7 Tips For Getting Stronger And Overcoming Your Fears
The internet is chock-full of articles outlining how an individual can work at getting stronger. At a glance, it can be completely overwhelming to sift through the piles of information, all of it seemingly addressing the same thing in different ways.
For some of us, it can feel impossible — not just to work through all of the information provided but also to move past physical or mental barriers that keep us from physical activity. But there are so many reasons to make it a priority, despite the challenges.
Regular exercise can slow the aging process and improve mental health. Thus, on a daily basis it has the potential to make you feel better physically and emotionally.
Even if you believe that getting started on the road to getting stronger is an impossible endeavor, take a moment to consider if that’s actually true. If changing the amount of activity you do in a week is something you want, you owe it to yourself to do all you can to achieve what’s important to you.
When Getting Stronger Seems Impossible
If you’ve previously looked at recommended methods of getting fit and come to the conclusion that it’s impossible, you’re likely just not seeing all of the possibilities.
There are a lot of reasons an individual’s physical abilities may be limited. Perhaps the years of your physical prime have passed, or perhaps you’ve just had a baby. Whatever the reason, there is always a place to begin and the time to start overcoming your fears is now. There is always a more doable version of virtually every type of exercise under the sun and a way to incorporate activity into your routine.
Focus On What You Can Do
Again, the temptation may be to dwell on everything you can’t do. But resist that tendency. Instead of zeroing in on everything you can’t do, focus on what you are capable of and work towards getting stronger at that.
Krystee Ryiz, Corporate Director of Customer Engagement at Benchmark Senior Living, says the elderly “may be afraid that exercise will be too strenuous, or that physical activity will harm them. The opposite is often the case. An inactive lifestyle can cause older adults to lose ground in areas that are important for staying healthy and independent: strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance.”
That rings true for a lot of us, even those who have something other than age preventing us from getting out there.
So, maybe you can’t jog at all, but you can probably go for a walk, and that walk may change your life.
According to NBC’s Brianna Steinhilber, “When comparing the results of the most recent National Runners’ Health Study with the National Walkers’ Health Study, researchers found that the energy used for moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running resulted in similar reductions in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease over the study’s six year period.”
The moral of the story is that you should never discount the positive impact of what you are able to accomplish.
Focus On Preventing Injury
If you’re reluctant to start, it is going to be nearly impossible to continue if you become injured. So educate yourself about how to prevent that from happening in relation to the specific exercise you’re engaged in. Don’t let a failure to understand be the reason why your efforts fizzle out.
The health professionals at GoHealth note that two of the most important components for preventing injury are listening to your body and not doing more than you can handle.The key is a smart balance. You should push yourself, but exercise ceases to be self-care if you’re not actually taking care of yourself.
When You Can’t Find the Motivation
This is a problem as old as time, and it can feel as difficult as any physical barrier to climb past. Exercise is hard, and at times it can feel impossible to choose it over other things that are far more immediately gratifying.
If this is a challenge that resonates with you, it likely doesn’t come as a surprise to you that one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to become healthier, but 80 percent of those who set that resolution abandon it by the second week in February.
It’s a universal struggle, but you can take steps to subdue it.
Remember Why Getting Stronger Matters
Your motivation to do something is closely tied to what you believe to be true. If you are motivated by something superficial, you’re unlikely to stick to a change that has difficult elements. Don’t make this about what you see in the mirror, but about how you feel. If you truly believe in the value of your goal, you’ll be far more likely to stick to it.
Doing it because you think you should and not because you want to feel better or you want to be a valuable example for your children, etc., will not produce the results you’re hoping to achieve. Instead, they’ll result in a burnout that will likely make you even less likely to try again in the future.
Find Accountability
The very elements that have likely kept you from finding an accountability partner are the same elements that will prompt you to stick to your goals. If a friend is waiting for a report of your efforts, you’re going to want to have something to report. Additionally, if there’s another person waiting for you at the gym, the basketball court or the trail, you’re not going to ditch them — you’re going to show up. If you have a hard time doing it for yourself, find someone you’re willing to do it for.
Have Fun Getting Stronger!
It may sound crazy, how can an impossible challenge be fun? However, don’t be so sure. If it seems impossible for it to be enjoyable, it may be your perception and not actually reality.
So, if there’s an activity you’ve ever wanted to try, try it. If there’s a sport you used to enjoy, consider how you might reintroduce it into your life. Pick a partner who you enjoy being with and trust. Wear athletic clothing that makes you feel confident.
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Remember that taking care of yourself right now is more important than any future goal.
Ultimately, what you believe to be true and what you value shouldn’t take a back seat to your feelings, because the former is long-lasting while the latter are transient. Even if you feel like the road to strength is one that’s just too tough to walk down, remember that your feelings aren’t always your friends. Instead, when the little voice in your head tells you that it’s just too hard, respond with the truth, which is that you can do the things that are important to you.