After many days and many pounds of not going to the gym, I finally got myself there tonight. I dove in and did a 50-minute spinning class. I was sure that I was pushing myself too hard, and that my less limber body would not make it through, but I decided to torment myself nonetheless. After all, if I want to shed a few pounds, I need to start someplace.
As the instructor had us turn up the resistance, climb out of our seats, and push harder, my mind said, "sit down, take it easy, it's been 6 months and there's no way you're going to keep up." Despite these thoughts, I found my body living up to the challenge. That got me thinking about my experiences living overseas, and I realized my thoughts could be applied to this experience (as well as many others!) Here's what I surmised:
The body is often wiser than the mind. Even when my thoughts went to, "there's no possible way I can push harder than this," my hand turned up the resistance, and my body eagerly ran faster and harder. I was not short on breath, my heart beat was normal, and I realized my body signals were a better indicator of what I could do than my mind. Similarly, when you allow your mind to come up with reasons and excuses and fears, you may hold yourself back from experiences that you are fully capable of, if you'd just allow yourself to try.
If you want something badly enough, you can do it. At each point that I lost some steam, I just reminded myself that I went to the gym to lose weight, and if I wanted to succeed, I had to keep going even in the moments I didn't want to. It helps to have a goal for yourself - figure out something you want to accomplish during your relocation, or whatever transition you're in the middle of. It should be important enough that in the low moments, you can remind yourself of this goal to get re-charged.
Your results depend directly on your effort. The more I was willing to push myself, the more weight I would lose. Similarly, if you do nothing to enjoy your new life, apart from feeling sad, and sitting at home depressed, you'll end up isolated. If you go outside and explore the new world around you, you'll open doors of opportunity,
You can go at your own pace. It's my decision whether I compete with my classmates and try to go faster, or honor my body's signals when it needed to go slower. The important part is not to be like everyone else, rather you should be true to yourself. So, if you need to take your time, or jump right in, either way is correct - just make sure you get going.
If you found these tips helpful, consider downloading my "8 Steps to Feel at Home Anywhere in the World" eCourse to further inspire you to relocate successfully and happily.
Heather is a Culture Transition Specialist. She works with Expatriates (anyone that transfers to a new city or country for work) and their families to handle the social, personal, and professional challenges that arise after relocating to a new city or country.
Learn more at http://www.culturetransition.com where you can sign up for the Culture Transition Success newsletter, and get a free article with more useful tips, and a free affirmation file to encourage you along the process!
You can access my eCourse "8 Steps to Feel at Home Anywhere in the World" at http://www.8stepstofeelathome.com - a $19.97 value
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