Everyone has slumps. We all suffer periods where we simply don’t know why we are on this journey or what path to take next.
It may be after achieving a significant goal – like your first half marathon. Or it could be when the work starts to weigh on you – the minutia of food logs and prepping what seems like enough food for a small army every morning just seems like too much.
It happens to me too. For me it usually happens around Christmas, as I gear up for the New Year’s surge. I get so focused on being ready for others I loose a little something in my own workouts. Or it sometimes happens after vacations. I focus hard on being bikini ready or rocking my skinny jeans. Then on the way home I start to wonder what I’m going to do upon my return. If there isn’t another trip or another project on the calendar, my focus get’s fuzzy.
If this happens, perhaps you’re in the midst of it right now, how do we regain focus? How do we reclaim our fitness mojo?
Fake it until you make it.
Commit to doing something active everyday so you don’t lose the routine of movement. Remember the first law of motion? A body at rest tends to stay at rest and a body in motion tends to stay in motion. Stay in motion.
Enlist a friend who is just starting her journey.
Her beginner spirit can be infectious. By encouraging someone else you can reconnect with what motivated you to begin your journey in the first place.
Get outrageous.
Got a bucket list? May you want to hike Machu Picchu? Or run THE marathon in Greece? Now is the time to pick something on the list and go for it! Since these goals often take a bit longer to bring to fruition, you can create a plan with smaller milestones to get you there. Celebrate each one to keep you moving forward.
Meditate.
Sometimes what we really need is to cultivate some calm in the chaos of life. If everything, not just your fitness journey, is feeling like too much start with simple deep breathing exercises. Sit in a quite room or outdoors in a comfortable spot and breath in for 4 counts and out for 6 counts. Don’t worry about poses or mantras, just let your body and mind focus on breathing. Do this for just a minute or two to start. The renewed clarity of a few moments of peace can help you see more clearly where you want to go next.
The most important thing to remember is no journey is completely linear. There are times when we take a step or two back before we can move forward again. Embrace the lessons learned during these times and keep putting one foot in front of the other.
