STOP LIMITING YOURSELF

Last Saturday, I ran my first official 5K. It was fun and refreshing to see people of all ages and fitness levels out there running, walking and jogging. I learned that I am capable of much more than I thought I was. My initial goal was to complete the 5K between 30-35 minutes. The week before the big day I began to doubt myself. Cue the self-limiting beliefs: I'm not a long distance runner, I can only sprint, I'm not 17 anymore, I just had a baby, I'm a mom of a toddler, I'm really not in THAT good of shape, and the list continues. After a rough training session (my mind just wasn't in it) I lied to myself by saying I'd be happy getting the race done in 45 minutes and that was that.

Lo and behold, on Saturday morning I showed up and showed out (to my standards at least). I accomplished my goal time of 32:07. That's a faster average mile time than what mine was in high school! I showed myself that I could do that and anything else I put my mind to.

The topic of self-limiting beliefs has been on my mind lately because there will be a bench press competition at my job this week. Since I spend a lot of time working at the front desk, I've asked a lot of people if they'd like to sign up. I don't discriminate, as soon as I think about it, I ask. No matter how in-shape, out-of-shape, young, old, muscular, skinny, or obese someone may be. I ask everyone if they want to sign up. By not putting a filter on who gets asked, I open myself up for a wide array of responses. Since a lot of sassy seniors go to my gym, the excuse I got most often was some variation of, "Are you kidding me or are you crazy?! I'm old! Look at how decrepit I am!" Someone legit called me crazy lol! The most common reply from younger folks was definitely, "Oh nooo. I can't do that. I'm not strong enough." I just laughed with them and told them that they can do anything they put their minds to but many still declined the offer.

Is that what we're expected to do when we get the privilege of old age? Are we supposed to just stop living? That's so disrespectful to all the ones who died young but wish they would've gotten more time. Why are people who have typical activity in all of their limbs the least secure in their ability to do something physical? There are people who are paralyzed or differently abled and they wish they were able to do some of the things we're able to do. Scratch that, I've seen people in wheel-chairs complete marathons, I've seen people with stage 4 cancer continue their workout routines religiously. The secret is all in the mentality.

The person who won the 5K I participated in last week was 45 years old. FORTY-FIVE! I'm not saying that's "old" by any means but my point is that many people use age as an excuse. He used it as a motivator. His time beat everyone else's including the 17-year-old's time who got second place.

The context of this story is referring to fitness and sports but it can be applied to every facet of life. Let's stop succumbing to the limitations that society and others put on us. Let's stop taking those negative beliefs as truth. Let's unlock our infinite potential and internalize the fact that we can do anything. Remember what Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or can't, either way you're right."