We all talk to ourselves about ourselves.
What kind of things do you say?
That you’re overweight, lazy, and too old to be fit?
A lot of us struggle with an inner voice that repeats nonsense like that.
But you don’t have to let it keep you from exercising, eating right, and managing stress so you can keep doing what you want. There’s so much more potential to life well after 50 – like travel, physical independence, playing with the grandkids, enjoying sports and hobbies…just for starters.
You deserve all that and more.
And you can have it if you start by adjusting your thoughts.
Change Your Thoughts
We can’t control which thoughts pop into our minds. But we can choose which to hold and nurture. Those thoughts become actions, which become habits, which lead to new experiences and…yes! New thoughts.
So, let’s replace that negative self-talk with positive statements, attitudes, and experiences.
Here are some tactics that help.
Practice an attitude of gratitude. Whenever you feel down, take a pen and paper and write your blessings. They can be big or small, important or whimsical, related to physical health or spirituality or anything else. When you see what you’ve written, your mood will reverse itself. It’s impossible to feel depressed when our hearts are full of thanks.
Instead of saying, “There’s something wrong with me because I don’t have X, Y, and Z,” you’ll be saying, “Look at all these wonderful things in my life.”
Set realistic goals. We don’t have to look like fitness models or win Olympic medals. We don’t have to be what we used to be. And accepting that is key to treating yourself right. We’re here to help you see where you want to go – and then enjoy the success of reaching those goals.
Instead of saying, “I’m so stupid to think I could be 25 again,” you’ll be saying, “Hey, I’m feeling better every day.”
Focus on progress, not perfection. We’re always raised to be so results-driven, aren’t we? But physical fitness doesn’t have to be like that! It’s fun and empowering to get stronger, to gain more endurance, and to improve agility. We’ll celebrate every little win with you! Remember: It’s a journey, not a destination.
Instead of saying, “I’m such a loser because I can’t wear those pants,” you’ll be saying, “I’ve lost 10 pounds since I started.”
Excuses Are Easy
If you want to find an excuse to deny yourself health and fitness, then you will always find it.
But please don’t do it because your inner saboteur is telling you that you’re too old, out of shape, or set in your ways.
Because you’re not.
You get to decide the life you want from here on out, no matter your age or physical condition.
We’re here to help you. We believe in you. And you deserve it.
Holly Kouvo is a personal trainer, functional aging specialist, senior fitness specialist, brain health trainer, writer, and speaker.