We live in an era that bombards us with advertisements and people who will tell you that you can and should “get fit quick!” “lose 10 pounds by noon today!” “get off your ass and into a triathlon!” (maybe not verbatim, but you catch my drift) and in the case of many popular diets, to do it all on 500 calories a day.
I totally understand the whole instant gratification thing. Why else would microwaves have been invented? Putting time and effort into something where the results aren’t in the foreseeable future- that’s tough. How many times have you heard people write off careers because of how many years of schooling it will take to attain them? We don’t want to waste our precious time!
Which makes sense! Absolutely. I was just talking to a good friend recently about how so many of us have seen our parents or our parent’s parents work their asses off to get THINGS. More money, better job, better house, better vacation house, college education for children, toys, better toys, boats… And then we ask ourselves “Is it really worth it? Is all that money worth the lack of time doing what you really want and time spent with family?” Some say yes. Some say no. And while I absolutely understand the importance of hard work and realizing that what we do and do not do now very much effects our future; it seems like there is rarely a happy medium.
Does it have to either be: Go all out full speed ahead and kill ourselves now to reap rewards or… do absolutely nothing & live in stagnation? What happened to the middle ground; the slow and steady?
I have this theory
-and it quite possibly could be wrong. It’s just what I’ve gathered after doing this all out vs. nothing to myself over the years-
I think when we push ourselves so hard so frequently we forget who that little voice inside is. Not the Jiminy Cricket conscience but, for lack of a better word here, your intuition. Why else would so many different lifestyles be pushed every direction we look? Paleo vs. veganism; strength training with weights vs. body weight training; HIIT vs slow rate cardio… and seriously, people, that is JUST pertaining to fitness and health!
There are so many different books, documentaries, movies and individuals quite literally screaming from atop their soap box about the “best way to live!” The problem being, when it comes down to it, we are all so incredibly different. One person or group’s way of doing something that works lovely for them may be the complete opposite of what is good for you!
But we’ll try ’em all, right?! I mean, someone has to be right. …Right?
I don’t know. Maybe we are all just too incredibly different to share any particular strict lifestyle for long periods of time while thriving. Or maybe not. I think the important thing to realize is that what you: your body, your mind, your intuition, your ethics, your past, your genetics, says is right for you.
That’s a tough one for me! Often times I want the magic pill. The quick fix. The easy money. The instant enlightenment. And this is true especially when it comes to fitness and food and health. Sometimes the work is hard! When there is no end in sight it becomes easier to lack ambition. With so many options out there and so many people preaching their way like gospel- let’s just be honest: it’s easy to become confused.
But I’m learning, for me, that when I try to do things the “easy way”, in other words the way it’s worked for other people- well I might as well just take a hammer to my intuition and beat it as far down and inward as it will go. It’s as if I’m telling myself,
“Hey, Taune, other people know you way better than yourself.”
Which is absolutely not true! No one knows me better than me. No one knows you better than you, either.
The only thing that comes from following other people with such preciseness and taking their path on as your own it that it will just make more hard work for you later when you try to dig your intuition out from where you beat him or her to.
There is a BIG difference between feeling motivated by others and emulating or following them.
This is something I’ve found to be true in so many areas of life- but today I just want to keep it to fitness and health.
So here’s the thing, I didn’t listen to my intuition yesterday or the day before. And afterwards felt horribly sick and have dealt with an excruciating migraine for a day and a half now. Not fun! It was something silly and simple, nothing big: after a day of feeling very under the weather I ignored my body and had two cocktails out. Then the next morning decided to try a new hour long boxing bootcamp class. (Did I mention it’s that TOM, too? ..Sorry fellas!) So here I am, feeling pretty drab and dealing with some physical and mental muck all because I decided that what I wanted in the moment was more important than how it would make me feel later. I could have saved myself some grief by tuning into that inward voice a little more and heard it saying, “Take it easy! You can go all out tomorrow.” But, you know, I didn’t.
I know that’s a small example, but without being mindful of what happened things like that could become a domino effect and onto much larger issues. Health is wealth! Balance is key.
This struggle with balance seems to be a common occurrence in my life and others. It seems to tie in very well with the philosophy of mindfulness. Balance is not the same for me as it is for you or anyone else. We are all wildly different even though we all look very much the same.
There are so many intricacies within all of us and it is important for me to remember that just because you may do a strenuous 1200 calorie busting bootcamp six times a week and love it… I may do better practicing yoga seven times a week. Or five. Or three. (Or vice versa) One probably isn’t better than the other in general. Results seem to be dependent on you and your body.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve assumed someone had a crazy epic gym routine and been told or read it was all due to yoga or pilates or some totally non-conventional way to get in that kind of shape. What?!!
It’s so easy to get caught up in the “shoulds” the “coulds” and the group think. The whole ideal of what works for someone else in absolute perfection (…supposedly) must work for you! Nope. Not having it. Let’s start a revolution in knowing who we are, right? In not absorbing all information as fact and eagerly joining in.
And in this particular case, knowing what works for us and our fitness and health. A small but real revolution that can spill off into other parts of our life, no?
Whether you choose to push your limits today or not, I hope you listen to what is truly going on within and without of yourself and make the conclusion based on that …and nothing else, really.
Here’s one of my favorite quotes from the late, the great: George Carlin-
Small print, I know. It says, “I don’t like the ass kissers, flag wavers or team players. I like people who buck the system. Individualists. I often warn people: “Somewhere along the way, someone is going to tell you, “There is no “I” in ‘team.’ What you should tell them is, ‘Maybe not. But there is an “I” in independence, individuality and integrity.”‘ Avoid teams at all cost. Keep your circle small. Never join a group that has a name, If they say, “We’re the So-and-So’s,” take a walk. And if, somehow, you must join, if it’s unavoidable, such as a union or a trade association, go head and join. But don’t participate; it will be your death. And if they tell you you’re not a teal player, congratulate them on being observant.”
So! With that! My (and quite possibly your) mission, should we choose to accept it? Take everything everyone says with a grain of salt. And a shot of tequila. Or Rum. Or Kombucha. Or, you know.. nothing. You decide.
I hope you have an equally rebellious AND zenful weekend!
Lots of love-
ZEN DEN 