The Emotional Journey

EMOTIONAL JOURNEY - THE ENDURANCE ADVENTURE

If you haven't experienced an adventure that brings you to tears, you haven't fully lived! I am talking about uncontrollable emotions, the "ugly face" crying, and pure raw emotions just pouring out! My Uncle recently completed the cycling trek from Maine to Washington in 3 months of an amazing journey. He wrote a blog along the way, check it out; http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=1&page_id=270746&v=l. We had a conversation upon his return about the emotional journey and his incredible experience. I related with him after participating in several endurance and marathon events where I felt the shift of inner strength!

The amazing journey took him into the endurance athlete's world! He experienced the highs and lows of pushing yourself to the limit physically and mentally. This isn't a goal of many but the few that experience it have changed their lives forever! They have opened their eyes to new strengths, goals, passions, depths that don't seem to have the words to explain.

You find a new inner strength through pushing yourself physically and emotionally during an endurance adventure. When your body is pushed to its physical limit it is also pushed to its emotional, spiritual and mental limit. Your eyes are open to a whole new way of living! Living beyond yourself and into the realm of strength that comes from a much deeper or higher place.

My challenge to you in the New Year is to register for an adventure event that will make you step out of your comfort zone. You will research how to train for this adventure race and begin your journal or blog to document your experience. The training will bring its ups and downs, the event will bring its highs and lows but at the end of this adventure you will look back with a new lease on life!

The MAGIC Key!

What is the MAGIC Key?

Do you want to know the magic key to becoming fit and healthy? Is it as simple as receiving that "key" advice that will forever change you and magically emerge you from the clouds of the unknown? 

You are going to do great things and the why is important but sorry to burst your bubble, there is 

NO MAGIC KEY! 

To truly understand health & fitness we must become lifelong learners, absorbing everything but never fully committed to just ONE KEY. Experiencing constant changes is healthy and beneficial when exploring your health and fitness goals. Let's visualize a janitors key-chain filled with a variety of keys, some are old keys that once worked but now unlock unknown doors filled with dusty and out-dated equipment, new keys that work great in the beginning until the peaks become dull,  and those reliable keys that work like gold each and every time. This is the journey of your health, nutrition, and fitness goals throughout your lifetime! 

To be flexible doesn't merely imply joining a new yoga class but rather to have an open-mind and constantly evolve with the fitness research, new insight, and fresh goals as your life constantly changes. 

Does this mean I don't need to hold myself accountable and can simply fly like a kite in the wind when it comes to my health and fitness goals? No, this demonstrates that setting goals is always important but it is equally as important to allow flexibility, willingness to step out of your box and let go of the perfect routine, always open to new adventures. When you open your mind to changing up your workouts, trying new things, becoming an '"over-comer"and an "adventurer" that is when the goals are reached! 

How? Try this...

1. Wake-up with a mission for the day! 

2. Accept change as a constant door opening for new learning opportunities.

3. Do at least one thing each week that makes you step out of your comfort zone!

Turn your Pain into Passion!

When the mental chatter begins, turn the struggle into your passion!

 It is time to access your inner strength and your WHY?

January has come to an end and the hype of the New Year Resolution is slowly starting to dwindle. The goals were set with positive intentions and high adrenaline! It is time to channel everything into WHY you decided to set the goals you did for your health and fitness. Ask yourself the hard questions. What will happen if I continue to put off my goals? Is the temporary pain or challenge worth giving up on my dream? Set a daily affirmation to allow your mind to avoid the chatter and focus on the prize!

Here are a few affirmations to get you past the pain and struggle to see your goal to the end! Create your personal mantra that resonates with you!

Digging deep and finding your inner strength can take some training. The desire to take the vision that you have for your life and turn it into reality must be stronger than the desire to stay in your comfort zone. How can I obtain that desire? You ask? Turn your thoughts into actions eliminating the "struggle", excuses, judgments that may creep into your mind. Go forth with a plan and determination that any negative thoughts will be turned down, any negative words by "haters" will be turned down and any excuses that you may come up with WILL BE TURNED DOWN! Turn your struggle into passion! Turn your desires into action! Take that goal and make it a reality! NOW!

*Action Plan: Print a mantra and place it on your bathroom mirror or somewhere that you will see it every morning!