Every Monday, our mindset motivation posts are here to help us start the week strong… mentally strong that is! When we have strong minds and positive thoughts, everything else follows. Our outer world is the ultimate reflection of what’s going on inside of us. Let’s get mentally tough today!
We women are such emotional beings.
It’s probably both our greatest strength and weakness.
I mean… how many times a day do you start a sentence with “I feel…”
Listen for it today! After writing this post, I think I caught myself saying that phrase at least 10 times in just the hour following.
But, are our feelings fooling us??
One of my biggest pieces of advice is “listen to your body.” Truly, you know you best. Your body gives you signs like: “hey, that back aches… slow down with the squats” or “go for a few extra carbs… your glycogen is low and your body may really need it.”
Recently, I heard one of my favorite health and fitness motivators say something like this, which is kind of contradictory to my advice (and I’ll paraphrase):
Stop listening to your feelings. Your feelings will tell you things like “I don’t want to work out today” and “I feel like sitting on the couch and eating cookies.”
Are those really messages from your body? Or are those your feelings fooling you?
What an interesting perspective, huh?!
That message went on to say that, we should instead look to do what is right for us. Meaning, before we make decisions based on feelings and emotions, we should check with what we know is best for us in the long run.
The majority of individuals would agree that eating whole, nutrient-dense, unprocessed foods and getting active are both what are “right” for our bodies.
So, when these “feelings” pop up, we should check them against what we know is right.
Put it this way…
MOMS: do you feel like getting up at 3 AM when your little one is crying when you were just up 3 hours prior? You don’t even think about how you feel because you know what is right and what is good is to get up and soothe your baby in whatever way he or she needs you.
STUDENTS: do you feel like doing your homework and studying? I bet every student reading this (and every one who previously was a student) is yelling NO inside their head. Yet, you do it anyway because you know what is right and what is best for your future is to do so.
Here’s my question to you, me and the world: when we don’t feel like eating well or exercising, why do we lack the discipline to do what we know is right?
Here’s what I think…
I think it’s because we have too much chatter going on inside our heads. As my 4 year old neighbor boy put it this weekend, “girls are crazy!”
((and now I’m sure many of you are nodding your head… yes, yes we are lol :))
I think the chatter in our heads taints the true messages from our body.
It’s perfectly fine to not want to feel like doing something for ourselves whether it’s getting our workout in or making a doctor appointment.
What isn’t okay is to go against what is good for us long-term.
There aren’t enough women out there who are mentally strong enough to think long term and to carry out what is best. Let’s be the difference!
The message from that same health and fitness motivator went on to say…
We actually feel best when we do what is right.
MIND > MATTER
I don’t even think this needs to be said but I’ll say it anyway…. there are always exceptions. There are days when your feelings and your body’s messages are truly saying rest. There are weeks or months when you may not give a F about health and fitness.
That’s okay! (( you should read THIS season’s post! )) Our lives are a marathon not a sprint.
We innately have a desire to grow, to get better, to progress. It brings forth happiness beyond our control.
Not only will doing what is right, lead us to what is best for us, but it will also bring us mass amounts of happiness.
The next time you think or say “I feel….”, check it against what you know to be best for yourself!
Carry that mindset with you today, this week, and always.
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