Hello, friend! Try this Shift next time you need some motivation to exercise...
Take a long, deep breath.
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Are you familiar with the term ‘behavioral activation’?
Behavioral activation is a fancy psychology term for saying that you have to actually take concrete steps in order for the positive change(s) that you’re looking to produce to occur.
So, for example, you can think about doing exercise.
You can plan on doing your workout.
And you can do a Shift to shift yourself toward taking that first step out the door — or even taking the initial steps of putting your foot in your sneaker, and tying it up nice and tight.
But ultimately, you do need to actually take a step in order for the benefits of taking that step to unfold for you.
It’s only when you take the step that you begin to get those juicy emotional rewards that can help you remain consistent with any good life habit over time.
So, let’s ease our way towards taking action together today…
Whenever it was that you committed yourself to working out, there was a reason(s) that you decided on it.
In all likelihood, your reason(s) was connected to your health, and or, to having fun.
It was likely related to your mental health too — to feeling good, and living your best life, and bringing the best of yourself to your relationships and the rest of your life.
Hopefully your reason(s) was also connected to the intrinsic enjoyment of using your body — to play, to feel, maybe even to sweat — to come into flow and have fun.
Undoubtedly, you also want to cultivate a baseline energy level that allows you to fully live your unique purpose with all the umph and gusto that can be required to live a purpose-centered life.
I bet that even in the moment when you set your intention to workout regularly, you knew there'd be times that you wouldn’t feel like doing it.
You also knew it was worth doing anyway.
Whatever ‘exercise’ might mean for you, you decided that the juice was worth the squeeze.
So to find that motivation again right now, let’s remind ourselves of our key reasons for exercising again — and Shift ourselves into a motivated, playful, state of mind and body.
Take another long, deep breath.
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Allow your shoulders to relax.
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Allow your arms to fall toward the ground.
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Allow your mind to clear a little bit by listening to life closely.
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Now, invite into your inner world the most important reason that you wanted to exercise today.
What is it?
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Got it?
Feel how that reason makes you feel now.
Do you feel inspired by it?
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Do you see your ‘best self’ behind that reason?
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I do.
Let's give ourselves 30 seconds more in silence to allow our original intention to seep in further and motivate us to take that next step toward starting to exercise.
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Let your workout motivation seep in further.
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Good.
When I say goodbye, let’s both take the next step towards initiating our workouts.
Ready?
Keep listening to life with 100% of your attention.
Close your eyes if you want.
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Remain present by continuing to listen for all those sounds in your environment that you wouldn’t otherwise hear.
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Now, invite into your inner world the most important reason you wanted to get some exercise today.
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Feel your key reason to exercise expanding inside you.
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Feel it?
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Nice.
Now imagine how good you’ll feel when you’ve finished your workout.
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Perfect.
Open your eyes when you're ready, if they’re closed.
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Take another long, deep breath.
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Set your intention to stay present right through your workout, and then for the rest of your day.
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Let’s do this…
Take your next step toward working out now, whatever that step is for you.
What’s your step?
Are you putting your sneakers on?
Are you walking out the door?
Are you getting in the car?
Are you starting to jog?
Whatever our next step to getting our workout on is, let’s both take it right now.
I'm tying my sneakers.
Have fun!
I'll talk to you soon.
Stay present,
Sean
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