Why Acceptance Isn’t Giving Up

Since moving back to England, I’ve struggled to find my rhythm with exercise.

I’m still doing two sessions a week. I’m active with the kids. I’m spending plenty of hours working on the boat — definitely not sitting at a desk all day. But the truth is, my workouts have felt lacklustre. I haven’t found a rhythm that works yet.

Add to that the weight I’ve lost recently, which has also meant losing some muscle, and I just don’t feel as strong as I want to.

Over the weekend, I met up with friends I normally bike with. That gave me a boost. Just talking through the challenges, hearing their tips and tricks, reminded me that I’m not alone in this. It lit a spark.

So this morning, I set the alarm for 5:45 to make the 6:10 workout.

And… I didn’t make it. The snooze button won. I was close, but not quite.

It felt like a failure in the moment. But here’s the important part: I reminded myself it’s just where I’m at right now. And that’s okay.

Why Acceptance Matters

It’s tempting to always measure yourself against who you used to be — or who you want to be. To see every miss as failure. But acceptance changes everything.

When you step back and ask honestly: Where am I today? …without judgement, without comparison… that’s when you create the foundation for progress.

Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up. It means starting from reality, not from wishful thinking. And when you do that, every step forward feels like success. That’s how momentum builds. That’s how the achievement cycle starts to reinforce itself.

A Reminder to Myself

This is something I use a lot in coaching. In the first sessions, I’ll often help people reflect on their current reality — their honest starting point. Once they see it clearly, the progress that follows feels real, achievable, and energising. Sometimes the coaching almost isn’t needed after that.

Today I needed that reminder for myself.

I’m not where I want to be yet. But I know where I am. I accept it. And from here, I can start moving forward again.