Did you know loving yourself can help you with exercise?

How do you feel about exercise? Do you view it as a punishment? Do you view it as a way to earn your worthiness? What if, instead, exercise could simply be a way to ENJOY moving your body? What if it could be an extension of the love and gratitude you have for yourself and your ability to move? Would this change the way you exercise? It’s the critical voice in your head that creates the negative association with exercise. When is the last time you were around a young kid? They LOVE to move their bodies – there’s no criticism, shrinking or negative self-talk. The just skip, hop, dance and wiggle for the JOY of it. Would you be willing to try moving your body with this in mind? If you have a negative association with exercise, you’re less likely to move your body on a regular basis. Who would want to move if it’s a punishment? I recently spoke with a client about her resistance to exercise. She became aware that she did view exercise as a punishment for being overweight, and she didn’t enjoy going for walks at all. She shifted her mindset and began focusing on enjoying the scenery and the weather and feeling grateful for her body’s ability to walk. She renamed her walks “happy walks”! The critical voice in your head can also make the exercise you do less effective. We all know that exercise can get tough at times. If you’re saying things to yourself like “I hate this” or “I suck at this”, you’re more likely to slow down or quit when it gets challenging. Allowing a loving voice to lead the way will do the opposite. If you’re saying things like “I’ve got this” and “I can do it”, you’re likely to push harder, burn more calories and get better results. Plus, you’ll feel better about yourself, so you’re more likely to want to exercise again next time. Ready to shift your relationship with exercise? Try speaking to yourself with a loving voice before, during and after exercise and let me know how it affects you. Love and light,

Mendy