What did you say?
What we say matters.
The words we choose matter.
Particularly if you’ve decided to set some goals.
I’ve been having a bit of fun with my self talk lately. Mainly in the gym. Mostly when I’m trying a new habit or ritual, or lifting heavy things which I want to keep doing into my mid 50’s!
Sometimes I really love how things happen organically.
This year to help with my return to full health (no frosho & no boken foot), I started following a few inspiring ladies on Instagram. And you know how that rabbit hole goes, more & more started popping up. Loving the alga-rhythm for this right now.
So much learning went down.
I’m going to share with you 2 ways to help with your self talk and goals.
1) Sentence Switch: I really started to pay attention to the information these trainers (& mine) offer up, a lot of it revolves around our mindset. Its hardly surprising right. These conversations refreshed one extremely useful teaching from my yoga studies.
If you ever went to my yoga classes, you might recall this one….. I LOVE IT!
Drumroll, here it is:
Vitarka-bahdane pratipaksa-bhavanam
When negative thoughts and feelings arise,
the opposite should be cultivated. Yoga Sutra 2.33
We can use this wisdom to remind ourselves ancient Rishi’s and Yogi’s also struggled and they found this switch worked. Using this ancient teaching, mixed with my own journalling and some Instagram stories and reels, I started to practice the switch.
Here’s a few examples from 2023:
Lifting weights or pushing the sled: OMG this is so hard - flipped to - OMG I’m getting strong!
Supported Chin Ups: I’m done (when I’m up to 6 reps of 8) - flipped to - I’ve only got 2 left.
360 degree lunges: this is hard all really hard to this is making my legs so strong.
Bulgarian Deadlifts: Ahhhhhh I can’t/won’t do that to I’ll try it.
This is not mind blowing, its not anything you haven’t already thought or read. But what you dont know, is that for me its been a game changer. I can feel myself getting stronger and fitter. After two frozen shoulders in succession, I am so happy to be able to hold onto the bar above & take my feet off the floor, dangling & holding my own body weight for 25 seconds (I’m aiming for 1 minute).
2) Sentence Up: see you if you can find the spots where you need to flip your self talk around. Here’s a sentence suggestion for some home practice:
I’m the kind of woman who (fill in the blanks)
I’m the kind of woman who lifts weights (notice how THAT feels!!)
I’m the kind of woman who works out (even starting to workout counts!!)
I’m the kind of woman who meditates (yes you are!)
Watch how this kind of flipping and reworking turns out for you. Honestly, these two combined together are a power couple.
What are you up to this year? Do you have any goals, or ideas? Do you dream about who you are next becoming? Who is that woman?
We are amazing women, lets support ourselves from the inside out.
xx
