How to Improve Your Movement Mindset
Michelle Cederberg, CSP
Hall of Fame Speaker, Coach & Author | Energizing Teams For the Future of Work: Using science-based strategies to eliminate burnout, increase engagement, and ignite high performance
"Take action! An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention." ~ Dr. Steve Maraboli
If you've been injured or haven't been physically active for awhile (thanks Covid), it can be hard to overcome inertia and get back to it. I haven't been able to run for almost two years because of an injury, and for awhile there I thought my running days were over. Thankfully, with a bit of work and a lot of patience, it's once again something I can do, just not as fast and far as before... and that's something I've had to come to terms with.
I haven't been talking very nicely to myself during my slow, short, 'rehab runs', and I've had to?remind myself that small steps are essential anytime we start fresh, or try a new activity... and certainly after an injury.
Maybe you can relate? In this case, slow and steady really does win the race, and you can't improve if you don't begin.
Hey, Michelle Cederberg here contemplating the ways that we move and what we tell ourselves about that. I just got back from a very short, very slow run. Shorter and slower than I am normally used to doing. I haven’t run for almost 2 years, so this short, slow run was an absolute victory for me because I didn’t think I’d ever run again after an injury.
So this is what I wanted to talk to you about today. If you’re somebody who’s been sidelined by injuries or sidelined by Covid - moving a lot less - and you’re feeling that challenge to get back to moving, may I suggest that you start small and listen to your body. I wrote the damn book about it, Small Steps to an Energetic Life (Energy Now!).
When you're starting again, or doing something new, it’s not about breaking records, and it’s not about going far and fast. It’s about moving until your body says it’s had enough for today. And then doing it again tomorrow or the next day.
It's to consistently do more than what is normal for you. I’m not saying to consistently start fast and go hard. Start small and build on that progressively. It’s good news if you haven’t been exercising because more doesn’t need to be much. Many of you have already heard me say that many times. Small steps!
You can go out, if you haven’t been doing any exercise, and walk around the block a couple times and call that a victory, and then do it again tomorrow.
And here’s something that’s the most amazing thing: This is about the third or fourth run that I’ve done at about the 5 or 6 km distance and my body is finally starting to say, “You know what, I think that we can go a little faster. I think that we can go a little further,” and I’m not rushing that process because I want to be able to keep running, even if it’s slow and short, for the rest of my days because it’s something that I really enjoy.
So, as you’re thinking about movement this week, and contemplating the shift from?thinking to doing, may I make a suggestion?
Don’t go big. Toss that “go big or go home” mantra out the door and just go. Move at a pace that’s enjoyable, at a pace that’s pain free, at a pace that will allow you to keep going for a little while, and then turn around and go back home. Then do it again tomorrow.
You’ve got to find a way to make exercise enjoyable, sustainable, and something that you’re going to be able to do without injury or pain until you're old and grey. Just like my 88 year old mother, who is still enthusiastically walking three times each week with her walking group.
领英推荐
So there you go, a simple little message that I hope you’ll take to heart. We all need to start moving more post-Covid. I’m definitely one of those people.
Until next time, I’m Michelle Cederberg reminding you, we’ve got one chance to live this life. I say Dare to Live It Big , and dare to do it in a body that can take you into the future in a healthy and energetic way. We’ve got this!
? Don’t forget to sign up for my 6 Day Work-Life Reset . This is the perfect time of year to do it, and it’s free, so click the link, and get going!
? Sign up for my socials below, because there’s all sorts of interesting stuff coming down the pipe.
Get Social with me on:
Connect with me to chat about engaging virtual (or dare I say in-person) sessions for your team to boost resilience, manage stress and drive success, for post-pandemic productivity. And check out my virtual speaker demo here .
To purchase your copy of The Success-Energy Equation: How to Regain Focus, Recharge Your Life, and Really Get Sh!t Done visit Amazon , or for a signed copy go to successenergybook.com . OR, contact me about bulk order discounts for your whole team! It's also available as an audiobook wherever you download!
Stay tuned for my new ONLINE Refocus & Recharge program using this book as your guide!
Empowering today’s dreamers, leaders and go-getters to create the life and career they want.
403-850-5589
Coach | Father | Entrepreneur
2 年Very interesting article, thanks for sharing!