I'm sticking by the whole "just get your running clothes on" and getting out the door becomes easy. It's the first step and the hardest but once they are on you might as well go. Today that was what did it for me. It also caused me to realize that I have the crappiest work out gear and that an 80's-aerobics-enthusiast would even turn their nose up at my selection. If I just go get some stuff that fits properly and feels good that could help big time. My muffin top doesn't need any extra assistance from a pair of spandex that only a tween volleyball player should wear. Laying on the couch thinking about getting dressed scares me (commence whiny voice) "how long it's going to take and how hard it's going to be?", but once I have my gear on - I seem to stop over-thinking it and tell myself to just go - do your best. Everything is easier once you just get going. It's like that even with writing my blog. Usually, when I sit down to write I think 'oh man, how am I going to start this?' It just flows once I get typing but I think there is this misconception that things need to start out perfectly in order to be good. Not so, I think most things start out completely messy (with some end result in mind) but we won't really know exactly how things take shape until we start. Even then, there are always new ideas or side ventures that pop up. I just have to keep my goal in check.
When I am not being hard on myself I believe that I'm being complacent or lazy. That in order to make a change I have to convince myself that things are really bad. When I start being nicer to myself I can feel the panic set in. "Oh no, if I am not hard on myself then what will motivate me to get out the door? I will just become comfortable where I am and then I will think it's ok, or not so bad to eat chips!". Amazing how fast those thoughts turn into thought-arguments. It sort of reminds me of organized sport coaching tactics. Like yelling at us/fear based motivation is good for anyone? I still yell at myself like that and not only does it get me no where but it's pretty friggen draining. Running causes some anxiety for me especially, because I start having what I can only imagine bad acid trip flashbacks are like, regarding cross country running meets at Elm Street school. I once peed my pants during a race because I had to go so badly and I didn't want to stop in the bushes in fear of losing the lead!! True story. Important Note: As a kid it's common to misplace encouragement with pressure. "If I lose will they still be proud of me"..."I have to do well for mom and dad to see that I am good at this."..."If I win I will liked by everyone!" Etc, etc, etc.
Today I am stumped as to how I can stop the body vs mind games while I'm running. My mind seems to convince my body that it's too tired and that it needs a 'walk break'. I don't really think this is always the case but I'm pretty convincing. Once I stop to walk it sends an even stronger message from my body back to mind that we are tired and can just walk whenever we start to feel tired, and so it begins. The walk run battle of the wills. I would love some suggestions as to how to overcome the mind chatter (letting your mind take over your pace). Music does help, singing the lyrics, focusing on the background beat and running to it or even remembering where I was when I first heard the song - can be helpful (Bombs over Bagdad made me laugh today - 1999 baseketball trips!)
So write out what helps you - if you've been able to overcome this, run a marathon or half marathon tell me how you got there! I wanna know your secrets...
Pick a language you don't mind the sound of, can pronounce, but don't understand. Memorize, don't learn, how to speak a passage from something, it can be anything really, as long as you don't understand it. Keep saying it in your head while you're running, it'll kill all the chatter and not flood your mind, because it has no context.
ReplyDeletemind chatter = rotten potatoes stinkin fish...mind chatter gone
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