What I've Learned in My Fitness Class

I'm really enjoying my Fitness class. I'm taking a "class" that basically amounts to a gym membership, where I show up whenever I can, work out as long as I want, and leave when I'm done. There are no quizzes or essays. I'm not really learning anything. But I've been enjoying the physical challenge, pushing myself to meet and exceed certain difficulty levels on the various exercise machines. And my progress has been encouraging. I've been getting noticeably stronger and fitter, and I've been enjoying my increased strength and fitness. I think I'll look into taking additional fitness classes in future semesters or perhaps even getting an actual gym membership. It's been great.

I think that the aspect I like most about it is the self-directed progress. I've been able to set my own goals, make my own plans, push myself as much or as little as I feel comfortable with, and make measurable, observable progress, even in only a month or so. None of my other experiences have given me results like this. Previously, I've had goals and plans decided for me, or I've had people pushing me to work harder or urging me to slow down. In my other classes, I didn't really feel like I was growing or gaining more skill; I was just learning new terms and tricks. And for most of my life, any progress I've made toward anything was either inconsequential or painfully, imperceptibly slow.

But not here. In my Fitness class, I've been making my own goals, and I've been making measurable progress toward them at my own pace. It's been encouraging and empowering, and I'm looking forward to applying this pattern to other aspects of my life as well.

So, I guess I have learned something in my Fitness class. I've learned how awesome it feels to accomplish my own goals at my own pace.