I have long been a fan of health and fitness and a voracious consumer of competition in all its forms. And for many years my life has revolved around training, eating, dieting down and any sweaty adventure that I can get myself involved in. Then came one blessed day in June of 2011, when my son was born. Becoming a mother has definitely added to my list of things to do and there are more times than I can count when household chores and training have had to take a backseat to the many duties of motherhood.
Being a mother also introduced me to an entirely new set of worries/ stresses. The quest to obtain my pre-pregnancy body and do it quickly, the idea that one must have it all, do it all and be all was absolutely overwhelming for me and I began to feel the joy of my life slipping away entirely.
After a particularly difficult day, I decided to come up with some guidelines, a set of rules that would help me reset and focus on my wonderful life.
These 6 reminders have done me a world of good and helped me not only regain my physical health but helped me drastically increase my mental fitness and well being,
Set timely and obtainable goals
Whether I want to train for an athletic event or drag my 2 yr old off for an afternoon of running errands, I have to keep my goals realistic. Otherwise, both my son, myself and those around us fall victim to poor planning.
Be honest with myself
Many times I have worked with clients who’ve had set back after set back when it came to reaching their wellness goals because they weren’t honest about their time, level of commitment. I am honest with myself about my ability to take on more projects. It removes the stress of pushing myself toward an unrealistic effort.
Start the day on a positive note
I must admit that as the mother of an extremely rambunctious toddler, there are nights when I collapse into bed only to the sun come up (what seems like) 5 minutes later and I wake just as tired as the previous night. I have found that if I focus on the beautiful colors, the cheerful chirping of the birds and my little one’s gorgeous, happy little face. I am ready to bound out of bed HITT the day.
Be kind to yourself and others
I cannot say this enough. Be KIND! Be kind to yourself. Speak words of encouragement and positivity to and about yourself. Be your own cheering section. Be kind to the people around you. The smiles and happiness this brings can do so much for one’s mental and physical well being, from lowering blood pressure to releasing dopamine and other feel-good hormones.
Have a plan, but be very flexible
My daily life consists of 3 to 4 schedules all running simultaneously, but that could change at the drop of a hat. Clients cancel, little boys won’t go down for naps, muscles are sore, bodies are tired and it’s just not going to happen. It has taken me some time, but I am learning to be flexible, that there is a rather calming joy in taking a deep breath and moving on to the next thing.
Be courageous
I absolutely love a challenge! And for me, the more frightening the better. Now I know this is too outside the box for some, but what I have found is that it pushes me to be courageous, to move past my comfortable fear. What a marvelously liberating feeling to live courageously.