“I ran a 5K today.
Why?
Because I said I would.”
Like you, I’ve been spending more time online than anywhere else these days–– Hello, Work From Home 2020! It’s been 6mo since I started working from home, but it wasn’t until 2 weeks ago that I had a 1:1 with myself.
Despite popular belief, you know what we’re really good at?… Committing. We’re naturally wired to stick to our word, hence the anxiety prior to making a commitment, and the guilt when we fail to live up to our promises.
“Despite popular belief, you know what we’re really good at?… Committing. ”
We make lists, sacrifice sleep, and often overcommit (comes with the territory). We’re hustlers, multi-taskers, and pros at keeping the plates spinning. Over time, the temptation isn’t whether we’ll continue, but whether we’ll succumb to exhaustion and condition ourselves to complacency. If we manage to escape complacency, we charge forward committed to our work, family, friends, social causes, and all those things we deem worthy. Rarely, if ever, have I met a woman who’s mastered the art of setting boundaries on her time.
We want to be present in a hundred places at once, because deep down we want to give back, be of service, and bring good into the world. But you know who gets left in the dust through all of this? You.
“But you know who gets left in the dust through all of this?
You. ”
I don’t know about you, but when everyone dove into their at home workouts early into quarantine, I cradled into the comfort of my laptop and stocked up on Swedish Fish #sorrynotsorry. I was diving into what I knew– what I could control when the whole world seemed to be falling apart.
While I’ve somehow managed to escape complete sedentary living thanks to hikes and light dog walks, nothing’s been consistent. If I’m being honest, my priorities have been elsewhere, and while that’s a calculated decision and a fair choice for anyone who deems it necessary, 6 months later and my mind (even moreso than my body) is being forced to deal with the consequences of my neglect. To me running is meditation, therefore, to me, running is therapy, and I’ve neglected that category almost entirely.
Commitment isn’t hard, it’s our focus that’s fickle. Our commitments are often external, not inward, therefore easier to stay top of mind. Ignorance is bliss, because it’s easy to neglect that which we can’t see.
So, what now? Well, today we’re flipping the script. Today, we’re turning inward and claiming a tiny chunk of our day back for ourselves. Why?… Because nobody else can, but you.
Two weeks ago I decided I was going to get back in routine and commit to running 3x week. My week starts on Sunday and goes Through Saturday. I can run M/W/F, T/W/Th, or M/T/Sat–– IT DOESN’T MATTER, the point is to establish consistency, and if you’ve read this far, congrats, because I’m dragging you into this with me.
I don’t care if it’s a mile, 20 minutes on a bike, or a slow and steady walk for a meaningful measure of time. I don’t care if you feel ready to start a new challenge, or if you have a to-do list worthy of challenging a CVS receipt. TODAY, you #CommitToYou, and we’re committing to you for 90 days.
“TODAY, you #CommitToYou,
and we’re committing to you for 90 days. ”
Why 90 days?…
First of all, because you’re worthy 365 days out of the year, and that should be reason enough. On a more practical level, we’re choosing 90 because our brains are capable of neuroplasticity, meaning new patterns of thought and behavior can actually create new positive pathways within our brain, and research show it takes 21 days to form a habit, around 66 days for a new behavior to become wired into our brains, and 90 days for said new behavior to become a lifestyle change. We’re doing 90 days, because that’s top of the podium and exactly the gold standard you deserve.
(Also, 90 days puts us right around end of year, and my OCD brain loves the opportunity to get a head start of mindset for 2021.)
“...new patterns of thought and behavior can actually create new positive pathways within our brain.”
I’ll lay out the details of this challenge below, but bottom line, it’s not complicated and it’s not worth overthinking–this is very much a “just do it” moment.
I’m doing this because 30min for me makes me 100x better at everything else I tackle in a day. Working on you to find clarity, strength, and develop better efficiency isn’t selfish, it’s actually quite selfless.
“Working on you to find clarity, strength, and develop better efficiency isn’t selfish, it’s actually quite selfless.”
To join the challenge simply download the Nike Run Club app, and create your account. If you’ll be engaging in a different form of exercise, feel free to use the best app that suits your needs, the point is to keep a record of your efforts. Once you’re set up, log in 3x week for whatever activity you choose– mode, intensity, and duration don’t matter, the point is consistency. When you’ve completed a workout, either post to stories with hashtag #CommitToYou and tag me @hereinthestudio OR send me a DM– I’ll be cheering you on, and with your permission, calling you out as needed.
You can make this challenge whatever you want it to be, just know you have a crew doing it with you. Four legs go further than two, and remote or not, I could use a running crew ;)
Drop me a comment bellow if you’re in– Let’s go!
