Hey Lovelies!
It has been awhile since I have done a “Choose-day” post–and I’m not entirely sure why…because they were sort of fun.
Initially I used them as a way to break out of my bleak outlook on days where things were just not going right. I sorta treated it like my own, personal wake up call to realize that things aren’t so bad and that I can choose how I handle it and how I behave.
A running blog reminded me of that yesterday afternoon as I was winding down from work–I clicked on a link that brought me to Hungry Runner Girl. I read a few of her “Favourites” posts and one was all about changing your mental game and increasing your mental strength so you can hit your goals. This couldn’t have come at a better time as my mental strength and running have been on an almost year-long low and I was in need of a mental strength refresher.
Last night I wasn’t in the mood to run…more so than most days of late. But I got up on that treadmill and I made up my mind that I was going to do it…and I did. Thanks to some of her advice, I managed to make it through the five miles I had planned. I was rather shocked…I mean, the run was hard, but I did it and all I kept saying was “I’m not tired–it’s all in my head,” which HRG’s aforementioned post inspired:
Our bodies are wired to have our minds give up before our bodies do. It is made that way so that we don’t run so long and so fast that it does actually kills us, the mind sends us warning signs to slow down or stop LONG before our bodies come close to reaching fatigue. (I know I am probably wrong with all of this but it is what I tell myself and it seems to work for me). Basically, our bodies are so much stronger and can do so much more than our minds want us to. So….that means we can train ourselves to tell our minds to be quiet for a little while and PUSH IT. –HRG
I kept up with that attitude last night. I got home, did all my meal prep for today, stretched and foam rolled and managed to get into bed around 11:30 (though I didn’t fall asleep until 4:30am….and in light of my 90 minutes of sleep, I made sure choose to push past the discomfort and just do my best.
I did my hair, I did my make up. I wore a dressy, brightly coloured outfit and pumps to work even though it is raining and I don’t have any external meetings. I feel much better than I would’ve normally felt if I schlepped myself to work in far less dressy attire. I am also choosing to treat myself to an amazing coffee at my favourite hipster coffee joint, Parlour. Otherwise it might be nap day in the office.
I hope this first attempt at mental exercises is the beginning of a far stronger, sleeker, sexier brain…followed by an equally stronger, sleeker and sexier body! Woot!
Much luv and happy choose-day!
Leesah
