"There are only two options regarding commitment: you're either in or you're out. There's no such thing as life in between." - Unknown
One down and 22 to go...the first week of my new program is done. A grand total of 43km. Today, week two begins with a 16km run and I'm feeling motivated. All week, as I was eating lentil soup and filling up on healthy snacks, I would jokingly remind my husband that "I am an athlete". The truth is, I want to take this round a little more seriously, training and fueling like the "athlete" that I want to be. Not the older asthmatic woman who is injury-prone and needs to take it easy athlete, but the healthy and strong woman who is willing to work hard athlete. Big difference...and it's all in my own mind!
It's so easy to let our mind go in the wrong direction, convinced by ourselves and others that it is the TRUTH. Yet, we all know how important our perceptions are in fashioning our reality. It's a vicious circle that leads to the famous "self-fulfilling prophecy". Here is one of mine (but not for long):
"My asthma is very severe and requires a lot of meds. My doctor tells me that I will always need these meds and that I may eventually need more. So I'm quite sick and it definitely affects my lung capacity and my ability to run too fast."
I honestly believed that this thought running through my mind was realistic (the truth). Being a psychologist, it is my job to help clients view life more realistically and in a less depressing or anxiety-provoking way. So, I truly believed that in general my thoughts were mostly realistic. There was just one problem. If I thought something was realistic (for example, I'm sick - and it affects my lungs), then I believed it. I don't think that I let it restrict me too much, but I definitely considered it.
For some reason, something clicked while I was reading another book on healing. I can choose to believe that I am completely healthy. No, I will not stop taking my medication, but I will stop thinking about myself as someone with health problems. In fact, I've stopped already.
I am healthy and that means I expect my body to adapt well to this increase in mileage and pace!
Cheers!
Do you have any beliefs that may be restricting you?
9 comments:
Interesting. I might...something along the lines of "I'm top scared and timid to mountain bike very fast". I AM scared, but now you have me wondering how much of that I could let you of (honestly, not sure I could let go of it).
I am a big believer in the importance of how you frame things, though. If something bad happens in our life, my MIL is sure to say something about our bad luck. I hate that! It's just something that happened, often bc we skipped the steps to prevent it.
Since being "sick" or stucked with GI health problems..I dont let things restrict me in my head...although they sometimes do in reality...I deal with it if it happens...like getting sick during a race for example...
I think you have the best attitude..!
Super premiere semaine!!!
Congrats on the first week of training! I think it's great your attitude and attitude and belief go a long way. Happy training!
You are doing great. I am apt to say I'm not fast so just go what you feel like and not push myself. Maybe I need to rethink that.
This is such a powerful concept. Our beliefs often hold us back and I am sometimes guilty as charged. You ARE SO strong! Believe it!
First off...YAY!! So happy to see you posting again!!
My mind holds me back way more than my body ever does. I'm working on that - getting stronger mentally - but I have a long way to go, for sure...
Hey! Glad to see you are back with some new goals!
Always good to have goals 8)
Thank you for this entry! I agree with your attitude. I believe that we all face obstacles; we just need to find a positive approach to get around them. Sometimes we need more training to get stronger, and sometimes we just need to give our bodies a little healing time (which can be the most difficult of all!). -these impediments are just bumps in the road on the way to our goals. RRrruuunnn! :)
I've been struggling with asthma especially when I run. I refuse to give up on something that I love and that is so much a part of me now. I'm stubborn and refuse to let something like this get me down.
I am running my second half marathon on January 12th and I'm excited and scared since it is in Chicago in the winter time (the worst time for my asthma). Reading this just makes me believe that I will be fine. So thank you so much for your posts. I am finding new strength just by reading them.
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