Getting back on my bike (and doing the hard work)

This is the story about how the answer is often so simple and yet doing the work is the hard part — in all areas of our life.

One of my challenges at the moment is that I am unfit, overweight and would like to be living a more healthy life. I find it really easy and also fun to brainstorm on solutions to problems. I am great at researching, an expert on google and can make wonderful drawings on how my life could look like — if you need information or help making a vision board, I am your girl.

I am just not so great at doing the hard work or following through — which is why buying a bike is fun and easy, googling personal trainers makes me feels like I am working on the problem and coming up with excuses as to why I cannot make any classes at a local fitness centre as they clash with work commitments is all just a way of AVOIDING what I know needs to be done. The actual hard work.

Change comes from consistently making small changes in our behaviour whether this is how we eat, what time we go to bed, how we communicate with other people and what exercise we do.

Yesterday I went out on my bike for the first time in two months (and I only bought the bike in June). It was tough. I found it hard. I also loved it and I was so proud of myself for getting out for 20 mins and cycling 5.5km. The fact is no one else can do the exercise for me. I am the one who has to get out there — consistently.

This led me to think about the work I am doing in other areas of my life. Again, it is “easy” to have a coach, have shelves full of spiritual books, post beautiful photos of ginger shots on Instagram but that doesn’t take away the need to do the hard work. In the way that I can only get fit by actually cycling, I can only make progress in my spiritual and mental health journey by doing the hard work.

I am all about finding things that work for me. I don’t like running so I am going to cycle and walk and go to yoga for my fitness. And what about my spiritual work? Again, I can feel I have been avoiding doing the actual work — as let’s be honest, it is icky, hard, uncomfortable — so I am doing things now which both work and I enjoy.

• I write daily in my journal — I never knew until I started this how much I would love having somewhere to share my inner thoughts.
• I practise gratitude — I have gratitude diary plus I post in the gratitude circle on Facebook.
• I listen to podcasts by people that challenge my way of thinking.
• Meditation — I go to a regular meditation class and also take time at home to stop and meditate even if for a few minutes.
• Reading — working my way through my tool box of books
• And most importantly, realising I am as much a teacher to myself as anyone else out there. I have the answers.

Now I am going for my second bike ride…keep reading my blog to follow my journey.