Success by Mindfulness, Send the RIGHT Messages

What would your self talk look like as you walked or ran on this beautiful path in Lakes Park?  Photo Courtesy of Charly Caldwell II

It’s been said that life begins at the end of your comfort zone and that certainly resonates in athletic and fitness pursuits.

Have you ever purposefully listened and been mindful of the messages you send yourself during a training session?  

Our brains are more powerful than any muscle in our body and our thoughts can impact the effectiveness and enjoyment of our workouts.

To get the most out of each training session, negate any negative thoughts and put yourself in the optimal mindset for performance.

“I can’t do it!”

It is natural for our mind to tell us to back off when we are experiencing discomfort, fatigue or pain. It’s a survival mechanism the body uses to protect itself.

The challenge becomes recognizing which thoughts come from credible physical threats and which thoughts are simply there as we are hesitant to push beyond our comfort zone. 

We will never experience the positive results of training unless our sessions challenge us.

Next time you’re tired or uncomfortable and say, “I can’t do this’, change the conversation to:

“I CAN do this” or “I AM doing this”

and see what happens.

To reap the most out of our efforts, we need to challenge our bodies in a variety of ways.

Have you ever walked away from a workout or training session because you didn’t think you were good enough? 

When you limit yourself by these negative messages, they become self-fulling prophecies and you deny yourself the opportunity to grow, learn a new skill and/or break through a plateau.

Book a session with an exercise professional to learn how to challenge your body, how to use specific equipment safely and what you CAN do.

This way there are no excuses, nothing can hold you back and YOU ARE WORTH IT!

“I’m too sore to do this.”

Sound familiar?

I refer to this as a ‘case of the I don’t wanna’s’.

For the most part, if you are experiencing mild to moderate delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), you won’t be putting yourself in any danger by stepping up and training again, even though it might be uncomfortable at first.

Tell yourself “YOU CAN” and once you get moving and blood begins flowing, muscles will heat up, joints will become lubricated, and you’ll feel better right away.

Having said that, be mindful of soreness vs overtraining.

If you feel unwell, are in a poor mood, or are unusually stiff or sore you may need to rest. 

If you’re feeling muscle soreness, why not book a regular massage instead of telling yourself you can’t train?

This will ensure your body is recovering optimally from training sessions and that you are getting the most out of the effort you are investing. 

Next time you are working out, tune into what you’re telling yourself.  

There may be some changes you can make or messages you can send to make certain you are getting reaping all the rewards of your labors.

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Let's go on this journey together and change your life as always, “Practice with Purpose and Live with Passion!”

Angie