Mental strength and fysical strength goes hand in hand. If you get stronger you will get mentally stronger and vice versa.
Cycling is my freedom. A way to move that feels healthy, both physically and mentally. After we returned from our world trip and settled in Rockanje, I bought a spin bike. There are gyms around, sure. But to be honest? I find them too expensive and too fleeting. I wanted something sustainable. Something I could do anywhere. But before I get to that, let me take you back to where this journey began.
A few years ago, I started having panic attacks. Intense ones. It began during the first stage of my relationship with my wife. She is Dutch. I come from a Turkish background. I was the first in my family to enter a relationship outside our culture. That was unfamiliar and confronting — for me, for her, and for our families. My mind ran wild. My body responded to everything. Any time my heart rate went up, I panicked. Even something as simple as walking faster could trigger a fear of death.
At one point, I had enough. So I started running. At the gym. A place that felt safe — there were people around. If I collapsed, someone could help me. Little by little, I built myself up. Faster. Further. Until I could sprint for a full minute with my heart racing above 190 bpm — and I no longer feared that feeling. I realized: I can do this. And with every physical victory, my mental strength grew.
Then came the setback. I twisted my ankle playing football. My confidence broke. My routine fell apart. Fear crept back in, and the excuses followed. My weight fluctuated again. Until I rediscovered spinning. My old love for cycling returned. The weight dropped, and so did my hesitation. I went all-in: bootcamp, fitness, spinning. I was unstoppable.
And then life hit again. I lost my parents. First one. Then the other 18 months later. Panic attacks returned. Grief became food. Until one day, I decided: I’m done. I faced some hard questions. Let go of control. And then one question remained: How do I stay active — anywhere, anytime?
I discovered I didn’t need fancy equipment. Just my body. Just twenty minutes a day. On days I didn’t feel like it, I asked myself: Am I mentally strong enough today to just move for 20 minutes? Sometimes it was a full push. Sometimes seventy percent. Sometimes just a gentle ride on the spin bike.
A quote from Ronaldo stuck with me: “It’s very difficult even for me to train every day. But the consistency will make the difference.” And it’s true. Ronaldo is someone I look up to. His focus. His mindset. His discipline. That one sentence flipped something in me.
Since then, I ask myself daily: How strong are you today to just move for 20 minutes? Are you mentally ready? You can massively motivate yourself by simply looking in the mirror. At least, that’s what works for me. One glance and I’m on fire — ready to act.
And no, you don’t need to work out for an hour each day. Five minutes can be enough. It’s not about how hard you go. It’s about moving with intention.
As I write this, I’m on vacation. I’ve just dealt with a groin hernia. But I keep moving. Because I believe that movement is growth. Not at all costs, but with commitment.
Stay in communication with your body. It tells you exactly where your boundaries are. A little muscle ache means progress. But sharp pain? Stop immediately. You don’t have to prove anything. Just stay true to yourself.
How do you approach working out? What do you do when motivation is gone? Or when injury or fear tries to stop you? If any of this resonates with you, I invite you to explore it further. Not a quick fix. Not a shortcut. But an honest, human conversation about what’s next for you. You don’t have to do this alone.