I used to cringe at doing slow and steady cardio. The former me would undoubtedly find some excuse to not finish 10 minutes into a low intensity cardio workout and find something else to do. Why? Because it bored me. Not because it was difficult or painful but because I couldn’t get into my own mind and relax for more than a few minutes at a time without wanting to jump to the next task.
This applied to all parts of my life. Stopped at a red light? Check text messages. Standing in line? Catch up on Facebook. Awkward silence at dinner? Tune into the 24 hour news cycle.
Why? Why do we constantly need to be enteretained? There is a difference between being productive and wasting precious energy on pointless tasks. For me, I was doing too much of the latter and not enough of the former.
I made a goal a few months ago to be more present. To relax my mind and enjoy my surroundings. To let go of the mindless distractions and focus on the relationships in front of me. To put down my phone and be aware of right now.
During my 40 minutes of walking at a steady pace, uphill on the tredmill this morning I realized the progress I’ve made on this goal. I really enjoyed every second of those 40 minutes and didn’t want them to end. I was focused and energized and not counting down the minutes or plotting my next move.
Today, take time to be present. Put down your phone, step away from your email, turn off the news and take an hour to self reflect, to clear your mind of the clutter and to enjoy where you are at that very moment. Remember…..
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I am such a culprit of not being present! It’s so refreshing to do so & take in all that experiences of that moment have to offer. Thanks for the reminder!
It’s so easy to slip away!