Last year I changed my fitness routine. What a difference!

For decades I have believed that more is more. I continuously pushed myself, striving to be better. More fit. More toned. More curves. The more intense, the better.

In my early twenties, it began with running. After a major car accident, I aimed to get back into shape. I was appalled that I couldn’t run more than a few hundred meters, so I began a couch to 5K running program.

I didn’t look back for a decade.

After conquering the 5K, I trained for a 10K, then a few half marathons and finally a full marathon.

I shaved time off my amateur runs. I cross trained, pushing myself to be better. I recruited family and friends. I was a runner!

However, my body never loved it. I was never injured, but I was tired all the time.

Then, in my thirties I decided I was ready for something new. Boot camp! This was more of the same. High intensity workouts that left me sore and exhausted. Yet, I still didn’t feel I was seeing the results I wanted.

Power Yoga came next.

I had attended a yoga class in the past and I hadn’t loved it. Too much laying around. Then I met power yoga - an athletic, fast-paced style of yoga that focuses on building strength, endurance and flexibility. It seemed ideal.

I grew stronger. I also gained an entire inch from stretching those tight hamstrings that I never bothered to stretch when I was running.

I loved the growth and practiced with fervor. I attended many classes. I practiced at home. I was always working to improve.

I did make a lot of progress but not as much as I aspired for. Some people are super bendy. I am not. Maybe it was my age, my body’s frame or those years of running and sitting in front of a computer screen for hours without ever stretching. It didn’t matter the reason. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t get past a certain plateau.

Then I decided to stop striving.

My daily run had already become a walk. Boot camp had turned into 30-minute weight training a few times a week. Power yoga became a slower-paced Hatha yoga where stretching is equally important as strength.

As a result, my body’s level of soreness diminished. So did the exhaustion. Yet, ironically, I am in much better shape than I have ever been.

Giving up the intensity allowed me to find balance and achieve the fitness level I had always wanted. Somehow, I achieved greater quality by working less.

I still put in a lot of time and effort, but it is softer, less tiring, and more enjoyable.

It took me over twenty years to realize that pushing myself toward excellence doesn’t always result in the outcome I desire. Sometimes, it is best to slow down and accept my limitations. It doesn’t mean I shouldn’t put in effort. But softer and slower can be better.

As a challenge this week, consider something you’ve been working towards. It could be a new program you’re developing or a new habit you’re hoping to create. Try to find an opportunity to work toward change in a way that is a little softer or slower. Simply changing the pace or intensity may help you achieve the goal you’re reaching for.