My Motivational Mantras for Working Out

Exercise is good for you. I think everyone has heard that by now. I  used to suffer from bouts of depression but exercising regularly has really helped to get rid of that. I think that running is particularly effective. I find it is helpful to get outside and get some fresh air so that the blues don’t hit. Seeing the birds and the trees, pushing myself, finding some quiet time with my thoughts. 

I also enjoy the feeling of getting faster and stronger. Just seeing improvements in my body and performance. 

That being said sometimes I just don’t want to exercise. It has helped me to have a few rules and mantras to motivate me to get going.

“Rule: Earn your shower”

Have you ever heard the phrase “earn your shower?”I find it to be a foundational principal of my day. My favorite part of the day is, after I get a good sweat going,  jumping into the shower.  It makes makes my shower that much better to know I worked hard and did something good for my body. 

“Rule: Earn your breakfast”

I know this one can be hard on mornings that have a time crunch. But I find it very satisfying to wait to eat my breakfast until after I have had a workout and shower. It is easy to justify skipping a workout but when I make my breakfast conditional on working out first it makes it easier to just knock it out so I can get on with my day. Also, eating my breakfast a little later and after I have worked up an appetite makes it taste even more amazing. 

“Consistency is my greatest weapon”

This is a saying I added recently to the arsenal. I got this from a blog post. (https://rosstraining.com/blog/2018/01/consistency-greatest-weapon/) I am not particularly strong, fast, or athletic but what I can be is consistent. With consistency, I can get results that far more naturally athletic people get naturally.

“Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and out”

This goes along with the saying before. The important thing is to be consistent “day in and day out.” With the power of time with consistency the effort doesn’t have to be huge. A little effort often is more effective than a lot of effort rarely. It also means we need to be patient and not expect too much too soon. Results will take time but they will come with time.