Gap Factory performance tank (c/o) / Gap Factory colorblock leggings (c/o) / Karen Walker ‘Super Duper’ sunglasses via Ditto (get your first month free with code: SKIRTTHERULES) / Q&Q ‘SmileSolar’ solar powered strap watch (c/o) / Nike ‘Free’ running shoes

If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you. I first heard this during a grueling uphill segment at one of my favorite spin classes. Then I heard it again while holding the longest plank of my life during a pilates class. And then thought just stuck with me, both in and outside of the gym.

Gap Factory mesh sports bra (c/o)

I was so excited when Gap Factory asked me to try out activewear pieces from their Gap Fit line. On weekends, you’ll most likely to find me in some sort of athletic gear, running from the gym to go grocery shopping to meeting up with friends for a quick coffee date. This mesh sports bra, these colorblock leggings and these ombre leggings have made it into my most recent weekend wear rotation.

I’m by no means a fitness guru, but I’ve always wanted to share more of my experiences and learnings here on the blog. So I thought I’d start by sharing one of the most impactful mantras I’ve heard to date: if it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.

Maybe that’s how it got stuck in my head – hearing my spin instructor say it over and over again during class. She said it each time we turned up the resistance, even though I didn’t want to. She said it again when she asked us to speed up to a sprint, even though I felt like I had nothing left. She said it one more time while we finished up the class by stretching, even though I was ready to pass out.

Whenever you get comfortable, it’s time to get uncomfortable. It’s probably one of the hardest things to recognize and accept, so I constantly keep the phrase in the back of my mind. If you challenge yourself during a workout, you’re likely to come out stronger. If you challenge yourself in life or work with a new project, you’re likely to come out more experienced and wiser. It’s a mantra that really applies to everything you do, which is why it continues to resonate with me everyday.

What’s your go-to mantra for fitness or for life? Let me know in the comments section below – I might just steal it for myself!

Created in partnership with Gap Factory.