Last week my wife had just gotten home from the beach and was unloading her car when it happened. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted old Mr. No Shoulders, a dadgum snake.
I know snake people are all about them being your friend and that most of them are harmless, but when most people see a snake the first thought is "That is a cobra and it is going to kill me." When I got home, I cleared a bunch of stuff out of the way looking for this snake, so she could have some closure in her life. But to no avail.
So you know how it is once you see a snake. Everything looks like a snake! She has been very paranoid every time she walks through the garage to her car, thinking this thing might pounce at any minute.
Have you ever had something like that happen to you in your life? Where something happens to you and you think it will happen every time from then on?
I see people that have had such a bad experience with exercise that they completely swear off of it. It could be a bad trainer (plenty of them out there), an injury, felt out of place, or even a bad experience in PE growing up. They associate all exercise with their last experience. I don't blame them, that stuff can leave a mark.
But you have to be brave and get back out there! Do your research, figure out what went wrong last time, and have a plan to fix it this go around.
If you are working with a trainer, find out his experience and education, but also find out if his personality/motivation style suits you.
If you got hurt last time, what happened? It could things like improper form, the wrong shoes (mainly for runners), or doing too much too soon.
In a group setting, see if you can try out a class before you commit to going full time. See if you like the vibe of the group, the class format, and the coach.
The main thing is to find a style of exercise that suits YOU and your needs. Your body is meant to move, I guarantee there is some sort of exercise you will enjoy and do on a regular basis. But it's up you to find out what that looks like for you.