I am the laziest active person.
I mean it. I think I am. From the outside, it looks like I love being active, spending time outdoors, and getting my body moving. To be fair, there are sometimes that I enjoy each of these things. Going for a walk outside with a friend, taking my dog on a stroll in his wagon (he’s an old pup and can’t walk long distances), going for a run to alleviate anxieties… I have found love for all of these things.
Truth be told… there are more times that I do not want to be active than times where I’m actually looking forward to being active.
This past weekend, I participated in something called Ragnar SoCal (Ragnar Info HERE). It is a 2-day team event consisting of 3 or 4 trail runs, called “loops”, through the mountains accompanied intense elevation and incline. There is one option where each team member runs each loop alone. There is a second option that includes an additional 18 miles on the second day. The second option is the one I completed.
Going into this event, I was dreading the thought of all of this running. A friend asked me how I felt going into the race and my response was, “I’m excited for it to be over.” I felt exhausted just thinking about running 32 miles within 24 hours.
Why did I do it? How did I get moving?
Growing up I had zero self confidence in my body and its abilities. People who ran in track and field were something of an anomaly. I saw them as incredibly fit and capable, almost untouchable. I never thought my body could achieve that level of conditioning. I thought certain people were gifted with the ability to be athletic while others were not.
I played sports, but I wasn’t particularly skilled. In high school, my two older sisters were well recognized for their physical abilities in softball. Meanwhile, I made the team almost as a nod to my sisters’ hard work. I was never a starter. The one award I received was for “Most Improved” on the freshman team.
In my twenties, I started addressing my depression and anxiety. I began running as a way to clear my mind and take care of my body. I gradually saw my physique change and my endurance grow. I was astonished that my body had the ability to evolve. Each time I hit a new milestone and was able to run a little further than the last time, I was elated with pride. This momentum kept me moving forward in exercise.
In 2017 I ran my first marathon. I never thought I would be able to complete a marathon. My good friend encouraged me to sign up with her and she had complete faith in my abilities. To my disbelief, I completed the marathon and it felt INCREDIBLE!
I doubted my body my entire life. Completing that first marathon changed the way I perceived myself. It gave me confidence and motivation to discover what else my body was capable of achieving.
Despite my athletic achievements and marathons completed, I still struggle with motivation. Maybe it’s my depression that keeps me with desire to remain seated on the couch. Maybe it’s my past limiting beliefs of my own inabilities that have me thinking of Netflix instead of going outside for a run.
Throughout my years of being active, I’ve learned that exercise makes me feel good. I know there is no better feeling than the feeling of completing something that I had questioned my ability to do.
So, here is how I get myself motivated:
1. Remind myself of a time when I felt proud of myself after completing a certain physical activity: marathon, half-marathon, first time running 2 or 3 consecutive miles, lifting a certain weight, etc.
2. Envision myself completing the activity with that same feeling.
3. Tell myself that I will only do what feels good – if 20 minutes sounds doable, then I agree to that.
4. Think of a goal I have for the future: an upcoming race or run, a certain body composition, desire to see more muscle definition, etc…
5. Invite a friend. When I have others relying on me to be at a workout or to pick them up in the car to go for a trail run, I am much more likely to keep my promise to myself.
6. Remind myself how amazing it feels to check something off of my to-do list. With my on and off again struggle with depression, the simple idea of completing an activity can raise my energy levels and feelings of self-accomplishment.
The first day at the Ragnar SoCal event this past weekend I struggled with motivation. What kept me going was thinking of the exhilarating feeling I would have after it was completed, the fact that I had a teammate relying on me, and the drive I had to prove to myself that I could finish the event.
Throughout the weekend, the motivation would come and go, but I kept persevering. After its completion, exactly what I thought would happen happened. I was filled with joy, pride, accomplishment, and warmth from the event. This feeling will now be added to my arsenal of motivation inducing memories to keep me moving in the future.
Can you identify any limiting beliefs surrounding your physical abilities? Can you flip your limiting beliefs to their positive opposites?
Example: [taking my own advice]
Limiting Belief: I am the laziest active person.
Loving Opposite: I find balance between rest and activity.
By creating their loving opposites, we start to program our subconscious to a new way of thinking. It takes time, but we all have to start somewhere, right?
-Shelby