What Does It Mean To Be Strong?
- The state or quality of being physically or mentally strong.
- The ability to withstand or exert great force, stress, or pressure.
- When a specific activity stimulates a positive physiological adaptation that enhances overall fitness and does not compromise your health in the process.
My take on strength:
TRUE strength comes from within….whether your body has to quickly adapt to an unaccustomed overload or you’re faced with a difficult challenge in your life. The way I prepare for these situations is by nourishing and strengthening my mind and spirit. I use uncomfortable life situations as the weight I have to lift in order to get stronger. My “work-in” exercises and techniques keep me from living in fear or the feeling that I am incapable in some way. If I live there, it’s where my thoughts and focus go and that becomes what I believe about myself.
3 ways you can start building your own true strength:
#1 Work-In – Nourish And Strengthen Your Mind, Tap Into and Train Your True Strength
Way back in the day, I watched the Oprah and Dr. Phil show and quickly discovered that my life wasn’t so bad, that it could be worse…way worse…and to be grateful for what I have. The guests on those shows helped me see my life in a different light. Oprah was my 3pm daily therapy, and I can’t tell you how many times this show saved my life…
When exercise or a challenging life situation seems like too much…you think you aren’t capable of lifting that weight, doing that fitness class, climbing that mountain, or facing an unknown in your life. If it’s a physical challenge you want to try, but are afraid you might fail at it, I say f**k fear, face it, feel it, and do it anyway! Prepare for this by repeating this to yourself everyday (with intensity): I am healthy, strong, whole and capable EXACTLY as I am right now, do it while you’re on your walk, on the treadmill, say this while you’re moving your body so it seeps into your cells, replace the old limiting thoughts, words beliefs you have about yourself with this new empowering pattern language.
If you just lost a big client/project, are facing a challenge in your personal life, or a health crisis…sit quietly, breathe deeply and imagine your heart has the capacity and space of an ocean. BE with your FEELINGS, don’t run from them, overeat or drink to avoid them (this is where your freedom lies). Breathe in your pain, suffering, anger, dissapointment….create space for these feelings. When you give yourself permission to feel the pain, you’ll realise you can handle whatever comes up, and then the pain will set you free. THIS is TRUE strength.
#2 Workout – Fear Is Physical, Challenge Your Body And Exercise The Fear Out.
Learn how to do HIIT training (High Intensity Interval Training). Check out my 2 HIIT videos here: Exercises #1, #2. Exercises #3, #4, #5 (subscribe and get more:) .
This workout is short and INTENSE, you can use your own bodyweight, or weights to do this type of workout. The idea is to push yourself beyond what you’re comfortable with physically, to move faster and with more intensity than you’re used to.
Whenever I go through a difficult time in my life, I put on my running or cross-training shoes and take a fitness class I know will challenge me, or I walk outside my door and do a walk/run HIIT while repeating empowering words. I reflect on what I am grateful for (I think of something I have never been grateful for before), I send love to the people I care about, and visualize a better life for myself and for everyone (and ask how I can contribute to that). This lessens the negative impact of fear, I start to lead from the heart, it puts everything in perspective, and I can handle whatever I’m going through, better…I start feeling stronger.
Applying external stimuli to your body is a threat, it creates stress which then leads to an adaptive response and creates a physiologic and metabolic change, growth, that’s how you get stronger. When you do this with your body, it also strengthens your mind, it translates to you being able to overcome and handle stress in the rest of your life. If you demonstrate you can safely go beyond your limits with your body, it will empower you to face and overcome whatever is weighing you down in life.
#3 Find A Mentor – Someone who inspires you and believes ANYTHING is possible.
Tony Robbins has always been (and still is) one of those people for me, he’s that inner voice that reminds me of the unlimited power I have within me and that I can accomplish anything I want. He was the first coach to teach me how to change my beliefs to have more confidence, to be more responsible, accountable, to contribute, and take consistent action. Madonna is another, she represents physical, mental, emotional strength, resiliency, and more importantly, freedom. When she does something she believes in and it’s outrageous, she is fine with it while everyone else isn’t. That inspires me to express myself authentically, despite the fear of people judging or criticizing me…and when they do, I can handle it. When I do this, I start to believe in myself, I feel free….that takes TRUE strength. Who is your Tony or Madonna? Find them, study them, listen to them and create your OWN version of them.
LIVE WITH VITALITY!!
Anna Kaoukakis
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