“You never regret a swim.”
This was said to me by a friend’s husband, years ago, after we’d just been in the (freezing!) Dorset sea π₯Ά
Every time I’m near sea now, I use this to motivate myself to get in – no matter what the time of year πββοΈ
(Although if it’s winter, I confess I may not STAY in very long… π)
Because it’s so true!
No matter how cold the water, I always come out feeling amazing π₯°β¨
(I know this uses a type of language I normally try to avoid – never/always, ie too polarized/ all or nothing – but honestly, I HAVE always felt amazing afterwards! So I’m going to let it go for once… π)
Saying that to myself yesterday, to get me swimming off the boat in a bay, made me think
– it’s so effective – as soon as I’ve thought it I then inevitably end up swimming – so where else can I use it? π€
Where do I want to make small, achievable tweaks that will benefit me mentally? π€·ββοΈ
What James Clear calls “Atomic Habits”. (GREAT book if you haven’t read it, just be patient getting past the first chapter which I found a bit self-indulgent!)
And I’ve decided to do this with my morning yoga π§ββοΈ
I absolutely love yoga – and not just for the physical benefits, but because it’s so helpful for my mind & mood π
But as an Obliger (see Gretchen Rubin’s “Four Tendencies” – you can read my blog here!) I find it harder to do things for myself than to do things for other people.
So yoga is one of the first things that gets cut in the face of obligations from family, or work π
The solution for me is to do some first thing in the morning before the day gets going ππͺ
So until the next time I am near a body of water, I will be using a different mantra:
“you never regret a stretch!”
And this will power me on to my daily yoga in the morning ππ₯π§ββοΈ
Quietening that Imposter voice and replacing it with an Inner Cheerleader is ongoing work that benefits from consistent positive action πͺπͺπͺ
So…
π€ What small thing, that makes you FEEL GOOD in your body & brain, can you do more often?
π€ What do YOU never (rarely) regret doing…?
And make a specific commitment to yourself to do it more often (daily, 5 days a week, weekly etc) ππ₯πͺ
Wishing you a positive, productive, and NEVER-REGRET-MOTIVATION-filled week! ππ₯πͺ
with much love ππ§‘
Kirsten xx