fbpx
BodyMind

4 Ways to Get Into the Right Mindset For Exercise

By March 23rd, 2021No Comments


Fill it to the brim!

Fill it to the brim!

When you create the right mindset around working out, you can quite literally change your life!

There is so much more that goes into exercise than simply pulling on a pair of yoga pants, lacing up your shoes and tying back your hair. Lord knows there is so much more! There is the internal struggle, the ‘should I stay or should I go’ conversation, the good intentions only to ever so easily waver at the first sign of trouble…

What? I don’t have any clean socks? I can’t go out with dirty socks, that’s gross. Let me do a quick load and theeeeeen I’ll head out.

I’m hungry. Do I have to wait at least 30 minutes before exercising after eating? Or is that only with swimming? Well, either way, I don’t want to be all crampy and uncomfortable. I’ll eat now and try going later.

Ugh, I really need a pedicure. It’s been weeks and I only have time for one or the other… ugh, I can’t stand looking at my toes in the shower, pedicure it is!

You feel me right?

We can pretty much justify any reason whatsoever to avoid the pain of actually having to muster up the mental fortitude to work out. It’s mental warfare. It’s so easy to simply avoid it altogether. And many of us do just that. Avoid. Ignore. Put off for another day.

How do we stop the cycle??

Well, it’s actually not as difficult, or mind-bending as you would think. In fact, it’s as simple as changing the conversation you have with yourself and implementing a few strategies that will have you saying YES, it’s time for my workout, and NO to anything else!

1. Get clear on why you exercise.

Why do you do it? Why do you feel the need? Why do you think it’s good for you? Because it’s not all for naught. Nuh-uh. The release of feel-good hormones is reason enough for me to lace up and get my butt out the door. I know for sure I’m a much nicer person after working out. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, or a little depressed, or I’m struggling in some facet of my life, I make sure to get moving that day, (most especially on days like that!), because it gets me back to neutral.

Understand your why and make sure it fills a need.

2. Stop comparing yourself to others.

Talk about taking the wind right out of your sails. Do you really think it’s effective, or empowering to put yourself up against some random skinny chick you happen to come across on Instagram or Facebook or wherever you hang out? Do you find yourself saying, “Man, I’d love to have her body.” And you realize you’re saying that with a deflated tone as if your inner child were speaking to you. You’re not filled with joy and enthusiasm when thinking that. That voice reeks of disdain and disappointment in yourself and makes you feel plain old lousy. Not the inspiration you need.

Leave the comparing where it belongs… in the trash. And then get your big girl pants on. Talk to yourself like you love yourself. Fill your mind with positivity. Stop comparing. When you feel yourself starting to do it, replace it with a simple, “I love myself” (even if it makes you cringe at first. Do it enough and it will get easier, I promise!) 

3. Feel your vision and then set your plan into motion.

Vision boards are a great source of inspiration. They take what you’re thinking, all that stuff that’s firing away at lightspeed in your brain, and lays it all out before you so you can actually make sense of what you want and what you will achieve. People do this all the time when they want to move or change careers or fall in love. Why not do it then to achieve the health and wellness you want and deserve? 

But don’t fill your board with skinny models and unrealistic interpretations of what you think you want… like I said before, don’t use a pin-up model as someone to compare yourself with. 

Instead, think of the emotions you want to feel, like happy, joyful, content, excited, satisfied, or accomplished. You can want the flat tummy, firm arms, or a bootylicious bum, but I want you to focus on how that is going to make you feel in your body. Imagine yourself feeling happy with how you look. 

Better yet, imagine trying something new you’ve always wanted to try but fear managed to constantly get in the way. Maybe you’ve always wanted to attempt a triathlon, or rock climbing, or hiking the Grand Canyon, but you thought it impossible for you to accomplish. Take away the barriers and limiting beliefs you have about your abilities and feel how it would be to attempt those things. How does it make you feel? Really feel it. Let it get you excited. Focus on those feelings that are lifting you up and igniting a fire within. That’s what you want to put on your vision board! 

From there, you then create the action plan to achieve it because the plain truth is, you’re stronger than you think and you can accomplish more than you can imagine. Get out of your head and into your body!

4. Create your cue

This is probably the most important step for you to take.

Once you’ve got all the other steps lined up and are raring to get started, you need a cue.

Your cue is your trigger which sets your new routine in motion. Because without a new routine, all the excitement, good intentions and determination will fade away, leaving you feeling defeated and frustrated. As it has in the past.

But we’re done with that. This time will be different because you. are. prepared!

It took me a long time to figure this whole “cue” thing out, and once I realized that a simple cue could get me in the right mindset, without any internal banter back and forth of should I or shouldn’t I, everything changed.

I use my workout clothes as my cue. Pretty darn simple. All I have to do is put them on. That’s it. Every day, same time, same cue. Works wonders!

If you can eliminate the conversation in your head and let the cue be your guide, you will save yourself so much time and energy. Cue leads to routine leads to reward. It’s the habit loop and to create any change in your life, it needs to become a habit.

Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses. – George Washington Carver

Stop entertaining the internal conversations that create the excuses. Use your cue, everyday!


Freebie “Fun”sheet!

If you implement these four mindset changes today and begin to take massive action toward achieving your goal, I’m gonna tell you right now you’ll be met with such motivation that working out will never be a dull and burdensome task again.

And to help you get started, I have a funsheet for you to fill out. Do yourself a huge service by printing this out, and take the time to fill in the answers. This little exercise will help to strengthen your follow through muscle!

Download you funsheet here!

And if you do try these three changes, let me know! I always love to listen and learn from you so please leave a comment below. The more I know about you, the more I can help!

Leave a Reply