Ever had something happen to you in life that you just didn’t expect? Car broke down, relationship failed, job loss? Things just didn’t go according to plan. It happens. That’s just how life is. Setbacks occur. Obstacles get in the way. It doesn’t matter who you are, life will get you sometimes.
The question is how do you respond to life’s challenges? It won’t always be sunshine. There will be clouds and rain. So how do you face the difficult storms of life? Do you allow those circumstances to get the best of you, or do you choose to overcome and claim victory over any and everything that tries to drag you down? Choose to stand firm and stand tall. Be of a strong mind and tell yourself that you can overcome any challenge and obstacle that tries to stand in your way. Make sure that your mental makeup is strong. Remind yourself just exactly who you are. Look in the mirror and choose to grab the reigns and take control. Take control of your life. Don’t allow your challenges to be in the driver’s seat. Have a solid support group in your corner to help you through those valleys. That support group could consist of a combination of family, friends, mentors, neighbors, and coworkers. You’ll find that some of the things you are going through, they’ve already been there, done that. Some setbacks, some speed bumps may be larger than others. Those larger ones may require an action plan to get through. The pesky speed bumps may require some chipping away. Having a plan on how you’re going to get through that tough time, climb over that hurdle, helps ensure that you’re not just wondering around in the wilderness. Wondering around aimlessly will eventually lead to frustration and continue to give power to that problem. Don’t give in to that problem. Tell yourself that you are greater than that problem. Then take control and defeat it! Show it who’s boss. You are in control of your response to life’s crap. It’s time to take control! Be Greater!
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We’ve come to the fourth component of our SEMP Fitness model: Physical Fitness! Pretty self explanatory here. Your Physical Fitness refers to your outer self. So what are you doing for your physical fitness? What plan do you have?
If you don’t have a plan for your physical fitness, get one now! The benefits that come with it, just to name a few: boosted energy, stronger bones, healthy heart, feeling good, and looking good. I can go on and on about the benefits, but we’ll just stop right there with those. I think you get the point. Think about it. You wouldn’t go into something without a plan, would you? Hopefully you answered no to that question. A general doesn’t go into battle without a strategy. You don’t take a test (or at least you shouldn’t) without a guide. Your fitness shouldn’t be anything different. Don’t go into your workouts without a plan. Are you trying to build muscle, lose weight, or just do your every day tasks without hurting? Make sure that you go into it with a game plan. It doesn’t matter how much or how little time you have. And it doesn’t matter if you have access to a gym or not. You can workout from anywhere at anytime. Working out doesn’t only have to be running on a treadmill or lifting up a dumbbell. Walk around your local park, go for a swim or mow the lawn. These are just a few examples of getting your workout in that doesn’t involve going to the gym. I just reiterate that your workouts follow what you are trying to accomplish for your fitness, that way you don’t lose sight of your goal and don’t forgo your workouts because you don’t feel like doing it anymore. Your physical fitness is just one of the components that bring your overall fitness into balance. Take care of your inner and outer self. Don’t put any limitations on what you think you can do. You can do so much more than you could possibly ever think or imagine. Train your mind, and push your body. You’ll accomplish feats you never thought possible. Let’s raise the bar. Figuratively and literally. Be Greater! What’s on your mind today? What thoughts currently occupy your mind? Maybe it’s your family. Maybe it’s your job. Maybe you’re thinking about what you’re going to eat next or what you’ll wear tomorrow. Maybe it’s a combination of all these thoughts and then some.
We are constantly thinking. We are continuously producing thoughts. That’s just how it is. There’s no escaping it. If you have a mind, you think. That simple. Now, what you think is what we’ll focus on in this post. We’re talking about your Mental Fitness. You may not have looked at fitness as having anything to do with the mind, but it does. It has a lot to do with your mind. Think of that third and final set of squats. Or the last quarter mile of your race. By that point of your workout or race, you’re fatigued, as is everyone else. What separates one from the other is their mental fitness. What is their mental makeup? Do they dig down deep for those final moments and tap into whatever reserve that’s left in the tank? Or do they talk themselves out of a win, out of being greater by telling themselves that they can’t do it, tell themselves that their body is at it’s limit? A lot of times, the battle isn’t against someone else but with yourself. The battle lies in your mind. And this extends beyond working out. Think about that exam, that interview, or asking someone out. You could talk yourself into failure before the event even occurred if you told yourself you aren’t good enough or that you just couldn’t do it. To win the battle in your mind, you have to control your thoughts. Think positive thoughts. I’m not going to lie to you and say that negative thoughts won’t try to creep in because they will. The difference between being greater and not being greater means you block out those negative thoughts. Don’t allow them to grow and consume your mind. That’s not who you are. Give yourself a good ole pep talk. Tell yourself that you are good enough, that you can do anything you set your mind to. You have to flood your mind with positive thinking. Listen to a motivational video or speaker to help give you that extra boost that you need. At the core of it all, you are responsible for your mental fitness. Don’t allow anyone or anything to affect your mental fitness in a negative manner. Anyone or anything that does bring negative vibes needs to be cut out of your life immediately. Fill your life with positive things, positive people, and positive thoughts. Let’s get our mental fitness right. Be greater! We dive into the second component of SEMP Fitness. Just a refresher of the motto: Spiritual, Emotional, Mental, and Physical Fitness. We’re looking at the Emotional Fitness section in this post. Emotional Fitness ties in together with Spiritual Fitness. All of the four components depend upon each other. They are not separate in and of themselves. Each one relies on the other. As we looked at with Spiritual Fitness, it’s knowing who you are and connecting with your inner soul. It’s being in tune with your inner self. If you don’t know who you are, how can you grow? Once you know who you are as a person, you need to be in command of your emotions. Emotions left unchecked lead to turmoil and devastation. One that is not in control of their emotions is not in control of their own self. Don’t allow your emotions to overtake you. We’re human. Sometimes sadness and moments of anger will enter in, but we can’t allow those emotions to take residence in us. The emotions we should allow to seep into ourselves are those of happiness and joy. So how do you we make sure we invoke these types of emotions? Fill your day with people that bring you joy and comfort. Your family, your friends, pets. Being around your loved ones brighten your mood. So give them your time and make sure you spend quality time with them. Share a good laugh with those loved ones. Watch or read something that’ll make laugh. After all, laughter is good for the soul, and it brings about positive vibes. Do things that you enjoy such as your hobbies or passions. Whether that be playing an instrument, writing, reading, whatever that is for you, do it! There is a special sense of peace that comes from doing the things you love doing. If you’re ensure of what you love, take an inventory check ASAP to figure it out. Find out what grinds your gears, what stirs you up. That will help you tap into that pure emotion. The kind of emotion you want. Now that you know who you are, and you know what drives your emotions, next time we will take a look at your Mental Fitness. Be Greater! |
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March 2022
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