Make Change That Lasts – Part 3
Step/Tip #3 is:
* You Have to Change the Way You Think
If we are going to change the way we act, then we MUST change the way we think! We have all heard that sports, etc are 80-90% mental. Not sure if there are any hard facts behind that number and honestly it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that most people (if not all people) agree that the mind is a VERY powerful part of who we are! So we need to use our minds to assist us in this change process! In fact, if we don’t get our minds focused properly on the change then we are destined for failure. You see the way you THINK determines the way you FEEL. The way you FEEL determines the way you ACT. So if you want to change the way you act, you must change the way you think!
Here’s my personal example…A few years ago I injured my neck doing Judo (I still love Judo…I was the dumb one that tried something stupid and it failed miserably so please don’t get a negative connotation about Judo). Long story short for an entire year I was in chronic pain! It hurt to stand, sit, sleep, drive…pretty much everything hurt my neck. I lost strength in my right arm, hand, and fingers. There was a fairly constant tingling in my right arm, hand, and fingers. I went through lots of physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, etc. And after months, I still wasn’t seeing much improvement. All the doctors began telling me that I might just have to learn to live the rest of my life with this pain and these symptoms! I could no longer work out – it was just too much pain. I knew I needed to do something physical for my health so I started running more. Yes it still hurt (a lot) to run but not nearly as bad as lifting weights or other forms of exercise.
I refused to accept this was going to be the new norm…I was constantly miserable. I kept rehabbing and seeing a chiropractor and praying for God to heal me. About a year later, I was completely healed…and my neck still feels great today! Now here’s how all that ties into my point for today…I had never really had the appreciation for just being healthy and not being in pain constantly! I now have so much sympathy for those that have chronic pain! So once I was healed, I began to see my exercising and running as a BLESSING!! I’ve always enjoyed exercising but I honestly don’t enjoy running (I force myself to do it). So instead of saying, “I have to go run” or “I need to get up and go run, exercise, etc” and say, “I GET to go exercise” or “I GET to go run!” I think back to my pain or I think about others who might be confined to a wheel chair and how badly they desire to be able to physically just go for a run! So by changing my thinking from “I HAVE to do something”…..It becomes, “I GET to go do something!” This can apply to your job, your spiritual life, your family life, etc. In reality we are blessed beyond what we tend to “believe” at times. Focus on those blessings and change you mind to you “GET to do….”
The tough battle that change sometimes involves, starts in our minds! Fight that battle first and the physical, emotional, and spiritual change will be easier!
This has been a game changer for me and I hope this helps you in becoming that better version of yourself and being Grittier!!