H eal th M a tte r s Get Motivated to Get Moving! Having trouble getting yourself off the couch? Get inspired by the following facts and review them frequently to remind yourself why exercise is so important:
Energy: Regular exercise actually boosts your day-today energy levels, rather than zapping them even further.
Sleep: You’ll enjoy a deeper and more restful sleep if you exercise every day.
Mental Health: regular exercise has proven to be as effective as antidepressants for alleviating the symptoms of depression.
Longer Life: Staying fit can reduce your risk of disease such as adult-onset diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer— to name a few.
Confidence boost: a new, toned physique and feeling of strength boosts confidence, which positively effects all aspects of your life. www. thesite.org
St. Andrew’s College Health and Wellness Centre
Jan. 2012
Change your thoughts . . . change your world How are you doing on those New Year’s resolutions? Remember, the ones you made about exercising more, making healthier food choices, and being slim and fit by summer? Chances are, if you’re like most people, many of those resolutions have fallen by the wayside . . . along with your motivation for change. Real behaviour changes are very difficult to bring about by will power alone. In order to effect real, profound change, we need to be conscious of how our thoughts and mental constructs shape our perception of what is and isn’t possible. For example, we all have an internal dialogue, or ‘mental chatter’, that is virtually unceasing and often-times critical. It’s important to become conscious of what this inner voice is saying, and to recognize that it reflects our perceptions only, not reality. Listen to your mental chatter, and start to recognize the unhealthy thought patterns that may be sabotaging your best efforts for change.
One way to do this is to challenge the reality that you have created for yourself through your thoughts. Start by articulating a reality in your life—something that is of concern to you right now, and the reasons why you can’t be successful in changing the situation. Then craft an alternative reality— something that is better than the one you were describing, and something that you can believe might be possible on some level. The next step is to start living as if your alternative reality were THE reality, and write down all the evidence that it is working. You will soon find that, as you review your words over time, a shift is taking place. Your alternative reality is becoming your new reality, and your previously self-imposed limitations are loosening their power over you. For example, you might have a goal of waking up early to exercise. Your present reality might be that you can’t possibly wake up early because you’re a night owl—that’s when you’re most creative
and you’re simply not sleepy before midnight. Your alternative reality might be that it is possible to become sleepy before midnight by limiting electronics and caffeine in the evening and employing some relaxation techniques. Another ‘reality’ in your life might be that you don’t have time to volunteer. With all the demands on your plate, there simply isn’t time left in the day to take on another commitment. Your alternative reality might be that you can free up a few hours a month if you become conscious of certain time-wasters in your life, such as surfing the internet or catching up with the Kardashians. Now start living your new reality, and write down all the evidence that supports it is working. Review this list regularly, particularly when your old thought patterns start to creep back in. You’ll soon form the habit of challenging the limiting ideas about yourself and the world that you previously took for granted, and you’ll realize how much potential you have for positive change in your life.