creating awareness & kicking the habit of blah

na pali coast

kicking the habit of blah

Sometimes when we head out for a workout, it’s more about habit. Getting it done. Ticking it off the list of to-dos we have scheduled for the day. An obligatory session so we can eat dessert later.

We go through the motions and feel good afterwards, but how often do we pay attention to what we’re doing while we do it? How often has an injury occurred due to lack of attention? Or maybe we find ourselves tired. Or bored. Our routine has become rote. Methodical. Predictable. Weren’t we supposed to be having fun?

Learning how to create more awareness during your workouts can help kick the habit of “blah” and infuse new life and a sense of fun into your training.

Paying attention and creating awareness is a practice. Like yoga or meditation, practicing mindfulness doesn’t have an “end.” It’s a continual practice that presents new information in different ways, each time we embark on it with consciousness.

why is it important to increase awareness?

• Awareness can decrease injury (you might feel and thus treat that tell-tale twinge or tweak before it becomes chronic).
• Awareness can spark new curiosity and appreciation for the experience, keeping our workouts fresh and new.
• Awareness can illuminate your progress more clearly. Small changes in your body and mind become apparent and a cause for celebration and success, keeping our level of motivation up.

look around you

Focus on your sense of sight. What do you see? It doesn’t matter where you are, or what activity you’re engaged in. Look around you. See the big picture. Look at the details. Imagine you are a fly on the wall (or a butterfly watching from a budding leaf). What colors are present? Are they bright? Dull? How many shades of blue can you see?

Are there patterns in front of you? If you’re inside, what’s on the walls? Ceiling? Floor? If you’re outside, are the trees blooming? Or are ice crystals forming on the branches? What do they look like?

Our sight is a gift. Look around you and see with new eyes. What’s different? What’s surprising? What lessons will you take home with you?