If you’re like me, the quest
to be in shape and manage weight feels overwhelming. And, as if the quest to be
fit isn’t hard enough, there’s often other obstacles to overcome: health issues,
time management, mustering up courage or energy. Even if you’ve been exercising
for a long time, there’s always new barriers to be broken. So, how to put all
of this into perspective?
According to Tom Turner, executive
liaison for the Spina Bifida Association that’s exactly it: Perspective. And
also, according to him, there’s no mountain too high to climb. Tom would know.
Paralyzed from the waist down since birth he’s now 35 and trains about three
times a week. In fact, he tells me, he just couldn’t get along without
exercise.
So in my quest for the last
word on overcoming barriers in fitness, Tom sat down with me and together we
came up with 3 basic principles that will help break-down fears and
intimidations when striving to reach fitness goals. (After all, if he can
exercise on a regular basis, shouldn’t that be encouragement enough for anyone
to give it a shot?)
Principle #1 Move Into The Fear.
Train you mind to believe no
mountain is too high or any goal is too difficult to attain, Tom tells me. Basically, it’s all about
meeting your fears and facing them head-on. In this principle, aim to recognize
your fears, acknowledge them and then move through them. Ask yourself what is
it that makes you uncomfortable? Have you let yourself get out of shape and are
afraid you’ll never get back? Do you have an injury that’s caused you to be
afraid of your body? If you can visualize creatively, then you can put your
fears in check. See your self as you’d like to be. Remember: your body loves
you and has the potential to heal itself to perfection. Your only job is to
trust it and listen.
Principle #2 Trust Your Intuition.
It is important when
overcoming obstacles and learning to break through barriers that you begin to
listen to the still small voice of your body. In most cases, we all want the
comfort of having someone telling us what we can and cannot do. However, our
highest truth lies within us. This is not to say that the good opinion of
others is not important, but ultimately the decision making comes from within.
When facing a challenge or
an obstacle look to how you feel. What are your instincts telling you? Often it
is simply your instinct that will move you into a new mindset and raise your
consciousness. I wasn’t about to let the wheelchair stand in my way, Tom tells me. In fact, he says he had to
merely change his perspective about it. He says he first had to learn about
what his restrictions were then, create a boundary for himself. We all have
boundaries, he tells me. Regardless if a
person can walk or not, obstacles are as unique as people themselves. Therefore,
it’s first best to know your boundaries.
Next, Tom tells me he aims
to meet those boundaries. I first reach
as high as I can within the confines of what I am able to do. Whether it be
more sets, reps or greater endurance, I allow myself as much time as necessary
to accomplish my small goals. It always surprises me, with small steps, how
quickly I can reach a Big goal.
Principle #3 Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.
What then, about fear? I
wanted to know. If we move into the fear and meet it eye to eye what if fear
meets us there? So, I asked Tom:
are you ever afraid? After 19
operations in my life, I’ve really come to terms with fear, he says. It really comes down to our most
primal fear; fear of death. Once you realize that death is all part of the
divine plan, it’s liberating, you can let it go and, instead, choose how to
live. So instead of being afraid of death I decided to choose how to live.
So what’s the take away
message? Talking to Tom, I’m reminded of the poem by Dylan Thomas who
said: Do Not Go Gentle into That Good
Night. It seems appropriate here. The bottom line: Staying afraid often keeps
us from truly living. Tom reminds me that a positive attitude is key, Life is all about attitude. He also says he
could let fear beat him down, yet he doesn’t. I wouldn’t want to miss being
part of tomorrow, he concludes. That
said, what fears are getting in your way? Make today the right time to face
them.
When you’ve faced your fears
and pushed your boundaries to the edges, what then? I wanted to know. Tom
smiles. Find a new mountain to climb, he
says matter-of-factly. It’s what makes life fun. I know I have considerations.
I know that there will be days that I’ll need to stay in bed and rest while my
braces are getting tuned up. It’s those times when I am with my thoughts that I
decide what I am going to set my sights on.
Author’s Note: In my
personal quest to live beyond the boundaries I’ve chosen Tom as my role model
(lucky for me, he's my brother). We so often look to the media for these
sources and so often they are illusory. There are real
people everywhere doing great things...look around you; angels are
everywhere! Learn from them. Choose someone you look up to, admire or of whom
you appreciate their values. Set goals, climb mountains! Set intention in
motion and enjoy the healthy process. fitness,
inspiration, wellness
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