Last night I noticed an interesting change in my behaviour.
Putting the bin out is usually a hassle. I live on the third floor and have a hundred and one other things I need to get done in the evening, including entertaining two small children who decide every single night they don’t want to go to bed.
To get to the bin store I need to put on my shoes and jacket and head outside into the cold and wet. As I said, not a big deal, but a bit of a hassle!
But yesterday I could feel myself actually being pleased at the prospect of doing this normally inconvenient task. Why? Because having recently started monitoring my step count, I realised it would help me reach my daily target. I even took a long route around the garden to make sure.
The task was exactly the same as as it always was but my perception shifted. My bin store walk was reframed from an annoyance to something helpful because I was focussed on a different target.
Choices
When faced with the choice of sitting comfortably and watching TV or venturing down onto the floor to do some exercises, the latter feels unappealing. It’s easy to choose the cosy sofa over pushing yourself physically.
But what if you reframed the question?
Instead of asking, “Do I want to do these exercises?” consider, “Am I willing to do the work to overcome my injury and start enjoying life again? Or “What can I do today to support my optimal health & well-being and ensure an active and vital future?”
By focusing on the bigger picture and clearly understanding your reasons for taking action, you can transform that internal dialogue.
Those uncomfortable reps no longer feel like a struggle, they become a worthwhile investment in your health and future. I love this quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger, which says it perfectly.
“This is why I always smiled when I was in the gym. People always came up to me and said, “Why are you smiling? You’re working out 5 hours a day. You’re doing the same as the other guys, but the other guys have a sour face, they’re pi**ed off that they have to do another rep.” I looked forward to another 500 pounds of squat. I looked forward to doing more and more curls until my arms [would] fall off. Why? Because I knew that every rep that I did and every set that I did and more weights that I lifted, I get one step closer to turning that vision into reality.”
It’s all about perspective. When you shift the conversation in your mind, you empower yourself to embrace the discomfort as a stepping stone toward a healthier, more vibrant life, and like Arnie, you might learn to enjoy it.