On Fridays I like to share experiences I’ve had during the week with patients and in my personal life that I’ve found significant. I like to share them in hopes that you might find value in them and have something resonate with you in your life.
Something to try. Do you stress often? Many people become overwhelmed at even the smallest form of uncertainty, discomfort, struggle, or inconvenience. But is this necessary? Think back to the issues that have really gotten you worked up and stressed about over the past few months. Next, think about where those issues stand as of now. Were they worth getting that upset over? Do they seem smaller now than they did before? The purpose of this exercise is to remind ourselves that much of what we deal with is not the big deal we make it. Then, next time something pops up that gets us worried, we can hopefully remember this fact and act accordingly.
An analogy I like. The seasons of our year vary greatly. Some bring warm weather, cooler temperatures, snow, rain, sunshine, you name it. Likewise, our lives are full of seasons that bring us both the best and worst of everything. It is vital that we understand this, so that we don’t put too much emphasis on any one period.
Personally, I have experienced every season you could imagine. I’ve seen the highest of the highs and the lowest of lows in my 46 years. What that has taught me, is that when things go badly, they always inevitably improve. Likewise, when things are going amazingly well, some challenge always arises and disrupts it. Viewing our lives as a series of seasons helps us avoid making rash decisions while keeping our mindset strong to deal with whatever life may throw at us.
Something important. One of the things we need to be careful of are the stories that we tell ourselves. These “stories” are the self-talk that we feed ourselves that can be positive and uplifting or negative and limiting. Spoken enough times, any story becomes believable.
Over the past year, I’d been telling myself that I was slowing down, and that I wasn’t as capable of running the types of races I had run before. I told myself the story that I “needed” to slow down a bit. One day in July, I just decided I wanted to sign up for a 100-mile race and things changed overnight. I am 2 months into my training and already faster, more explosive, and determined than I have been in years. I am the same person, I just decided to start telling myself a different story, one that served me better. Tell yourself a better story and watch what happens!
A good reminder. Like many, my watch tracks everything I do. All my runs, load impact (how much exercise done in a week), heart rate, sleep patterns, and more. Since I’m preparing for a major race, my training has been continuing to increase in volume and intensity. Last week, my watch began telling me “Please rest” for six straight days. Naturally, I did not listen.
I’m not suggesting that we should ignore data, but since I am preparing to run one hundred miles, not stopping when my body is fatigued is part of the training. What was interesting was the more I pushed through, the more my body responded positively. In other words, my body became accustomed to the training and my watch began showing faster levels of recovery even without rest. This was a reminder to me, when we think we are at a stopping point or need to rest, we are often not even halfway through our tank. More importantly, pushing through in these times helps reset what you once viewed as “normal” or possible, and you will seek to achieve more as a result.
Some quotes I love.
“My greatest success has come from doing the obvious things that others can do but choose not to.” – Cameron Hanes
“If everyone would strive to be the captain of their team as opposed to the MVP, there would be a lot better teams.” – Derek Jones
“Every day, in a hundred small ways, our children ask ‘Do you hear me? Do you see me? Do I matter?’ Their behavior often reflects our response.” – LR Knost
“Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.” – Mark Twain
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