While I was on vacation last week with my family, my husband and I tried to get ourselves into the routine of running every morning together. First of all, I can't remember the last time I exercised seven days in a row. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever done that.
The truth is though, I used to be a runner. I was one of those people that signed up for races and actually enjoyed them. I even ran a half marathon once complete with steep hills. But last week, as I ran with my hubby, each stride left me desperate for it to be over. My husband literally had to drag me to my sneakers every morning. I guess I could have said no, but I knew it was something my body needed, so I did it and fought it tooth and nail instead.
As our feet hit the pavement, I was negative, frustrated and defeated even before breaking a sweat. Inevitably, I would start walking and cursing my poor husband as he flew by with his happy, bouncy stride. I even tried justifying why I could not do this anymore with, "I don't have time to exercise anymore." or "It's too hot!" and the best one, "I'm trying and that's what counts."
And then one morning, I watched my husband zip ahead of me with his joyful, the glass half full kind of run and I suddenly woke up. I realized that I couldn't possibly do this. But not because I couldn't physically run, but because I was not allowing myself to do it mentally.
It is so much easier to walk in your own negativity than it is to run in the positive. That's because negative thoughts don't hold you accountable and the positive do. When you say "I can't" and "I'll try," whether you know it or not, you are giving yourself an automatic out. That's exactly what I was doing every morning on vacation. I knew deep down I wanted to run with my husband, but I also knew that I was out of shape and actually had to work at it. And that was going to take some serious doing not trying.
So remember, when you throw those noodles on the wall, don't give yourself the out with just a good old college try. DO it and zip ahead with a glass half full kind of run. Because when you follow through with a positive outlook, you always move forward. Even if your noodles don't stick, at least you aren't still walking and going nowhere.
As our feet hit the pavement, I was negative, frustrated and defeated even before breaking a sweat. Inevitably, I would start walking and cursing my poor husband as he flew by with his happy, bouncy stride. I even tried justifying why I could not do this anymore with, "I don't have time to exercise anymore." or "It's too hot!" and the best one, "I'm trying and that's what counts."
And then one morning, I watched my husband zip ahead of me with his joyful, the glass half full kind of run and I suddenly woke up. I realized that I couldn't possibly do this. But not because I couldn't physically run, but because I was not allowing myself to do it mentally.
It is so much easier to walk in your own negativity than it is to run in the positive. That's because negative thoughts don't hold you accountable and the positive do. When you say "I can't" and "I'll try," whether you know it or not, you are giving yourself an automatic out. That's exactly what I was doing every morning on vacation. I knew deep down I wanted to run with my husband, but I also knew that I was out of shape and actually had to work at it. And that was going to take some serious doing not trying.
So remember, when you throw those noodles on the wall, don't give yourself the out with just a good old college try. DO it and zip ahead with a glass half full kind of run. Because when you follow through with a positive outlook, you always move forward. Even if your noodles don't stick, at least you aren't still walking and going nowhere.
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