Motivation can be tricky and holding on to it can be even more challenging, but how about tapping into your inner child? Do you have a childhood experience that was a defining moment in your life or something you enjoyed so much it made you giddy with laughter?
Mine revolved around two wheels and a feeling of freedom, graduating from training wheels to a true “two wheeler”! It may not sound like a big deal, but I remember that day like it was yesterday when I rode to the corner of our street with training wheels raised and never touching the ground the entire way. I proceeded to ride back home the same way with my brother riding behind me as my witness. My father was a tough sell when it came to removing those training wheels (after too many scrapes & stitches), but after much convincing they were removed, and this started my life of fitness and that feeling of freedom my bicycle brought me.
Fast forward to now, I rediscovered bike riding in recent years, have covered tens of thousands of miles, and still enjoy that wonderful sense of freedom each time. Exercise…it sure doesn’t feel like it because you see, I still enjoy feeling the wind on my face and that feeling of freedom. Then after the ride; it’s that awesome feeling of accomplishment, focus, and energy while having finished my fitness for the day, without feeling like it was a chore, that keeps me wanting to do it again.
How does this help create lasting change?
The first part is that feeling of enjoyment when you engage in activities you enjoy. The second is how that activity leaves you feeling. It’s that feeling that makes us want to do it over again! So what is it that may be lurking in your childhood or teen memory that may motivate you to try a sport or physical activity that can be both exhilarating and freeing at the same time? Could it be making up dance moves to your favorite music, playing with the dog, creating a garden full of your favorite veggies, a tennis match with a friend, or a family badminton game?
Physical activity has many health benefits (help to control blood sugar, improve mood, weight management, cardiovascular health), but we need to find our motivation for those benefits to become a reality. So why not find something you truly love, that keeps your body moving and may even add that sense of fun & freedom you had as a child? Mixing up activities is a great way to enjoy being fit (ie; combine days at the fitness center with an afternoon of kayaking or a good badminton game with the kids). Think back to that childhood memory (or adult fun), let your creative juices flow, and you may be surprised at the fun ideas you come up with. When you engage in an activity you truly enjoy and feel the wonderful benefits after, that’s when lasting change begins to happen.
