After a 6 month hiatus, I’m back to my running. It’s a slow process. God help me if I injure myself again. But just before the new year, I bit the bullet and reacquainted myself with the tready again.
I was apprehensive about pounding the pavement again, constantly making excuses not to. But I took the grief and tried to transform it into some form of constructive energy. Then I ran 5kms. On the road. Like a boss.
So I thought about what it takes to cut the rest of the negativity in my head. Because as much as I love running, there seems to be this psychological barrier from reaching my distance and PB goals.
Stop the F-Bomb:
My potty mouth can cuss like the best of demons. Running to the top of a steep hill or busting biceps with killer chin ups is never completely satisfying without a loud, resounding, expressive “Faaaaaaaark!!!”
But I found that the swearing cluttered my brain with the negative. It became a withholding effect on how I ran.
Now, it’s refreshing to finish up with an upbeat “Yay! I did it!” rather than a defeatist “Fark. How the hell did I get through that?”
The Essential Playlist:
While I don’t use my iPhone when I’m running outside (Road safety hazard), I do crank up the tunes when I’m on the tready.
I stick to the oldies but goodies – something with a strong, heavy beat and bad-ass lyrics with tons of attitude.
Some of the big faves are Titanium (“Bullet proof, nothing to lose, fire away, fire away), Just The Way You Are (“If perfect’s what you’re looking for, then just stay the same”)and an oldie but a goodie, Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (“Lift your head up high, sing out to the world, I know I am someone, let the truth unfurl, no one can hurt you now, because you know what’s true, yes I believe in me, so you believe in you…”)
Miscellaneous Mum rounded up a list of great ideas for playlists. Check it.
Grab Something New:
I’m not condoning unnecessary purchases. However, buying sports gear – new pair of shoes, sunglasses or even comfy, durable socks – can give you that excitement to get out the door and try out your new buy.
It doesn’t matter how small or inexpensive it is.
Make sure it’s, of course, something you need and will constantly use.
As part of my preparation to get back running outdoors, I bought myself a bright fluro orange visor. I’m planning to take it to use it on those long, sweaty, tough runs. It’ll be my little good luck charm when I run that marathon in September.
The negativity will always be in the back of mind to steer me away from exercise goals, to stop me from getting my daily fills of endorphins.
But if I don’t at least try, I’ll never know what I’ll be capable of.
What do you do to stop the negative talk?
***This is not a sponsored post***
“Just the way you are”. I thought for a minute you were talking about Billy Joel (not Bruno Mars?) Haha – this just proves how old I am . Anyhow this old chook’s clad in lycra and off to the gym.
Mumabulous recently posted..Sheer Randomness
I always need music to keep me going on my runs! Always!! But in desperate need of updating my playlist too so I’m hopping over later to check Misc Mum’s ideas 🙂
For me, I read uplifting stuff to get me out of my negativity rut.. quotes, stories etc. It helps 🙂 Glad to see you pulling yourself out of it too.. baby steps.. xox
Ai Sakura recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: Family Obento Ideas – Ginger Cod Fish, Egg Goya & Melon | Week 4
My countdown to running is on! BRING IT ON!! By mid-year I’ll have a weaned bub, more time to myself, and a sports bra. YES!
Emily recently posted..Children’s book review – January
I totally hear you Grace! Definitely need rocking music when I work out. Funnily, my f-bombs are more when I do strength training and core stuff…but to me, it’s in a positive way… like “F–k Yeah!!!”. Oh and new gym clothes (not necessarily expensive but just nice ones) are so motivating too! Love this post and you’ve totally given me an idea for one as well… 🙂
Keep on running milady…you are an inspiration! 🙂
Psych Babbler recently posted..3/52: Play
I some how missed you were planning on running a full this year! Good for you! It’s a pretty fab process, though hard going in the guts of it weeks. That’s when those gear purchases and new podcasts are everything. Good luck Grace. May your body stay healthy. xx
Lee recently posted..Lee runs 42 at 42 – I did it!
LOVING the positivity in this post Grace. I am going to make 2014 a positive one – I started this by culling 15 dead weight ‘friends’ from my personal FB page. And I feel so much lighter! YAY for you running and getting your groove back on. I can’t run without music.
Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me recently posted..Unleashing my inner zombie at the Big Day Out – Wordless Wednesday
I find it so hard to stop the negative talk when exercising on my own, so I joined a group class 5 times a week, and I love it! So busy having fun, there is no time to be thinking negative thoughts. I also find the little bit of competition is really helpful for pushing my limits. Exercise has been so good for the way I think on a day to day basis, I feel so much better about myself after doing it. So glad to hear your able to get out and run again. Oh, I am going to show this post to Prince Charming to justify my latest workout gear purchase! Thanks xx
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Good on you! I can’t say I run but I do love to walk my dog each night. I find that no matter how crappy I’m feeling before a walk I always feel better afterwards! Keep up the running… that marathon will be amazing! xx
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Music and meditation….but not at the same time. I find that just being peaceful for a moment helps me and then other times I love to just listen to my fav tunes and sing as loud as I can!
Sam Stone (@A Life on Venus) recently posted..Those precious moments
Good on you Grace, you can do it! I love the gym and working out that way is what I am focusing on this year, as well as more longer walks {running is not my thing but I love walking!}
I so want to get my fitness levels up, and yep shut that negative little voice up in my head!! Looking forward to following your journey – its going be a good year, 2014 is a year for lots of changes in many ways 🙂
Lisa Wood recently posted..Pete Murray Interview
Hi Grace, I totally understand what you mean about your relationship with running. I have a real love-hate relationship with it! Good on you for getting back into it xx
Deb – An Inspirational Journey recently posted..Emotional Eating.
That’s interesting – I find swearing expels the negativity – I will try to see if I can watch it more closely. Maybe it’s adding to it without me realising.
As for you – great work! you will do it.
Lydia C. Lee recently posted..Embodiment of Dreams
Has it really been 6 months since you’ve run? But I feel like it was only a month ago that I was feeling inspired by you and your fabulous running achievements! Time flies … even (so it seems) when you’re not running …
Happy running Grace!
L
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Love the positivity! I’m on a mission to lose the negatives this year too, Grace. More music, more exercise, more living in the moment. Less stressing about the things that I cannot change. But swearing…. I’d struggle there. It’s in my DNA and (when the kids are absent) I love a good ranty swear. Gets the blood flowing! 🙂
Aleney recently posted..A floating feast – Radiance of the Seas
Good on you! I find a new outfit definitely helps with exercise 😉 It is so easy to be negative, I find that often I’m having to turn my mindset around. It’s easy to focus on the negative and forget all the awesome that’s happening. When my husband comes home from work and we have dinner together we offload any stressful bits from our day and then talk about all of the awesome bits. It’s nice to go to bed smiling and thankful for everything good that happened in the day.
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Go Grace! I’m planning on getting back into active workouts and some running this year too – once the school routine is back in order and I get some uninterrupted time to myself. I am trying to stop the negative talk from all parts of my life – not just being active and exercise – something at the forefront of my mind almost in everything I do and think this year x
You are awesome Grace. Truly, from the bottom of my heart – I mean it! You inspire me. You have two little nearly four year old boys, have had a huge shock and are grieving … yet you keep going and you keep looking for the positives. That is not an easy thing to do, so it shows the strength you have within you. I wish I could run but I cant (as a recent blog post I did tells), however I walk fast and do little intervals of jogging. I wouldn’t focus so much on getting your PB … you are moving, you are finding the positives. You are an awesome, strong mamma! 🙂 Min xo
Min recently posted..365 Grateful – Days 337 to 340
Having something really comfy to wear is a good motivator for me, if I’m uncomfortable then I’m less inclined to actually exercise. At the moment the best way for me to cut the negativity is to think about my goals, the reason why I’m doing it, and to remind myself of how good I feel afterwards, not just from endorphins, but from the sense of accomplishment, that yes, I can do it!
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Hooray for you! Running is exhilarating. And that always beats the negative talk for me.
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