Uh huh…Do it anyway.
Gym memberships balloon as people charge forward towards their New Year’s resolutions, but by mid February almost 80% of people quit. Why? Lack of motivation.
“It’s too cold.” “I’m too busy.” “I don’t have the time.” “I’m too tired in the morning/during lunch/after work/at night” “It’s too hard.” “I don’t feel like it today.”
Uh huh…do it anyway.
Have you heard of Shoma Morita? He was a Japanese psychologist inspired by Zen Buddhism who created the Morita Therapy around 1920 for patients experiencing anxiety; but a lot of what he says can be applied to life today. One component is that you cannot control your feelings but you can control your behavior.
For example, I hate eating healthy. HATE IT. I once participated in a blogger challenge about nutrition. Know what I wrote? “Fitness Cheerleader wants to know my 5 favorite vegetables…I don’t like vegetables. The end.” Don’t believe me?- read here: 5 Favorite Vegetables
But guess what? I still eat vegetables. Today I ate green beans (yuck) and broccoli (gag!) and Chinese snow peas (ok, those were actually pretty good.) Morita’s point here is that you can’t control how you feel (“I hate health food“) but you can control how you behave (“But I will eat health food.”)
Many of his patients dealt with fear, anxiety, and procrastination due to a desire for perfection. He urged them to acknowledge their feelings but move forward with their actions anyway. It’s kind of liberating when you think about it. You don’t have to be “inspired” or “in the mood” you just have to follow Nike’s mantra and Just Do It.
Lisa
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I am going to try and adopt this attitude towards healthy foods I dislike. Eggs are probably the number one food I don’t like but should just eat anyway.
When I’m training for a competition I have to eat 13-15 egg whites per day. I miss the yolk!
I used to hate veges as well but honestly after forcing myself to eat them long enough I eventually learned to like them!
I’m still in the “learning” stages…but I sure like how they make my body feel.
Your comments on broccoli and green beans made me laugh.
Thanks – hee hee
Preach it girl! But do you really hate all veg?! I at least have a few I love that I can circle around while avoiding the beets and zucchini.
I think I went close to a decade without eating any greens at all. Ever. The only fruit I ate was the occasional apple. I honestly don’t know how I didn’t get scurvy.
Lol that makes what you do so much more impressive. My problem is more so that I love ALL food! In very large quantities. Preferably with butter. Just saying… Butter.
Then you will like this post: I Can’t Believe You Won’t Let Me Eat I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.
I go with the knowledge that if my plate isn’t colorful….probably not good for me.
I do buy some veggie mixes with olive oil and seasonings. It’s a quick way to make sure I am eating them.
My husband makes me guacamole and I eat them with cucumber slices, that way I get to pretend they are chips. Oh the little mind games I have to play to get in my veggies!