How do you apply the power cultivated in the gym to real-life scenarios?
Imagine walking through the world with that movie superhero swagger. There is no doubt about your vision for yourself, your life, or the world. Confidence and excitement are the flagstones of the path you pave, and guess what?! This fantastical scene can be your reality!
When you’re in the gym, working on strength, you enter into a process of repetitively creating and confronting stress. In this context, the stress I’m referring to is beneficial and controllable. You decide how far to take it and how far to push yourself. Your body will exhibit signs of heightened nervous system arousal. Your heart will beat faster, you sweat, and your breathing changes. Your brain communicates desired movement to your muscles through a specific set of nerves called motor neurons. The more your brain fires signals to your muscles when repeating an exercise, the more muscle fiber, and motor neurons are created. This is how your body proudly reminds you, “Look! We can change.”
Using our bodies this way is how we get stronger physically. You have to break down muscle tissue for it to regenerate with increased size and strength. With repetition and consistency, we can master even a difficult physical challenge. You can apply that same predictable formula to your problems IRL. This potential for change isn’t limited to your physicality; it also demonstrates what you are capable of in the world. Dopamine and serotonin, neuro-modulators that we associate with positive states of being, increase their production due to exercise. Testosterone, the trademark hormone for aggressive and sexual behavior, is actively present when we’re getting sh*t done. These are all powerful biochemical weapons we can proactively create and tap into to assist us in manifesting what we most desire without burnout. Your dream of confidently tackling life’s challenges does NOT have to deplete you!
While working out, creating a virtual reality experience will help you embody that version of yourself in the office, at home, or anywhere you desire. Follow these steps.
What scenario or problem do you have to confront/resolve?
Be as specific as possible. Not “I want to give a good presentation,” but “I want to clearly and confidently share the knowledge I have in my presentation. My co-workers and boss are going to be blown away.” When we practice having clear objectives and successfully reach them in the gym, we begin to see all challenges in life this way. This habit creates new neural pathways to an automatic thought process of strategic planning. This turns seemingly insurmountable challenges into very doable action steps.
How do you want to feel?
Let’s continue with the above scenario. Confidence is an unmistakable quality you’ll want to embody, but what about excitement, joy, or pride? These are the states of being you’ll want to create for yourself in your workout and applicable scenarios. You could be in the middle of that presentation and start to lose your nerve. No problem! You can take a breath and remember what it felt like to swing a kettlebell or bench press something heavy. Breathing with that imagery is a form of grounding. When we connect to that memory deeply, it creates the same physiological cascade of chemicals your body felt when lifting. This process can lead you back into your happy place, your excitement, and your power.
Set the scene!
Wear something that makes you feel good. You’re creating a persona in this process, a character you can slip into before your big event. What’s your superhero costume? It’s not about wearing something that others would approve of, but wearing something that makes YOU FEEL
Best! This persona can become like a second skin. Put the same level of intention into your physical presentation when getting ready for anything else. Feeling YOUR best creates more of those mood-boosting hormones like serotonin and a variety of endorphins.
Choose your soundtrack.
Of course, the music you choose to listen to will contribute to getting you in the right pace and rhythm and the right headspace. Create a playlist that makes you feel strong, invincible, intelligent, sexy...whatever you want. Personally, I love fiery and activating Heavy Metal with lots of Lizzo, Cardi B, and other female powerhouses thrown in. I can feel those beats in my blood like an injection of power. This is about creating a robust virtual experience. If your body is driven by a beat that emotionally lights you up, your heart rate and brain waves will shift. You can play this same soundtrack, in any event, to remind you of how capable you really are.
Use positive self-talk.
“I’ve got this!” “I’m amazing!” “Good job.” This is the unique “glue” you use to combine all your efforts. This is often the most challenging part. It takes a leap of faith to fill yourself with the positivity you need to change your frame of mind. But your mindset is critical. If you believe something to be possible, then it is! Btw, It’s OK if you don’t believe the positive statements you’re making. Fake it till you make it, baby! You’re building good habits, reflexes, and capabilities. Remember, none of the benefits of that physical labor will translate into the rest of your life if you still use denigrating self-talk. You are trying to create a new way of being deep in your nervous system. Suppose you don’t start carving out new neural pathways of self-communication. In that case, your efforts will be limited, and your body will default to the most ingrained programming within us. Our sense of self-worth. How we talk to ourselves reflects how we love and value ourselves. So self congratulate and celebrate what you do!
Trust the process, and continue to imagine yourself in full detail, living out your dreams while creating the physiological reality. You become unstoppable when you thoughtfully gather your mechanical potential and drive that force into a physical challenge. Your body doesn’t know the difference between what’s real and what’s in your head. When you combine the power of your imagination with your physical ability, you can live out any fantasy you want. So make sure it serves you! Make it positive, make it stellar, and make it yours.
Carpe Diem, my friend.
Written by:
Mel, The Body Witch
Melissa is a yoga teacher, a personal trainer, an energy healer, an author, a somatics coach, and a scientific-minded body researcher. She also believes in the realness of magical practices. Her classes and workshops are attended by international audiences. She also helps private clients use their bodies to solve health and personal problems. Enjoy her meditations on Instagram @thebodywitch, website: melgutierrez.com