Get On Your Bike

Not Feeling it!

I didn’t want to go! … I mean, I REALLY. DID. NOT want to go this morning!

I’m talking about the exercise I love to do so much , the activity that goes back to my early 20’s, and is my go-to for a workout. The activity that helps me get and stay in shape, that lets me breathe in the fresh air, see the beauty of the trees, flowers, birds around me all while the wind is in my hair and salty sweat dries on my skin!

Yep, it’s riding my bike!

In fact, I moved to this location because the riding was so accessible.

But,  I did not want to go!!!

I had already walked the dog, I put my biking clothes on, gloves, compression arm bands, and even had my helmet on. But, I stood there in the kitchen, trying to think of every reason to not go today. I hadn’t gone all week, and I needed to . But I told myself I had too much to do! With the house repair, the mail, the bills, laundry and mopping the floor, our new house in the country is in a constant state of “fixing”. But then I remembered something I have tried to live by for many years.

Action First, Feelings Will Come

Have you heard of the philosophy,  “Action first, feelings later”?

The psychology of this was actually studied in the early 70’s, when the actions of a college experiment in a university basement turned a mock prison scenario into powerful emotions. The experiment illustrated this theory so much so, that it was stopped after only 6 days. Half the volunteer students were told to act like prisoners, the other half, prison guards. In that short time, those students that played the role of the  prison guard began to display authoritarian attitudes and subject the prisoners to intentional humiliation. The mock prisoners began to be passive, submissive, and depressed.

They started feeling the emotions based on the way they were acting.

Research in clinical psychology shows that the fastest way to change how you feel is to change the action attached to it. If you choose to not go exercise, you regret it. You feel a failure for not pushing through and just going, you are more tired and less energetic. Your day may drag along and now, you have just added another day in your week that you did “not” work out.

Take Action

BUT… if you go, you pump oxygen-filled blood through your veins and strengthen your heart muscle. Your mood is elevated and you feel accomplished, proud, and ready to start your day on the right foot. It can change everything.

So never allow ‘feelings” to rule your life. If you wait until you “feel” like going out early on a dry, windy, already hot day to exercise, you’d never do it. Maybe you are cozy in bed, and it’s freezing outside. You’d wait and wait until the “feeling was right”, or for the snow to thaw. And trust me, if that existed here in Southern California, I would absolutely struggle. I’d want to make a fire, a cup of coffee, work on my IMAC and not go!

But I try to remember that if I Do the Action, the positive feelings will come. And they did. I was proud of myself for going. I pushed through the moments I felt just a tad panicky when the hot air was dry, and I took care of my body today. If it’s cold where you are, bundle up and go either outside or to the gym. It’s a reliable, mental game you can play with yourself,  and it will make you feel good. In fact, it’s something that is pretty easy to remember.

Are you waiting for the “Feeling” first? 

STOP!! Flip it around, and do the Action first!

Forget how you feel, it will only confuse you and prevent you from possibly making a good choice, and potentially make you feel bad.

Bottom Line?  Take Action, and You will win!!

 

 

 

 

So next time you feel you don’t want to do what you are supposed to do, or should do, or would like to do…don’t wait until you “feel” like doing it.

Take action and JUST DO IT !!

The good feelings will follow!