49. Retraining

It’s hard recognising you are not as good as you once used to be.

I have just got back to running after being injured for a few months and despite feeling so happy and grateful to be back there is a sense of sadness as I recognise that I am not as fit as I once was. My speed isn’t there, easy runs seem hard, distances seem longer.

I recognise I have to retrain to get back to where I want to be.

The same can also be said in lots of other aspects of life. We get to a point of stagnancy, take a break, stop for some reason and lose that momentum we once had. Starting again is a struggle.

Despite saying that- there is often a benefit to starting something again, a benefit to retraining.

You have a new perspective, a fresh motivation, a better plan of action.

The training that once took you six months only takes you one.

The mental barrier that stopped you from progressing before has gone and you have the ability to go above and beyond all you ever achieved.

We often look at things in black and white.

We’re either being productive or completely wasting our time.

Yet, there is so much more nuanced and grey in between.

This time of pausing, the hiatus, the reflection- can actually be more useful than purposeless action.

Time is only wasted if we let it be so.

I am determined to make sure this break of intensity is a positive thing.

So I’m going into retraining with a new positive mindset and I hope you do too.

48. Going our own way

Nobody likes admitting they are wrong

We bring our own preconceived ideas about what people are like and what they should and shouldn’t do.

People tell us who they are but we ignore it because we want them to be who we want them to be.

We believe our way is the best despite contrary advice until we make a complete mess of things. From there we adapt and continue with the notion of ‘my way or the highway’.

Any of that sound relatable?

The headstrong approach is good for a lot of things; ignoring hurtful comments, focussing on work, and not comparing yourself to others.

It isn’t all good though.

Empathy, relatability, compassion- these are all born out of understanding a different perspective to your own.

We all have a sphere of control in our lives but we shouldn’t yearn to overextend that for the result could be us hurting others or even ourselves.

It is learning to use what limited autonomy we do have and make the best use of it.

The other time where others take the reigns simply does not have to worry us and the quicker we recognise that the more we can learn to utilise those moments. That lack of governance can be used to learn about others, hear new views and skills, teach patience, and consequently better that time we do have control.

In isolation and solitary decision making we can refine and reflect on our ways but without others, we restrict ourselves from potentially understanding the best way for us to go about our life.

Are you willing to miss out on that?

47. Creative escape

We can often be discouraged.

Our daily rituals often consist of mundane, boring, and very similar surroundings.

Although the external environment cannot be our one and only motivator; to remain consistent in prolonged functions of work we need to escape into places of inspiration.

We must train our observation skills to use these escapes to refuel us.

For example, we can simply work hard all day long believing we can do it all in our own strength and this works for a little while but sooner or later we burn out, get frustrated or just begin hating the position we are in.

Alternatively, we can work in efficient bursts, take rest and inspiration in a walk or something, then come back rejuvenated ready to work efficiently.

Having self-awareness in acknowledging when to step back from work is key in this.

The 9-5 formula is a prescription given to us in our work lives but we often take it over in our personal lives subconsciously.

We don’t take breaks or we take too many.

We don’t utilise the escape from our routine as a motivator but just a thing ‘everyone else does’.

It is in this incorrect use of breaks that we fill spare time with the wrong things.

TV and technology tires rather than refill us.

We forget that overconsumption leads to content consuming our brain function.

Creating space between yourself and external influence is essential.

Going outdoors, creating your own art, bringing your own opinions to fruition- gathering wisdom.

That feeds the soul to then work harder.

Embrace the silence.

Read that book.

Go to that gallery.

The space between reflection and action is where the magic happens.