I just joined orange theory a few months back and I have to say, I am delightfully surprised at how much I enjoy their classes. You see, I love to run on my own and try to practice yoga at least a couple times a week, but while I know resistance training is key to keep my body (that seems to be sagging in areas it didn’t use to) toned and strong I never seem to have the time or drive to squeeze that important component in. After much research into what Orange Theory is all about, I decided that it might “force” me to be consistent with resistance exercises.
For those of you who have never heard of Orange Theory ( I promise I am not being paid to promote them) or taken one of their classes, it is based on Heart Rate zones and incorporates the treadmill, rower and a myriad of different weight training exercises. Classes are 1 hour long, can be modified for any fitness level and because you can see your heart rate zone as well as others on a big monitor (don’t worry it isn’t scary or intimidating) it also keeps you a little competitive to work harder.
I recently took a class and the instructor (they call them coaches) said, “All Out” which means push it as hard as you can on the treadmill. I had convinced myself that I couldn’t run any faster than 9.0 MPH, and every week that is all the harder I would work. The thought of running faster scared me. What if my legs couldn’t keep up and I fell off the back of the treadmill and got injured or worse yet everyone stared and whispered to their neighbor about me. My belief limited me to what I thought I could accomplish because I was scared and didn’t want to look like an idiot in front of the others in the class.
After a few weeks, I decided to try just increasing the speed by .2 mph and over the course of the following 2 weeks, I had increased my speed to 10 mph. Once I completed that “All Out” effort at 10 mph I found myself thinking, “Wow, I never thought I could do that, I wonder if can push myself a little further next time.” While I have not yet tried this, my mindset shifted into what could be possible instead of what I had convinced myself I couldn’t do.
How many times does this play out in your life? Maybe a new job comes open, and you tell yourself you aren’t qualified or that you just wouldn’t be able to handle the workload. Maybe you believe you can never lose the weight. Maybe you believe you can’t ever run. Maybe you feel you will never be able to land a new career. The fact is we all have a limiting belief reel that plays over and over again in our heads and it is most likely lies we’ve told ourselves to stay safe, comfortable and to avoid embarrassment. Often times our limiting belief can be a lie someone else has told us that now has become what we believe about ourselves.
Oprah Winfrey held her first job as a television anchor in Baltimore and was publicly fired for being, “to emotionally invested in her stories.” What if she had believed that her gift to connect to others emotionally was something that would hold her back in her work and buried her natural ability to connect with people?
Michael Jordan was cut from his varsity basketball team as a sophmore and could have believed that he would never be a star basketball player. We all know how that worked out.
What is your limiting belief?
How do you overcome it?
- Write down your limiting belief and add the word “yet” to the end of the sentence
- In my example above it would look something like this: I haven’t run over 9.0 mph yet.
- Then create a plan for how you change your mindset to move yourself towards what you really want
- Write down all the qualifications you do have for the job, can you figure the rest out even if its scary?
- Write down your ultimate goal weight and break it down into smaller 1-2 lb goals with specific things you will do differently than you have before that you can be consistent with.
- Write down all the strengths you possess that will help you break through your limiting belief.
- Finally write down all the ways life will look different if you can bust through that limiting belief. How will it impact your life.
As I reflect on my life thus far, there are so many times I have been beyond scared, worried that I will embarrass myself if I fail or let someone down, but the one thing I have realized is that every time I have taken that leap of faith with it only about 80% figured out I have surprised myself. I look back and am so proud that I tried and while I’m not saying I’ve never failed (I have plenty of times) I always realize I am so much more capable than I originally believed.
The biggest regrets are the opportunities not seized, the could of, should of, would of’s that keep us safe and secure and flying under the radar but offer little satisfaction and ultimately very little joy or happiness.
So how are you going to show up differently, what limiting belief are you going to challenge this week? Let me know how I can help!
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