Inspriation
cary...@wisc.edu
Recently, at a weight watchers meeting, one of the members, a tall fit
woman spoke of her journey.
She had lost 80 plus pounds, and one of the ways that she kept herself
going was she kept repeating to herself "I am an athlete". Initially,
she could only laugh at herself, as she never enjoyed exercise or
sports, but as she continued to lose weight and find exercise that fit
in to her life style, she said it with more conviction.
She reached her goal weight in a year, and now is very athletic,
pursuing many sports, and without a doubt she is an athlete.
I've always believed in the power of self talk, but her story inspired
me instantly, and I began my own mantras, not just for weight loss,
but in other pursuits as well. It's been two weeks, and I believe in
what I say and that I am the person I want to be..
(No, not going to be, but am)
Harry Webne-Behrman
motivate us, catalyzing creative possibilities, or being a major
roadblock that we can't get around, work harder to push through, and
then get exhausted.
When I get into the doldrums because I am stressed out (too much work,
etc.), I have found that if I tell myself, "What are you doing? Is
this how you wish to feel right now? Is this how you want to treat
those you care about?" I can start to turn it around.
I have also found that music is extremely powerful as a 'next step'
for reframing my self-talk and mindset... I will just start by singing
whatever comes to mind (it could be anything from classical to jazz to
Broadway musicals!) as I walk along... and pretty soon my mind is
having fun doing variations on the theme, switching into other
arrangements of the tune, etc. By the time I'm at my next destination,
I am mentally and physically prepared to enter that situation with a
positive framing of what is now before me.
So yes -- self talk is the window into our possibilities -- and I
build from it musically into preparing for the next challenge.
-Harry