So what do I mean by “Be active, fear nothing, and turn obstacles into hurdles”? It’s on my website so let me break it down.
- Be Active: This is simple, it means get off your butt. Active doesn’t have to be running, it is for me, but it doesn’t have to be your active. Find what your active is, and commit to doing it regularly. Set goals for yourself, and when you achieve those goals set new ones. Your active can be anything that gets you moving and gets your heart rate up such as walking, cycling, strength training, yoga, pilates, or a mix of these or other activities.
- Fear Nothing: For me, the hardest part of getting started on my active was the fear of failure and looking stupid while I failed. But the reality is that everyone has had a first run, a first ride or a first time at the gym. If it wasn’t a bit scary then it probably wouldn’t be worth it, so it is OK to be scared but don’t fear it. Fear will hold you back. To get past the fear, or avoid it all together, try focusing on your workout goals for the day, and what it will feel like when you accomplish those goals. A positive mantra helps. I like the Dublin Marathon’s hashtag #ICanIWill. At the end of a workout, I like to update it to #ICouldIDid. Obviously, I also like #OutRunMS. That one gets me motivated and reminds me why I am doing this. And, BTW, no one worthwhile gives a crap what you look like when you are exercising. Those who do are generally full of fear themselves.
- Turn Obstacles into Hurdles: Obstacles are roadblocks, hurdles can be cleared. That’s the difference in my mind. We all experience roadblocks in our lives but it is how you deal with them that matters. You can do nothing and still have a roadblock that will prevent you from getting to where you want to be, or you can turn the roadblock into a hurdle and jump right over it. For me with running, I’ve had quite a few roadblocks with the obvious one being MS. But I’ve also been out of shape, had crazy work schedules, and have felt unmotivated. All of those things are roadblocks to getting active but if you want to turn them into hurdles you need to get mentally tough and lose the excuses. For me, it all comes down to commitment. You need to commit to the goal, and when you do the obstacles will turn to hurdles in no time.
I am often asked how to get started on a fitness plan and the above is my best answer. The common thread in “Be active, fear nothing, and turn obstacles into hurdles” is really mental, it’s not physical at all. We are all capable of physically doing more than we think we can, we just need to get out of our own heads. Find an active, start doing it, and commit to doing it over and over again until you hit your goal. Then set a new goal and start all over again.
Later on we will talk about “Your Why and Your Motivation” which will help you “Be active, fear nothing, and turn obstacles into hurdles”.
Until then follow me as I #OutRunMS.
NO FEAR!