17 Jul Leave Your Mind Out Of Your Gym!

My latest experience while exercising out at home has led me to realize that I spend way too much time thinking about something else while I’m following a workout. Yesterday it was about reaching work on time, today it was about debating whether I’m perfecting my form and wondering if a fitness trainer might agree.

How can I get peace in life when my mind is somewhere else constantly?

I don’t know how these thoughts creep in but I know do know that I can’t really change nature. It is eternal and sacrosanct. In this case, the same applies to the nature of the mind. What I have learnt to do instead is to change my reactions. This means that whenever my mind drifts away, instead of beating myself up, I simply congratulate myself when I return to my task in hand. And I make it a point to apply this to every single task, be it cooking or work.

This experience also reminded me of just how important is it to be aware. When you want to make healthy choices, it’s equally important to stay present. When your mind and body don’t form a connection, it’s very easy to injure yourself. You have to train the mind and the body to be present, where you stand, lift, breath, instead of being far, far away.

Ways To Be Present As You Exercise:

1. Prime Your Mind: ” The only thing predictable about life, is its unpredictability ” said a clever rat from “Ratatouille”.  You never know what you’re going to experience in a workout, before doing it. Mindfulness helps us to buffer against feelings of failure related to exercise. It involves acceptance of the here and now. Instead of being doubtful and insecure about our bodies, it helps us to be open to change( both physical and mental)
2. Open Up Rather Than Push Away: A lot of our minds tend to wander when we workout, because we want to move from our current emotional state of mind. Some people try to get a certain thrill from getting away from the moment. For example, I used to get motivated( still do, occasionally ) by someone calling me fat and not by my own core goal. I would focus on escaping that because I wanted freedom from negativity. I find that it doesn’t work to get away. Opening up to what I really wanted, helped me find time to do it daily and build an unshakable routine. 
3. The Flow: This is my favorite part of being mindful- the zone! When the mind and the body are present and functioning as one during a workout- you as a whole are mindful of what is going on. This makes you a step quicker. There is relaxed concentration, it’s effortless, it’s the feeling of being in the flow.Have you experienced the flow? Or are you going to try it out tomorrow? Let me know in the comment.

Nehita Abraham

Nehita is a mindfulness expert who writes extensively on lifestyle management, wellness and ways to lead a healthier and a happier life. She is a part of Aware’s expert team on meditation. She is also an avid artist who spends most her time dribbling amazing stories through art.