As some of you will know I recently moved to a stunning part of the Suffolk countryside. Since moving I have worked hard on my fitness – in particular towards a triathlon next year. Recently I had to have some minor back surgery and had to lay off the exercise for a short while.
It has been a fascinating time for me, being unable to do the thing I really want to do - exercise! I was so frustrated that I couldn't "exercise at all" and as I literally marched round my usual country dog walk this morning I fumed to myself about the lack of exercise. As I stormed up the hill I thought how much I needed some exercise – I virtually ran along the seawall thinking how much I was missing exercise. And as I walked back up the final slope with my laboured breathing and hard working legs I grieved for that feeling of physical exertion.
And then at long last, I heard myself. Here I was on this stunning walk in
beautiful countryside complaining to myself about lack of exercise. Even as my heart raced with the effort, I had missed the real issue – I was missing my focussed training and I hate being stopped in my tracks. I had utterly missed the fact that I have still been exercising more than most probably have the time to do, albeit walking rather than swimming and running. My story about my problem had got in my own way and my complaints to myself had crowded out the real issue.
The minute I saw the “real issue” a training plan seemed obvious – one that incorporated the walking I was able to do as a precursor to the running I would very soon be able to return to. I rewrote my triathlon plan and the walking became a joy again.
I often notice this with clients I work with – they have become so focused on the lack or the challenge or the problem that they lose sight of the solution staring them in the face.
So spare a moment to step away from the “problems” and ask yourself what might be the solutions.
What just might work?
What would never work? (And then see how it may just after all).
Or (my favoured approach to be honest) just take a deep breath or six. Notice the tension in your body. Relax it out with deep breaths. And then when you feel more connected to yourself and less connected to the problem at hand, see which ideas come up for you. Trust them and try them. They may seem left field or “impractical” but if the old approach wasn’t working then what have you got to lose J
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