farmers sow crops in spring and harvest in the fall. I knew what it meant when the geese formed triangles in the sky. The seasons were alive and well all around me, but I rarely paid attention to them. Like every child, I was asked which season was my favorite, just as surely as every child is asked what they want to be when they grow up. Sure, I had a favorite season and another that I was less fond of, but I never really thought about why that was.
After finishing high school, I moved south in search of an endless summer. Year-round average temperatures of 80 F/27 C was an absolute dream in my eyes. Over time, though, the sheen wore off and I started to feel more and more exhausted with each passing day, but I couldn’t understand why.
Summer. Photographed by TJ
I then relocated to a city with all four seasons. Though the city was large and very busy, I felt a strong urge to slow down and rest. First, the changing colors of Autumn invited me to get cozy, then the biting cold of Winter yelled at me to bundle up and settle in. As insistent as those seasons were, I regret to say that I did not listen.
The modern world trudges along at an unyielding pace, the march to which I conform. Slow down? Never. Push through? Absolutely.
After what seemed like forever, Spring finally came skipping down the street. In a sing-song voice, Spring told me that it was time to shed the layer, get rejuvenated. But by then, I was too fatigued to be excited about Summer’s arrival.
Autumn. Photographed by TJ
I learned that in bustling cities, people do not slow down when the weather begins to cool. The chills of autumn winds and the snowy gusts of winter are mere conversations to modern folk. The sight of flowers beginning to peek out of their bulbs and the return of the sun are just pleasant tidings, but neither changes the daily grind. Without acknowledging the messaging the seasons are trying to give, living in these types of climates can be just as exhausting as a perpetual summer.
Burnout, exhaustion, and a lack of motivation may be a sign that we have fallen out of sync with our surroundings. Maybe listening to the signals of the seasons could be a way to regain balance in our lives? Maybe taking heed of the seasons would allow time for rest, time to plan, time to grow, and time to flourish?
Winter. Photographed by TJ
Thinking about seasons in this way reminds me of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. In each concerti, the personality of the respective season is expressed through patterns in the notes. Naturally, Winter sounds more melancholy than Summer, but that does not mean it is not without its own climactic moment. Moments of excitement and moments of calm are what make the songs dynamic, and these elements are present in the naturally occurring seasons as well.
Spring. Photographed by TJ
Now, when I am asked what my favorite season is, I have my answer ready and know exactly the reason why.
Recently, I watched a video by Ali Abdaal on YouTube titled, “How To Get Rich“. It was a great video because Ali didn’t just share the cookie cutter nonsense everyone else seems to spout these days. Instead, he shared the uncomfortable truth that no one wants to acknowledge. To get rich, you must get unhealthily obsessed with making money. Now, this article is not about how to make money or how to get rich, but I think Ali’s advice is very important and can be applied to any areas in life that you want to become successful in.
When I was in middle school, I remember constantly getting bored during math class. I felt like I was wasting hours of my life repeating the same material I already knew how to do. Because I couldn’t just leave the class, I found a way to make my minutes more productive. I asked the teacher if I could work on the next day’s material. This was the catalyst for what would change my life completely. As I began to work ahead on mathematics assignments, I realized that I could finish the entire year’s worth of material much sooner than prescribed. I became obsessed with completing more and more assignments to see how far ahead I could get. Eventually, I finished all the material required for my grade level with three months left in the school year. My teacher then suggested I start working on the material for next year. Still obsessed, I jumped on the opportunity and soon found that I had completed all the requirements for ninth-grade mathematics by the time the school year was coming to a close.
The principal of the school took notice of my accelerated plan and reviewed my records in other classes. With his approval, I was cleared to skip the requirements for all other grade-nine subjects, and come Fall, I would start taking classes with students one year ahead of me.
I worked steadily at this level for one semester before another opportunity crossed my path. I was offered the chance to begin a dual-enrollment program the following year — if I transferred to a different high school. Still intoxicated by the idea of graduating early, starting college at the age of 15 was an incredible proposition. I accepted the offer, transferred schools, and started taking university classes a semester later.
I graduated university having just turned 17, and with two years-worth of university credits and experience under my belt. None of it would have been possible if I wasn’t so obsessed with pushing myself further academically. I sacrificed extracurriculars, social groups, and other activities to reach my goal. Looking back, I think this is the kind of “unhealthy obsession” that Ali was talking about.
Since watching that video, I have started looking at the paths of other successful people. I can think of many athletes that have dedicated their lives to their sport, often making large sacrifices to become the best that they can be. Talented musicians who spend hours practicing. Academics that rarely see sunlight because they are so passionate about increasing their knowledge. Mechanics who spend their free time fiddling with any machinery they can find. Artists who doodle on everything. The list is endless.
I think Ali was on to something. Successful people are (or were at some point) unhealthily obsessed with whatever it is they became successful at.
To be successful, you have to immerse yourself in the world of whatever it is you are trying to achieve. Consume content related to it whenever you can then apply it in strategic ways. Learn and improve constantly. Desire to achieve.
And if you can’t become obsessed with it, how much do you really want it?
What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree or disagree with obsession as a way to get successful? Let me know what you think in the comments section and be sure to give this article a “like” if you enjoyed it.
I tried graduate school twice but dropped out after one year both times. It wasn’t that I couldn’t handle the academics (I had completed all the required coursework in my first degree and was halfway through the requirements of the second), I couldn’t handle the competitiveness of academia.
For years, I had tied my self-worth to my academic success. I studied hard, got good grades, skipped a grade, made dean’s lists and honor rolls, and graduated early. By all accounts, I was successful. Except, graduate school is not about coursework or grades, it’s about research.
I was always so eager to learn that I soaked up any information I was given or could find for nearly all the topics covered in high school and during my bachelor’s. I thought graduate school would be more of the same. What I didn’t realize was that graduate school prepares you to be an expert on one topic: the topic you research. In graduate school, you spend years planning experiments, writing procedures, testing hypotheses, reviewing literature, and presenting your findings for the niche topic you chose when you started. That works for a lot of people, but it does not work for me.
I am a very self-motivated person. I work well independently and can focus on tasks for significant periods of time. I put my all into every project I do. This seems like it would be the perfect profile for a graduate school candidate, but actually, it is the perfect recipe for burnout.
In graduate school, there are no set working hours. You decide your schedule. You still answer to your supervisor and have deadlines to meet, except those deadlines are often months to years in the future. You have to budget your time well enough to meet those deadlines. Simple in theory, difficult in practice.
When you are in graduate school, there is a shiny star called “the future” to guide you through the massive amount of work you must complete. You are enticed by the promise of a high paycheck and notoriety if you make a significant contribution to your field. You work diligently, day and night, to perform the necessary experiments, gain credible data, and write informative prose, only to find out that a mere five people will ever read your dissertation. There are also academic journals that all researchers, students and professionals alike, are encouraged to publish in. “Publish or perish” is a common mantra I heard in graduate school. Publications get you professorships, and isn’t that the goal for academics?
Then there is the issue of egos. Everyone in academia — professors, post-docs, and students — all think they are smart. They would not be in their position if they weren’t. The trap students fall into is in trying to prove their intelligence. No longer is it enough to think you are smart; everyone else must think you are smart too. When you are in a place where everyone around you is intelligent, there is no easy measure for assigning smarts, but students find their own ways to determine it. “I come in earlier than everyone else.” “I stay later than everyone else.” “I’m farther along in my research than everyone else.” “I’m attending these conferences.” “I have X amount of publications.” If any one of these criteria are not met, students feel like they are failing. Thus starts the cycle of putting in more hours and more effort to achieve the high standard students are only putting on themselves.
To cap it all off, each stage in the academic ladder is expensive, thankless, and rarely pays well. To be in academia, you must love it. You have to love the mundane task of carrying out experiments that, by design, are unsuccessful more times than they succeed. You have to love having every word of everything you say or write be scrutinized. You have to love being in competition with your peers — imaginary or not. Academia is brutal and graduate school is just the tip of the iceberg.
Most of the professors I have met, don’t seem to care about this cycle. The impression I got was, “I got through it, so must you.” They are only too happy to see the experimental results come in and the journal papers be written. It secures them publications for their H-index and a cozy position at the university.
University professors do wear many hats and are often incredibly busy. With teaching classes, advising undergraduate students, supervising graduate students, serving on committees, peer-reviewing journals, applying for grants, and conducting their own research, professors are stretched extremely thin. It is all too easy to blame them for failing to help their graduate students emotionally, but they are also running their own hamster wheel.
There are wonderful professors out there who put in the effort to nurture their students to be successful in academia, but they are few and far between. It also isn’t entirely the supervisor’s fault when a student leaves. I had a wonderful supervisor during my first attempt at graduate school that put in great effort towards helping my lab mate and I succeed in our research. I blame my immaturity for my withdrawal. I was swept up by the imagined competition, the need to prove myself, and the daunting prospect of spending four more years on only one topic I wasn’t sure I liked.
My second attempt was the real eye-opener. After taking a year off from academia, I switched schools, departments, supervisors, and countries for my next attempt. I will say that many things took place in my personal life that led to my ultimate withdrawal from this university, but there is also a lot to be said about the program and research environment I was in that made me decide to leave.
This university was much more prestigious than the first university I attended and their research was much more visible. I was excited to learn from the best of the best and hopefully become one myself. In the beginning, I took in as much advice and information as I could. I paid attention to the senior students and tried to mimic what appeared to be working for them. When I transitioned into the phase of finally conducting my own experiments and presenting my own work, things started to fall apart.
My supervisor became more distant and was extremely harsh when he did give feedback, often in the form of public shaming. I had difficulties with trying to repair broken laboratory equipment and navigating the process of ordering materials (in a foreign language) for my research. I felt like I was falling behind, so I put in more hours at the institute, arriving extremely early in the morning to get work done while the building was quiet and empty. I agonized over the presentations and reports I prepared, only to have them ripped apart or entirely rewritten by my supervisor. No matter how much effort I put in to improve, I was just left feeling stupid, incapable, and like “a waste of time.” Compound that with the issues I was facing in my personal life, and I spiraled into a very dark place mentally. When I realized just how bad things had become and nothing was working to pull me out of the state I was in, I knew I had to leave. I felt tremendous shame for walking out in the middle of another graduate degree, but it had to be done.
Now, months later, I am the happiest I have felt in a long time. After having initially sworn off anything related to science, I have found great enjoyment in producing my podcast, Fall Asleep to Science, and applying my prior coding and analysis experience to become a data scientist.
I am thankful for my graduate school experiences because they helped me to understand my true passions and what I want out of my professional career. I am now aware of my natural tendencies and insecurities and am working to correct those that hinder me. I learned so many valuable skills that I will carry with me into future roles: time management, effective research strategies and experimental design, work-life balance, and networking. I am a more capable person that will continue to improve with each new experience. I fell on my face twice by quitting two graduate programs, but I am a much more self-aware person because of it.
If you are considering graduate school, I strongly encourage you to think about your mental patterns and what motivates you. If your habits and motivations are similar to what mine were, I urge you to set up a series of checks for yourself to prevent burning out. A desire for prestige is not enough to carry a person through the highs and lows of academia. Be sure to choose a supervisor you trust and a topic you could spend years dissecting. Prepare yourself before you start by brushing up on the topics you will be expected to know for your chosen discipline.
Academia is a great space, but it is undeniably challenging. Choose wisely and prepare accordingly.
What were your biggest failures that led to your most fruitful growths? Did you go to graduate school? What are your mental habits?
Feel free to share your answers in the comment section, or like this post if you enjoyed it.
In a previous post, I wrote about my running journey. I love running, but I haven’t always been able to do it. I have had many injuries and other commitments that left me unable to either endure the physicality of running or find the time to run. Usually, when that happens, both my mental and physical health suffers tremendously. Other times, my emotions get in the way; I talk myself out of doing an exercise because of some excuse I came up with. I’m too tired, I’m stressed about deadlines, I don’t want to lose momentum on the project I’m working on, etc. When I fall into this mindset, my workout routine becomes non-existent, or sporadic at best. After years of letting this mentality get in the way, I have finally figured out how to stay fit despite feeling every emotion in the book.
This post has one purpose: to help you stay consistent with your exercise routine. It is not meant to be a training plan, a “lose weight fast” scheme, or a tutorial on how to build muscle. My goal is simply to help you move your body every day, despite what you may be feeling that day. Here’s how to do it:
Note which activities you enjoy doing. What activities do you instinctively do? Are there other activities you want to try?
Determine timeframes. How long do you spend on each activity? How much time do you have each day to spend on activities?
Pay attention to your emotions. How do you feel when you do a particular activity? How did you feel before you started doing that activity? How do you feel after?
Put it together. Which activity do you do when you feel happy or excited? Which activity do you do when you feel sad, or mad, or nervous? Which activity do you do when you are short on time? Which activity do you do when you want to turn your brain off for a while?
Make the commitment to move every day. Adjust the activity based on your habits and emotions.
When I first started to track myself, my answers to these steps looked like the following:
I instinctively go running or do yoga at home. I want to try cycling, swimming, and boxing.
Running takes me 30 minutes minimum, but I usually drive to a location to run which adds 10-15 minutes each way. Yoga takes less time, usually only 15-20 minutes. I only have 20 minutes to spend on exercise during the week. On weekends, I have more time.
When I run, I feel free but also impatient to finish. I always feel accomplished and happy afterward. When I do yoga, I feel calm and relaxed. I leave every session feeling more mindful and tolerant. Before running, I am either feeling nervous or stressed about something, or I feel very energized and up for more intense activity. Before doing yoga, I am usually tired or my mind is racing and I need it to calm down.
See my activity-emotion-time chart below for how I put it all together.
I now know which activities to do when I am stressed or happy, which to do when I am tired, and which to do when I am angry. From that list, I pick which activity fits in the time frame I have available that day, or I may modify the length of the activity to match.
Reading through the after-effects of the activities I wrote down reinforces how beneficial exercise is to my mental state. I find that each activity gives me a boost in some area of my mood or mentality. When I spend my week trying a few activities, I feel more playful and find that I look forward to exercise. An unexpected bonus is that it prevents me from paying attention to statistics or PRs because I can’t remember the stats for five different exercises at one time!
I now work out according to what I need that day and no longer force myself to do any particular activity because I feel I should. I do the activity now because I want to, knowing that it will help my mental state. Working out is not a punishment for me, it is a tool to help my emotions. Gentler exercises suit me best when I am unmotivated or tired, while the more intense and demanding exercises satisfy my needs when I am full of energy. Since I have been following this method, I have not missed a single day of exercise in the past two months. I feel happier, healthier, more capable, more resilient, and I am in the best shape of my life!
What activities do you do to stay fit? Do you like my method of working out to your emotional needs? Let me know if you try it!
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Social media is filled with inspiration urging you to get into running and it seems like everyone is training for a marathon these days. Maybe it has inspired you to train for your own marathon, or maybe, you just want to find an enjoyable way to get into shape. Whatever your motivation, this guide is here to help you lace up your trainers and get out the door.
Contents
My Experience
Tip 1: Go alone or don’t
Tip 2: Running attire
Tip 3: Finding running shoes
Tip 4: Be gentle
Tip 5: Nutrition and hydration
Tip 6: Keep yourself entertained
Tip 7: Stretch
Conclusion
My Experience
I have called myself a runner since I won the 400 m race at my elementary school’s annual track and field meet at the age of 9. At that stage, I didn’t know about carbon-based soles or fueling. All I knew was I had two legs that carried me down the track and running felt awesome. That summer, I took myself for runs whenever I felt like it. I had just figured out how to save free songs to my iPod Touch, so I would go jogging down the streets of the small town where I grew up with my iPod in my hand and the cords to my earbuds bouncing against my chest. I listened to the same two songs I had downloaded every time I ran. I listened to those songs on repeat so often that now, whenever I hear “Don’t Wake Me Up” by Chris Brown or Armin van Buuren’s “This Is What It Feels Like”, I immediately think of the sunrise I used to see midway through my runs. Running was never something I felt like I had to do, I simply just wanted to do it.
When the school year started again, I joined the cross-country club that met twice a week after school. Again, it was a small town, so the club consisted of one or two students from each grade starting at Grade 3 and up. We started by running laps around the schoolyard, then slowly progressed to a longer route that took us off school property. The big goal of this club was to compete in one race at the end of October against all the schools from our region. To train, I stuck to the twice-a-week practices established by the club.
When the end of October came, we drove to the city for the big meet. I was shocked to see kids from the bigger schools doing elaborate warm-ups and jogging in packs before the race had even started. All I did to prepare was lace up the athletic shoes my mom had bought from Walmart–which were two sizes too big because my mom didn’t want to have to buy new shoes again this schoolyear when my feet were still growing — and do a few ankle rollouts and quad pulls my teacher had shown me. Then, I noticed a few kids I recognized from neighboring schools and we chatted until it was time for our races. I came in ninth that day and was awarded a ribbon for making the top ten. It was a great experience, and needless to say, I was back the following year.
As I got older, I started to search for tips on how to improve my running. I wanted to get top five in those big cross-country meets, but nothing I was doing on my own was helping. As I got faster, so did the kids I was competing against. I subscribed to running magazines and poured over any bit of advice they gave. Looking back, not all of the advice I read was good advice, but I was determined to improve.
I moved away before I ever broke the top five at that cross-country meet. I started at a big high school in a big city and very quickly realized that I was not nearly good enough to compete with the “big city kids”. Their cross-country programs were more serious than any practice I had ever been a part of, and I backed away in fear. I kept running in my spare time, but I never competed again.
In my first year of college, I had a roommate that used to do running challenges for ROTC at her high school. We started running together after classes and chatted the entire time. To this day, I don’t think we would have become as good of friends if we hadn’t run together so much.
My second year of college, I was in a car accident that messed up my neck and back. After the initial shock of the accident, I tried to take myself for a run to relieve some of the stress but quickly found out that I couldn’t. The pain was so bad that I threw up not even three minutes into the run. Queue chiropractor appointments and physical therapy.
When I was cleared to run again, I discovered I was not as in shape as I used to be. Running still hurt and I got winded very quickly. I got discouraged and stopped running almost entirely.
A few years later, I was tired of feeling lazy and wanted to get back into sport. Somehow, I stumbled across triathlons. I was inspired to see people nearly thirty, forty years older than me completing these triathlons and reckoned it would be a good, relatively low-impact way of getting back into sport. I roped my partner into joining me and together, we began the Couchto5K program to get back into running shape. We signed up for a sprint triathlon just outside the city and committed to a triathlon training plan we found on YouTube. It felt good to train for an event again and I had never felt more accomplished than when I crossed the finish line of my first ever triathlon.
Last year, I moved abroad and fell out of the habit of exercising again. When life got stressful, I realized I needed an outlet. I tried to take myself for runs but, to my immediate dismay, I discovered I had lost my fitness again! With nobody to run with and my joints feeling stiff, running felt like a chore. I then looked for another way to fill my exercising needs and stumbled upon a rugby club in the city. I had played rugby in high school but had all but written it off after my university did not have a club. I knew it would be a great way to meet people outside of my regular routine, so I started going to practices. Eventually, the competition season started and I was asked to join in on a tournament. I was eager to play again, so I said “yes”. Then, in my second tournament, I heard a pop as I was being tackled and discovered I could barely put weight on my left leg. I had completely ruptured my ACL.
One surgery, ten days in a Japanese hospital, and months of physical therapy later, my ACL was deemed stable enough to start running again. When I tried to run, I could barely manage thirty seconds of jogging. It was heartbreaking. I realized just how much I had taken running for granted in the past. Right then, I vowed to strengthen my knee as much as possible so I could get back to the activities I love.
Now, it is 2025, I am nearly nine months post-op on my knee, and I recently ran a half-marathon.
How did I do it?
#1 Go alone or don’t
First, having a friend run with you helps a lot! Find someone who is willing to run slowly with you as you just start out. Having somebody jog next to you can provide a small push to keep you running when you are tempted to stop. They can also provide good conversation that will take your mind off the exercise. Bonus if you can find someone who is on the same level of running fitness as you. You can encourage each other to keep going!
That is not to say you cannot get into running if you don’t have a friend to go with you. When I first started running, all the way back in third grade, I didn’t have a buddy to run with. To this day, I look back on those solo runs fondly. If you can’t find someone to run with, take yourself out. You know what your goals are. Don’t let external factors ruin it for you.
Alternatively, if solo running is daunting to you for whatever reason, join a running group. So many run clubs have popped up all over the place. Sites like Facebook are so useful for finding local groups to run with. Right out of college, I joined a running group as a way to meet people in a new city. Group running didn’t necessarily suit my style as a runner, but I did meet lots of friendly people. The running group was not my cup of tea, but it may be yours. Give it a try!
#2 Running attire
My second tip is an important one. Nobody cares what you look like when you run. The social media influencers who share their cute outfits and aesthetic running setups do it because they know people want an ideal to look up to. If spending money on cute sets inspires you to run, then do it, but please don’t let the way you think you look stop you from starting a healthy habit. I run in leggings to prevent chafing then swap out my top depending on the weather: tank top if it’s hot, T-shirt for regular days, and a long sleeve if it is cold. For sunny days, I run in the prescription sunglasses I bought from Zenni and sometimes throw on an old visor. Most of my workout gear is a minimum of five years old… some I have even had since middle-/high-school. My point is, run in what you feel comfortable in.
#3 Finding running shoes
Third, and slightly related to the second, having expensive shoes is not a necessity! The running tips for beginners or “things I wish I knew when I started running” that I have seen recently all harp on buying proper running shoes. I am here to tell you that no amount of money spent on shoes will help you start running. For years, I ran in the too-big shoes my mom bought from Walmart. Once I had established that I liked running and did it often, I went out and bought a $60 pair of actual running shoes.
If you ask my partner, they will tell you that buying the right pair of running shoes makes a huge difference. They feel better during and after runs as a result of using the proper equipment and often spend money to upgrade their running shoe collection.
Me? I would still be running in my decades-old trainers if my partner didn’t insist on getting me a fancier pair. Having run with both, I can attest to the fact that fancier shoes can and do make a difference. There is a reduced risk of injury with the newer technology and built-in supports that pricier running shoes boast, and some can even help you run faster. However, if you are still struggling with getting yourself out the door to run, no amount of money invested in shoes will help you. Unless of course, you are like my partner who is eager to try out a ton of shoes and has to run to do it.
#4 Be gentle
The fourth tip I recommend for runners is to be gentle when you begin. Being a runner does not mean you can run a marathon or hold a fast pace. Remember, I called myself a runner after running 400 meters! The distance you run or the length of time you can run for does not matter. As long as you want to run, you should. Your goal when you first get into running should be to show up, so try to keep your running experiences as enjoyable as possible. Avoid pushing yourself too hard, only upping the ante when you have established a good routine and feel good after running. When that day comes, then you can look into training plans designed to help you improve your skills. Remember, alternating between running and walking for 50 meters or 30 seconds each is enough to say you went for a run (this is how I trained myself to run again after ACL surgery).
# 5 Nutrition and hydration
My fifth point is about nutrition and hydration. Disclaimer here, I am not a nutritionist or dietician so take my advice with a pinch of salt. If you are trying to get into running, nutrition should not really be a consideration for you; if you consume food every day, you can go for a run. Don’t let your diet stop you from exercising. Once you have started exercising, then you can pay attention to how foods make you feel when you exercise. If eating right before a run upsets your stomach, wait a while after eating before setting out. If a particular food makes you feel ill while running, don’t eat it when you know you will exercise. The same goes for hydration. Pay attention to which drinks make you feel better when you run. Water is my personal favorite. As for after runs, you may either find yourself ravenous or ready to vomit at the thought of food. Whichever the case, listen to your body. It will tell you everything you need to know. Do try to make healthy choices as much as you can though!
As you start running more, for longer sessions or at a harder intensity, then you can start exploring nutrition items like gels. My advice here is to experiment with different types when you feel you are ready. They can provide a lovely boost before, during, or after workouts, but should not be a crutch for proper nutrition.
For me personally, I try to eat as balanced of meals as possible. I find that I tire easily if I have not eaten any carbohydrates the day before, feel weak without protein, and struggle mentally when I am lacking vegetables. I like to eat granola bars or a handful of trail mix about twenty minutes before a run and carry a backpack with water to sustain me during my runs — though I hardly ever touch the water until I finish a session. After running, I crave protein so I choose foods like hamburgers or sandwiches to satiate my hunger. Your specific needs will likely be different than mine, so I encourage you to pay attention to how your body reacts to your dietary choices. Nobody except medical professionals has a right to tell you what you should and should not be eating. Remember that you are the only person who has lived in your body. You are intelligent enough to know what is good for you or not.
#6 Keep yourself entertained
As the sixth piece of advice, I recommend you find something to listen to. If you are running with a friend, you are lucky enough to have good old conversation to keep you going, but you might also consider listening to music, a podcast, or even an audio book together. When I run with my partner, sometimes we chat and sometimes we split audio to listen to mystery books together. Either way, it’s always an enjoyable opportunity to spend time together. When running alone, some days I opt for uplifting music with a good beat, such as EDM or remixes of popular songs, and others I don’t listen to anything at all. Find what suits your mood for that session and what will help you stay in the zone to reach your running goals.
#7 Streeeeetttttcccchhhhhhh
For my seventh and final piece of advice, stretch! Warming up before a run is important, but I have found stretching to be the most vital action I take as a runner. The pain of waking up with sore muscles is a huge deterrent for me to want to run again, so I make every effort to quell the onset of stiffness. To do this, I type “yoga for runners” into YouTube and pick a video that matches the length of time I have available to stretch. I also purchased a foam roller for myself and will use this if I feel my muscles getting particularly tight. Start with free yoga or stretching tutorials after every run and your body will thank you.
Conclusion
In summary, running is the least expensive sport you could possibly do. Use the old gym clothes you still have from high school and the smelly, holey running shoes you have had for ages. Listen to your old music, download an audiobook, chat with a friend, or listen to the sound of your feet hitting the pavement. Focus on helping your body feel good by discovering which foods feel good to eat before and after runs, and keep your muscles loose and limber through yoga, stretching, or foam rolling. Make running as pleasant as possible for yourself so you want to go back and do it again. Finally, the best way to start running in 2025 is to lace up your shoes and put one foot in front of the other.
The general advice given to people who are starting something new is to set goals for yourself. These goals should be achievable and allow you to grow. Since I am new to blogging and creating my own website, I want to take the time to lay out my goals.
First on my list was to actually create a website to host my blogs. Check.
Second, write the first post. Check.
Now what?
Unless someone actually reads this post, I will feel like a crazy person for writing conversationally to myself. So, Goal 3, engage an audience. First, I want people to actually visit my site, then I can start establishing a loyal community.
I have seen so many videos and articles talking about setting up Search Engine Optimization (SEO). I will look into setting this up once the content of my website is more flushed out.
I can also advertise on social media but, again, I am waiting to have more established content. I’m also not too keen on social media anymore because I feel there is too much pressure surrounding it. This blog is meant to be my own safe haven from popular culture.
Goal 4: develop content to include on website. Technically, this should be higher on the goal list, but I am free-writing this post and this is the order in which it has entered my mind. Welcome to my brain.
I want this website to encompass my variety of interests and hopefully build a community of like-minded people. For me, this means sharing my creative writing, sharing my podcast “Fall Asleep to Science“, posting my favorite cooking/baking recipes, developing my own monthly science newspaper for subscribers that hopefully join my community in the future, getting back into arts and crafts and sharing my creations, etc.
I feel like I should create a fifth goal, but I honestly cannot think of one at the moment. Really and truly, I just want to share my creative brain with people in a pressure-free way. Having this website as the containment hub for all my activities seems like a great way to do that.
That’s all I want to say for now.
Be sure to check out my podcast “Fall Asleep to Science” if you haven’t already. It is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Also, feel free to leave a comment if you enjoyed it or have any suggestions for future posts.
Feel free to share your own goals for something new you are trying. Let’s get this community going!
LambCHNOPS 
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