It’s a new year and with it, a slew of changes. Changes in my daily schedule, changes in my commitments, changes in relationships, and most recently, a change in outlook.

I signed up for an 8 week spinning® performance class. This class is in addition to my normal workouts and it is much more specific. It applies science to my workout, everything from RPM to bike positioning to heart rate to recovery periods.

For an overthinking test anxiety stricken person like me, this introduces a whole new set of unknowns and challenges.

This morning I had to retest my heart rate and threshold with my coach. My initial test was too high, I wasn’t setting myself up for success and I could feel it. As she ran through the test with me she said: “I think you’re underestimating how hard you are working.”

She was referring to my heart rate and the amount of exertion on the bike. But her comment struck home. How many times in our lives do we underestimate ourselves? How many times do we underestimate our worth, our effort?

The start to the year has been a tricky one, and if I’m being honest, I’ve been underestimating my own capabilities, doubting my ability to adjust to change, underestimating my strength.

Maybe you’ve been feeling this way too. And maybe you needed to hear that you’re not alone in this. And maybe (hopefully) you have someone in your life who can point out ever so gently that you don’t need to underestimate yourself. Give yourself a pat on the back, because you can do hard things.

Happy New Year!