Its my fun run & Ill cry if I want to. Lessons in overpowering your subconscious & rebuilding self respect

The first time I crossed a finish line as an adult, I cried. Amazingly the 10km run that was behind me hadn’t killed me, but as I choked on my own tears I seriously considered that I might be about to meet my maker. Of course, I lived to tell the story of how I put on my shoes that morning and proved to myself that I was a person that could finish what I started.

When we start something but fail to see it through, we subconsciously begin a narrative that tells us that we aren’t in control of the way in which we choose to experience the world. Fad diets, workout challenges, commitments to journaling or silent meditation – we all have intentions we haven’t actioned. Subconsciously we begin looking at the world through the belief that sometimes things are just out of our control & giving up is justified & our excuses are excusable. This narrative will be the roadblock to the progress you crave, the changes you know that you need to make to live as the highest version of yourself.

How do we weaken the narrative that is holding us back? Running.

A commitment to running will give you the opportunity to reprogram your subconscious & build a new narrative – one that will better serve you in all areas of your life.

I dedicate time to running every morning. After ten years of this consistent practise – I still have to push myself to press the green start button on my treadmill. Very few of us will ever learn to truly love running. However, it’s in the resistance that I feel that I find magic. I lean into it. I let myself feel the laziness that grips me. I hear the excuses I make and the ways in which I doubt myself. I see the ways in which I procrastinate. Then I make a choice. Do I give into the parts of me that could keep me small or choose to step into the willing champion within me that is capable, strong and committed?

Having clarity around the type of partner I have committed to be, the role model I desperately want to be for my son & the way in which I want to show up in my business every day makes this an easy choice.

I run.

As I move, one foot in front of the other, I repeat affirmations that remind me that I get to choose who I am and who I become. I take control of my thoughts, my beliefs and my body.

All that we truly have is only what is within us. Nothing outside of ourselves can ever really be ours. Your car, your title, your job, your possessions, your partner – nothing is guaranteed and everything can be taken away in a moment.

Once you understand the gravity of that – you will never waste a moment of your precious time again. You will kiss your lover with your eyes closed and your hands wrapped around their neck like it’s the first time, every time. You will drop to your knees and look your child in their eyes every time they reach their sticky little fingers up towards you. You will lift your head and smile at the sky & allow yourself to be fascinated by all that is above us, beneath us and all around us.

Choosing to run, choosing to consciously decide who I am and who I will be each day is more powerful than I can describe. Framing my day in this way means that I am propelled forward to stretch, grow and expand relentlessly. Choosing to run and pulling my body, mind and spirit into alignment reminds me that anything is possible and everything I experience is within my control. It begins in the moment I wake up. In the choices I make. In the thoughts I cultivate. In the certainty I create. In the actions I take. Every day we begin again. A direct reflection of the choices we made yesterday. Tomorrow will be dictated by who we choose to be today.

So I choose to run every day. I no longer doubt that I will finish what I start in any area of my life.

This weekend there is a group of members from Geelong Boxing Club that will cross the finish line of the Melbourne Half Marathon having completed our beginners running program. I cannot wait for the moment when they throw their hands up in the air as the cross their first finish line, because I know that will be the beginning of a new chapter of their life.

Anything is possible when everything is a reflection of the choices you make.

5 WAYS TO HATE RUNNING A LITTLE LESS AND REAP THE REWARDS OF CONSISTENCY

1. Find a program to follow. The couch to 5km app is free and will give you a tried and tested structure to get you moving!

2. Invest in the right gear. A slight irritation will become a huge barrier to movement over time! Having shoes that are best suited to you as well as comfortable training gear made from breathable fabric makes a huge difference.

3. Create your own soundtrack. Use your time running to enjoy your favourite music or listen to an audiobook. This helps pass the time and when you begin to associate running with the time you listen to something you enjoy, you will begin to look forward to this part of your day!

4. Walk when you have to. Don’t let unrealistic expectations or perfectionist tendancies work against you. If you havent run in awhile its likely you wont get too far the first time you lace up and get moving. Thats fine! Walk when you have to. Just keep moving. Little by little, a little becomes a lot. Progress is only made if you keep showing up and keep putting one foot in front of the other.

5. See the bigger picture. You might never learn to love running, but you will love the positive side effects that consistent running delivers. Increased energy, potential weight loss, clarity, focus and an overall heightened sense of possibility. When you finish a run you will be flooded with feel good vibes that you will carry with you throughout the day. You will feel connected to your body and spirit and humbled by what you have been able to achieve.