Why There’s No Shame in Canceling Your Gym Membership

Canceling gym membership
Photo by Danielle Cerullo on Unsplash

There is no denying that exercise is an incredibly important part of general health and wellness, something that we should all strive for in our day-to-day lives. That’s why so many of us sign up for the gym. After all, that’s the place where working out happens, right?

But then you get a little anxious and find yourself struggling to make it to the gym for the first time. And maybe eventually you get the courage to go, but you’re intimidated and don’t go as often as you planned. Or you do, but then you get bored and lose your motivation to make regular trips to the gym.

The situation continues until you realize that more of then than not, you’re skipping the gym, and it’s not necessarily financially reasonable anymore to continue to pay for a membership that you don’t use.

It would make sense to cancel, but… Well, it feels a little bit shameful to do that. Giving up your gym membership feels like throwing in the towel and giving up on yourself… Right?

Not necessarily. While it’s perfectly normal to feel a little guilty when thinking about ending your gym membership, it’s important to remember that there is no one type of exercise that’s right for everybody. And there are so many opportunities to work out outside of the gym, from going on walks, bike rides, and hikes, to dancing and taking yoga classes, to rock climbing, and more. Maybe the gym didn’t work out for you but something else will.

So if you’ve been putting off making the call about ending your gym membership because of some feelings of shame, don’t hesitate any longer. There’s nothing wrong with making the right decision for you.