What’s your mindset like right now?
We’ve been living through a pandemic for about a year, and I want to talk a little about your mental game. Everyone knows a gym involves movement, but many other things support that movement—things like nutrition, sleep and stress management.
I probably don’t have to tell you that fitness helps with stress management. You know how good it feels to hit a workout and clear your mind!
But we only get to see you for that hour, so I want to give you three things you can do to reduce stress and improve your mindset outside the gym. I know that lists and tasks can feel daunting at times, so this stuff is super simple and super fast.
1. Breathe for 60 Seconds
You breathe all day, I know. But so many of us forget to take a second to tune out all the notifications and just sit. We’ll “habit stack” this with your morning cup of coffee or beverage. For 60 seconds, clear your mind and focus on breathing. Eyes open, eyes closed—whatever. If thoughts pop into your head, just watch them drift by like clouds in the sky. You might be amazed how calming this can be.
2. Write Down One “Win” for the Day
Right after you’re finished breathing, write down a single thing you can do to feel good today. Cross it off the list when you make it happen. It can be very simple: “Make sure to pick up vegetables on the way home” or “Stretch for 10 minutes in front of the TV.” It doesn’t matter what you pick. What matters is that you create an opportunity to win. I’d recommend you do this on the same piece of paper or digital notepad so you can see a huge list of wins stacking up.
3. Do Something Nice for Someone
When you get stressed and tense, it can be hard to look outside yourself. But by consciously making someone else feel good, you’ll improve your own mood. Everyone is stressed these days, and if you can brighten someone’s day just a little, you’re going to be surrounded by good vibes. This doesn’t have to be a big task. Maybe you just tell a coworker “you did a great job today” or maybe you cook dinner for your partner tonight. Just do something small—it will feel huge after you do it and see the smile you created.
If you’d like to work more on your mindset, we can help you, just like we help you with fitness and nutrition. https://msgsndr.com/widget/appointment/service/free-intro-nutrition?group=sycamore-crossfit