A New Decade, A New Direction
Okay, I promise this is the last ‘2020 goals/updates/blah blah blah’ post for January. But I felt that this was an important one to address.
In 2017, I made the decision to rebrand Living the Gray Life from the typical college blog where I covered study tips, class advice, scheduling, dorm life, etc., to a college fitness and lifestyle blog. Fitness was a HUGE part of my life, and it’s what saved me from my deepest, darkest depression.
I kept that passion for fitness throughout college, and it kept me sane. It was a break from class, homework, and the stress of tests. It was the one hour I had to myself every day where I didn’t have to think about my job as a Resident Mentor (aka RA’s at other schools). It was my mental reprieve from day to day activities. I found so much joy in scheduling workouts, tracking progress, and sharing my journey with you. I loved being able to show that even in the hectic life that is college, there is time to prioritize your physical and mental health and be strong & confident in your body. See what I did there? Strong & Confident? That’s my free workout guide… #shamelesspromo
Once I graduated college in May 2019, I no longer had my ‘free’ gym membership at USC. I was in a confusing place that most recent college grads experience. I had my $60,000 piece of paper with no full-time job and no prospective jobs on the horizon. No one would hire me, my resume would get thrown out because I didn’t meet the minimum ‘1235623423 years of experience in 37 different coding languages, platforms, and systems’. My life was a confusing mess and fitness was an area that suffered due to that.
I knew my fitness routine needed to change, and that’s when I started CrossFit. Don’t get me wrong, I love everything about CrossFit, and it’s truly transformed my athletic ability. But since I’m no longer having to program my own workouts, and I’ve gotten out of the #GymBro environment, I’m not as interested in sharing about fitness. Since I’m not writing my own workouts, I don’t really have much to share on a day-to-day basis of what I’m doing in the gym.
Sure, I can show you my life at the CrossFit gym, but that’s the thing. It’s not just me in the gym anymore. I’m a part of a 5-12 person class each and every day. I don’t want to make others feel uncomfortable because I’m taking photos, videos, etc. Plus, when I’m doing a CrossFit workout, the last thing I’m thinking about is taking pictures because I’m just trying not to die 🤣
With that being said, I’m going to be moving away from fitness content and focus more on sharing content about my plants, running a business, and general life stuff. Fitness will always be a part of the blog, but it’s going to be less prominent from here on out.
I will continue to share updates on my CrossFit journey, reviews of my favorite activewear brands, and possibly the occasional workout. Fitness is and will always be a huge passion and hobby of mine, but I’m no longer that person who is chugging protein shakes and working out only to improve my physique.
I’m excited to take you on the next portion of my blogging journey because it’s going to be a fun one! I’m already working on planning content, revamping my YouTube channel (yes, new videos are a goal of mine for 2020), and developing routines that truly allow me to create and expand on my creative passions.
Thank you for sticking with me for the past four and a half years and always supporting the directions in which I choose to go with my content. Your support means the world, and here’s to an exciting 2020!
~abigail gray
