Standing on my Soap Box

There is an old saying – Mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter. I have been reading a book called Triathlon for every woman, you can be a triathlete. Yes, you – by Swim Bike Mom, Meredith Atwood. She says “The brain between your ears will be your absolutely biggest and worst asset during this journey.”

In recent months, I have been stretching myself physically. I am training to run a bunch of half marathons this year, and have been working on building up my core muscles. Neither are an easy feat, but what I notice, isn’t necessarily whether or not I can do either, it’s actually whether or not I THINK I can. I get down on my elbows and toes and in my mind I am thinking “A minute??? How in the world will I be able to keep my body on my toes and elbows for 60 seconds? ACK!” So I start, I listen to music and forget about the timer that is right in front of my face. BEEP – my half way point already? Listen to more lyrics… BEEP… BEEP… BEEP… TWEET and my minute is DONE.

My first thoughts, “holy crow I did it”, and my next reaction is to check on the schedule for tomorrows challenge- Minute and 15, “I can’t do that.”  What in the world??

This is the same with other aspects of life. We set ourselves up for failure strictly because we don’t think we can do something. Who told you that you couldn’t do it? Why listen to them? You know in your heart that you can do anything you set your mind to. Don’t you think that it’s time to start convincing your head? Our minds are powerful!

Another “old” quote, “Whether if you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right.” Allow yourself the opportunity to try something new. Believe in yourself even if no one thinks you can. Prove them wrong. Better yet, prove to yourself that you can. Can I do a 2 minute plank? At the moment no, however I have worked myself up to doing a minute and 15 seconds, I need to consistently work on it, and build myself up. Eventually I will be able to.

I am training for a few half marathons this year. My goal is to become a Half Fanatic, which means that I have run a certain number of half marathons in a prescribed time frame. They have to be actual races that are timed, but the time does not matter. Can I run a half marathon currently? Nope, I haven’t done a half marathon in 3 years. (We won’t mention my many pounds I need to remove eventually which are making me slower.) But I am working up to it. Every Saturday I do longer and longer runs. My next one is an hour and 40 minutes. I will be able to complete my goal – eventually. I have set myself up for success. My mind knows what is going on. My heart is in it, and I will complete my goal.

This whole mind over matter concept goes far beyond exercise. Can I do a workshop for a hundred people? I’ve never tried, that idea would be scary, I have done it for 20, what is an additional 80? If I keep the right mindset, I know I can.

There are three types of goals. Goal type one is quick goals; something that can be done relatively easily, but are still a bit of a stretch. Then there are main goals. What big goal do you have in mind that you will have to work on that you cannot currently do? And finally, there is the crazy, holy crow, you have got to be kidding me goal. As an FYI – my CRAZY goal has been set in my mind, and that is that in 2017 I WILL run a marathon. Have never done that, cannot do that even in my wildest dreams, I will be slow, and it will take me HOURS – see told you – crazy goal.

What about you? What are you afraid of doing? What is something daring that you would love to do, if you knew you could NOT fail? Is there a way you can work up to that? Another option is to set goals. Want accountability? Email me, and trust me I will follow up…