It’s awkward when you take on someone’s fitness challenge and lose interest halfway through. You can put up with it all for the sake of your pride and friendship, but if it becomes too much, there are ways to end the act politely.
Here are a number of things you can say and do to stop the challenge and break down in the different situations you encounter. Take note of these tips and try to adapt them to your friend’s reasons for not liking fitness activities.
1. You’ve been challenged and it’s still not fun: Be honest
It is very common for one person to brush off another in a situation, even though the latter is not actually in it. It’s even worse when the unnecessary activity is a fitness challenge that requires some experience and motivation to perform well.
If you’re good at a challenge and still hate it, it’s better to finish slowly than to explode. Considering that this is really affecting you emotionally, you have every right to stop for your own good.
The best approach to this type of problem is honesty. Apologize to your partner, thank them for the opportunity, and explain that it was a nice try, but it wasn’t to your liking and you weren’t having fun.
2. You’re Embarrassed for Losing: Accept failure gracefully
Embarrassment because you lost the challenge is another good reason to want to finish it. However, before you storm off, you can take a diplomatic approach that doesn’t insult your partner and humiliate you.
Some honesty is necessary again as you bow out of action with a smile and self-deprecating humor. The most important thing is that you acknowledge your friend’s talent with a handshake or a hug. You can ask them for fitness tips.
Finding the right words for different social situations can be difficult, but you can practice and get better at it. Explore mobile apps that improve conversational skills or podcasts like Beth Buelow’s How Do I Say It on Spotify and apply what you’ve learned to real-life interactions that are especially unpleasant.
3. You lose your challenge and motivation: suggest a different activity
Your reason for wanting to end a challenge may be less about embarrassment for failure and more about your waning motivation to do better.
If you experience this too much and it affects you badly, you should talk to your partner. Ask if you can turn off comments on your videos or end the challenge, because at this point it’s more offensive than fun.
7. Something urgent has come up: Apologize, then continue the challenge
For example, because you have a family or work emergency, you can’t really keep up with the challenge. In this case, you have no choice but to explain what your situation is.
If you enjoy the activity, suggest picking up where you left off later. It’s just a temporary break from your fitness goals. If the challenge isn’t fun to begin with, you can screw it up entirely.
Some fitness challenges are not for everyone
It’s so easy to admit it before you realize there’s nothing in it. When you’re doing it with a partner, like a fitness challenge, it’s really hard to get out of the situation.
But use the right words and you can complete the activity without hurting anyone’s feelings. Honesty is often essential in a smooth, tactful exchange. At the same time, you have access to nifty apps that help you exercise or escape social situations.
However, the best solution is to avoid these types of bindings. So, learn about fitness challenges and what works best for you alone.