I recently went through a spell where I was completely resistant to doing my cardio. Lots of you probably feel the same way about your workout - occasionally if not chronically, right?
I do 3-4 hours of upper-body isometrics (I am a deep-tissue massage therapist) interspersed with occasional hour-long leg-toning sessions (I also do ashiatsu barefoot massage where I rub people with my feet!) at work five days a week. Believe me, I don't have to try too hard to justify not adding a daily workout to my schedule.
Problem is, I LOVE doing cardio! In the 90s I taught dance aerobics. There was a three-year period where I had a raging tennis addiction. So why the resistance? Who knows! My cluttered mind tells me I have worked hard enough, so I should just relax in my time off. Sounds perfectly reasonable, but practice that thought habitually and it becomes a belief. Then you believe that your workout is undeserved punishment of some kind that you should avoid at all costs.
It happens to the best of us. Even those of us who have experienced euphoria pushing our bodies to their physical limits.
Resistance. What does that feel like? It comes in so many forms! I work resistance out of people's muscles every day. Most of you probably know exactly what it feels like to be resistant to going to work some mornings. Resistance can feel like sadness, depression, anger, stress, grief, worry, or "I just don't wanna!" Negative emotions are the sign that we are resisting something.
My first instinct is to want to overcome my resistance. When I realize that the word "overcome" is itself fraught with struggle, I decide to try releasing my resistance or letting it go. (Doesn't it sound easier to release than to overcome? - Making progress already!) But how?
I told my therapist that even my dreams of what I want for myself include the cardio. My vision of the water-view home in which I will live includes me running on the elliptical in the sunroom!
She wisely pointed out that I should envision it happening now, instead of in the future. She told me to run a split screen in my head. One screen is what I am actually living in the moment. The other screen is me running on the elliptical "in this moment." She also reminded me to stop thinking those cluttered-mind thoughts about my workout and start practicing more positive thinking! (WHY must I constantly be reminded of this? Oh, right - human.)
So I started thinking of my workout as a treat with which I could reward myself instead of something I was being forced to do. I went to the beach and I relaxed and unwound. I was at the beach at the same time I was running on my elliptical on my split screen - all the while promising myself the treat of a good sweaty workout when I got home. The weather was amazing and the sun and surf lifted my spirits immeasurably. When I got home, I ran for 10 miles!
I played music that inspires me - loud. I set my screen saver to play photos of some of the most beautiful places on earth. I often run with my eyes closed so when I open them and see the screen saver, I feel like I am running past Angel Falls or in Glacier National Park. My split screen started running again. Here I was on my elliptical running, and on the split screen I am running through all these stunning places. Very invigorating!
About 30 minutes into my run the "me" in the split screen morphed into me at about age 20 - my athletic best. My gray hair was its original blonde, my skin was tan, and my muscles tone in an Olympian athlete sort of way. Not that I was ever in that kind of shape, but here I am (in present tense) on the elliptical running and at the same moment, I am that girl in the split screen.
I am running a two-minute sprint at 16 mph on the elliptical and 20ish-me is comfortably outpacing me. I watch me (and feel the exhilaration of) running along the California coast and feel the spray in my face. I am running along a rise of ruins in Peru winding through the mist on a thin mountain trail. Then I'm blazing across the Serengeti with a cloud of dust rising under my bare feet and even the gazelles cannot catch the speed and grace and pure joy that is me!
I realize that me in the split screen is me with no resistance - in complete alignment - with all the well-being that is Source flowing through me. This is me in the vortex. This is Source Me.
It was euphoric! I wept with the utter joy of it! I realize that sounds ridiculous, but it brings tears to my eyes recalling it now!
MAN did I hurt the next day. I really don't recommend doing this after a very long sabbatical from your workout. Totally worth every achey muscle and the price of two extra massages! (Thank you Ricky and Michelle!)
The moral of my story? Visualize!
Whatever it is that you want: See it, feel it, relish it, adore it, appreciate it in your mind as if it is already yours! Visualize your intentions and your desires every day.
Eventually you will resonate with the vibration of that which you want, and then the Law of Attraction must bring it to you.
Life is good!
Oh! On a side note, I sold my first book yesterday. Embrace your dreams as reality.
~ Cyndi
Practicing Happiness Daily
You deserve to feel amazing and healthy and relaxed and happy and vibrant every day of your life.
You are very in tune to be able to visualize like that and then to write it all so very poetically! I feel the same, I love to run (or did) now I have convinced myself it is too much work to walk/run after working on my feet for 12-14 hours a day.
ReplyDeleteBut, I always loved running and I always loved aerobics. Hmmm food to ponder - you are very wise O be One...