I don’t know about you, but I don’t exactly love lifting weights. Now, that doesn’t sound wild on its own… but once you find out I’m a group fitness instructor who teaches a weightlifting class, things get a little suspicious. I mean, how do you lead a room full of people joyfully swinging barbells while quietly thinking, “Whew, when is stretch time?”

But hey.  Don’t tell my boss. We’ll keep this between us.

Now, do I lift weights? Absolutely. Do I want the physique of someone who lifts? Even more absolutely. So yes, I lift. But let me be honest: for me, lifting is often a means to an end. It keeps me strong, toned, and employed!

But here’s the magic:

Movement doesn’t have to look like this for you.

Movement is so much more than gym memberships, machines with too many levers, and fitness instructors (like me) who smile suspiciously during burpees. Movement is anything, literally anything, that requires your body to create a little extra energy output.

Roller skating? Movement.

Dancing in your kitchen to your favorite song? Movement.

Planting flowers, pulling weeds, carrying mulch bags? Movement.

When we expand the definition, movement becomes something enjoyable rather than something we “have to do.” Suddenly it’s not about performing or pushing. It’s about participating in life with more intention. And that’s where the real beauty lies.

Because when movement feels like joy instead of work, it becomes a lifestyle instead of a chore. It becomes “I get to” instead of “I should.” It becomes an expression of who you are, not a punishment for what you ate.

So whether you’re lifting dumbbells, lifting grocery bags, or lifting your spirit through something playful, it counts. If it makes your body move and your heart feel good, that’s movement, and that’s what matters!