I’ve noticed that as I’ve gotten older my motives for change are driven by how I physically feel. Any one else noticing the same thing? What change have you made that was purely motivated by “not feeling like shit all the time?”

When I was younger I would try do things like work out, diet, run, etc. because I wanted to *look* better. Now now as I enter my mid-30s I’m starting to do these things because I want to *feel* better. I’m noticing that this change of perspective makes me more likely to stick with it because the alternative is feeling like shit.

For example:

I started flossing my teeth. Not because I want them to look good or be white, but because having healthy gums physically feels good.

I’ve started lifting weights not because I want to get a 6 pack or 24” biceps. I’m lifting because it strengthens my back, increases my heart rate, and gets me outside the house — all of which physically feel good.

I’ve stopped eating large amounts of fatty or acidic food because laying in bed with heart burn fucking sucks.

I don’t snack as much because tasting the residual potato chip when I’m working out is deeply uncomfortable.

I dunno, maybe this is just something I’m realizing late in life — that doing something because it feels good is more powerful than doing something because it looks good.