Running is about "Losing" too...

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“With every loss you gain something that you can never lose at all” - Merlin Selvan

Running is not just about “Gaining” – an important aspect of Running is about “Losing” as well.

As a famous saying goes “Sometimes gain comes from losing, and sometimes loss comes from gaining”. While in life we always focus on doing activities where we Gain something… It is time to look at things differently and focus on “Gains” from “Losing” as well – You wonder how? Let me share few of my learnings….. read on…

I have been running for more than 8 years now, and apart from the physical fitness that it provides, it has helped me learn the art of being mindful and present (still learning…). Be it running or any other sport, I think there are numerous hidden benefits than the ones that the sport provides explicitly.

Running has opened my eyes to a new world and taught me to look at things with a different lens. The first thing that I lost was the straightjacketed thought process ??. And then few more followed-

1.??????Fitness vs just Weight – By consistent and planned running schedule, you will lose weight and at times which is very difficult to lose. By building an activity you will be able to help your body become fitter and lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way. It helps to improve your metabolism, helps you create an after burn which helps in consuming more calories even at rest. One of the reason a friend of mine (and I learnt from him) runs consistently is because he wants to be able to eat and drink anything (of course in moderation).?I have seen friends who have lost as much as 60 kgs in one year – because of their dedication, determination and focus. It is about “consistency” and “commitment”.

2.??????Holistic habits vs unhealthy Habits – What could be healthy for one can be unhealthy for the other and vice versa- the art is to lose the lens of looking at habits as healthy vs unhealthy and think more holistically when assessing a habit.

Once you start on the running journey, it opens your eyes to a healthy and happy way of living. This is because you tend to be regular in your workouts, you need to have a proper schedule and you take time out to do your workouts, through the year, despite and inspite of your busy schedules and extreme weather. I know of many professionals, doctors, Business Leaders who are very regular in their workouts – even when they are traveling across continents. And when you build that consistency – you lose the habit of binge eating, eating the right food at the right time, focus on rest and sleep and understand your body better.

3.??????Insecurity – While you set yourself small goals in running and improve on those, it helps you in becoming a more confident YOU. A fitter body also helps to give you the feeling of achievement to be proud of. A runner friend transformed himself by displaying the constant progress he made over a period of time – building from 10k to half marathon and a full marathon – or even improving on his timings consistently. Any physical activity also helps in releasing Happy hormones which boost your mood and confidence making you more cheerful and a better personality. With each step and achievement you challenge yourself more to move to the next challenge and help you discover yourself and your potential.

4.??????Lose the Alarm – Your mind clock starts working for you as a timekeeper as well as an alarm. You will not need an alarm to wake you up, your body will automatically know when it is time for you to wake up and go for the run (early morning or at midnight – whatever works for you). And in India with the weather during the summers – it’s best to start early and finish early – so you have extra time in your day, post your workout to be ready for office. You gain by building a more conscious and sharper mind.

5.??????Inefficiencies – You also tend to lose inefficient time management – as you have an early start, it helps you complete lot of your work early in the morning without the distractions and makes your day more productive. It worked wonders for me and you can enjoy the day better without the hassles of juggling lot of things.

6.??????Losing your introvert self - Runners will always make friends wherever they go – and I have personally met a lot of people during my long weekend runs – which has also helped me build my network.

7. Fear of Failure - As a Runner you lose the fear of failure because you want to better yourself and run longer, run faster, run better.

8. Arrogance - You lose arrogance - since there will be people who are better at some aspect - maybe discipline, or who can run longer or who can run faster. Or some who are there just to enjoy to run

During the runs, you will always see, whichever part of the world, runners wishing each other and motivating them to carry on. Even if they do not know you, they will share a smile as you cross each other or give a high five.

So Running will help in discovering and exploring a new YOU. To bring forward the dormant potential by challenging your inner self – and the competition is within you. It is a journey to go deep inside what is in your heart and mind – to build on it and help build your goals.

It’s just about building the habit and keep repeating it that works . One of my coaches in the early days always used to say “it’s all in the mind” – it surely is in the mind.

So is true for Coaching - which helps you lose your inhibitions and helps you realize and achieve your potential, helps you lose your inhibitions, inculcate the healthy (good) habits and stay away from negative emotions. Coaching helps you in being mindful of whatever you are doing, cope and embrace the change.

#Coaching #Lifelessons #running #mindfulness