Movement is not about proving anything

I was almost always picked last in PE (physical education) class.
It hurt more than I let on.

Because I wanted to belong.

Already as a kid, I loved movement.
Bike rides. Kayaking. Swimming. Skiing. Dancing.
Tandem biking, Orienteering, even unicycling.
Inline skating until my legs burned.
The wind on my face.

I was active by nature.
Curious. Lively. Joyful.

But in school?
That joy never made it into the gym hall.
PE class was my least favourite subject.

I wasn’t allowed to do certain team sports because of my disease (thrombocytopenia).
So I had to be careful.
And maybe, I just wasn’t good enough.
Or popular enough.

Whatever the reason
I was picked last.

I had a conversation with my dad a while ago.
He told me he was always picked last, too.

And then he said something that stayed with me:

“The goal of PE class shouldn’t be performance.
It should be that by the time you leave school,
you’ve found a sport you love.
One you want to do for the rest of your life.”

And I smiled.
Because I realised:
That’s what I found.
And not because of PE class.
Because of who my parents raised me to be.
Curious. Courageous. Unconventional. Active. Playful.

I move not to prove anything.
I move because it’s joy.
Because it’s how I feel free.
Because my body loves it.

If you’ve ever felt picked last or like you didn’t belong
I see you.

And maybe your path isn’t about fitting in.
Maybe it’s about remembering who you were before you were told you weren’t enough.
And returning to the kind of movement that makes you feel alive.

🔍 Your Personal Relationship with Movement