Creating Control

Exercise is the jewel in the crown for me. It is the one thing that made everything possible. I wasn’t able to understand ALL that exercise would do for me until I was in there moving and experiencing my inner challenges opening up to me in a way I hadn’t been able to ever access before. Before exercise I was in a state of learned helplessness. This is the idea that someone repeatedly face uncontrollable, stressful situations, then does not exercise control when it becomes available. They have learned that they are helpless in that situation and no longer try to change it, even when change is possible.

Change was possible for me It was always possible. I just chose not to access it because I believed “my problems” could not be changed. But, this is absolute BUUUULL crap. After repeated failures I started to lose motivation and really honestly thought there was no point and I failed to take action. Exercise was the key for me to learn how to adapt. Yes, crap is going to hit us in the face all the time (like directly, square in the face) but, with the right tools we can learn adaptive responses to these stressful situations. There are always solutions…ALWAYS. Please do not let this state or feeling overcome you because we can overcome it. With exercise you learn that you do have control. Control over your effort and attitude. Learned helplessness is all about not having control and by showing up everyday and retraining your inner voice to, “Hey I can do this. I have the power to change my situation because I am in control of my life always and in all ways.”

Lifestyle changes are key in moving past this barrier. I want you to write down 5 different changes that you vow to take control over these next 4 weeks. I am going to help you out with two… I want you to write them down and sign your name and think of 2 things that you can personally do to help each of these changes be successful. 

•  Apply Self-Compassion 
• Food diary