I was staring up into the sky the other day after a workout when a plane flew over. I thought about how crazy it is that we can stick humans into a metal box and launch it to another part of the world safely. Even more, we can stuff humans into a metal box and shoot them into outer space! Our only limitations as a species or even as individuals is what we tell ourselves. You are exactly where your body thinks it needs to be. This is reinforced by our thoughts, emotions, feelings, and behaviors.
We are homeostatic creatures. AKA creatures of habit. If we are seeking change, then we need to disrupt our programs and routines that we willingly and unwillingly engage in. Did you know that roughly 80% of our thoughts are the same as they were yesterday? Assuming that is the case for all of us, how can we expect change if we repeat the same story every day of our lives?
Can you imagine how this may play a role in chronic pain or lack of movement expression? If we continue to do the same things over and over without changing, how can we expect results? It is not about the time spent with your trainer or therapist, it is about what you do with the information gained away from them! Assuming 10-20 percent of what we do is different each day, do you think that 10-20% change is enough to reverse years of habits? Personally, I highly doubt it.
We need to be made aware of where we are and what is going on. From here, we must envision what we want the future to be. Now, we must make a choice! A choice to make a change and continue to make that active choice every day! Presence is key. This is how we form new thoughts and behaviors, by engaging with the uncertainty of our situations!
I love to use the phrase ‘Thoughtless and Fearless Movement’ as an end game for whoever I work with. In order to achieve this, we must be made consciously aware of what we need to do and make the conscious choice to change our habits! With me, this change is in the form of some sort of exercise, postural change, or breathing technique. As we are what we repeatedly do, eventually we will make this into a habit. Conscious actions will become subconscious movement in time. We must earn that right to get out of pain!
It is never easy, which is why so many people get stuck in a negative feedback loop. They convince themselves that they won’t get better. This happens because they have had setbacks, poor results from trying earlier, or not trying hard enough. The name of the game is consistency. If you really want something you need to work for it.
I encourage you to think about your daily habits and routines. What might be an automatic thing you do on a regular basis that you don’t even know is happening subconsciously? Could it be waking up and immediately checking your phone? Could it be mindlessly scrolling through social media anytime you have downtime? I know I struggled with these in the past and it took some reprogramming, effort, and choices for me to get out of these habits!
Change starts with our thoughts. I want you to gather new information so you can have new thoughts. From here you must willingly make new choices which will lead to new actions and behaviors. This will lead to new experiences. New experiences will provide you with new feelings. You can apply that logic to any change you are looking to make in your life. That change can be getting out of pain, getting in shape, establishing a daily routine, you name it!
If you are looking to get out of pain or maximize your movement potential so you can improve your health span, please reach out. I would love the opportunity to help you create the change you need so you can be in control of your life!