There’s plenty of time for reflection when on a multi day hike.
It’s been a month of adventure as we scooted around Australia. From Tasmania for our Deep South Adventure, to our Mt Kosciuszko Summit Hike Weekend and then mid NSW for an immersive Green Gully Hike. Of course we have also been everywhere in between with our online active adventures.
There’s always time for a chat and a laugh. However as I hiked the trails of Green Gully last week, I found great pleasure in spending time inside my head, having interesting conversations with myself.
Make the conversations you have with yourself matter.
Many years ago I broke my wrist while mountain biking. It was my first ever broken bone and at 52 I thought I had done well.
For 9 weeks I was “out of action” compared to my normal routine. I began to picture what my activity level, and life, would be like if I defined myself by my broken wrist – even though it was well on the mend.
At the time, my internal conversations were like this – well it was really a one way talking to by my “other voice”
- ” well you have a broken wrist, you can’t do that”
- ” no more bike riding for you”
- “you can’t lift that, do this or try that because you broke your wrist”
Why negative self talk is dangerous.
It took A LOT for me to haul myself over that HUMP and decide that I wasn’t going to be defined by my wrist or any other injury.
Sure, there are some injuries we need to modify our activities for. But let’s not get so defined by who or what we think we are, so that we end up boxing ourselves in and missing out on some of life’s glorious moments.
Here comes the “tough love” bit.
If you have been defining yourself by something, anything, for a long time now, then stop and consider your narrative. You may be missing out unnecessarily on incredible moments.
That defining could be height, weight, fitness, money, education, skills, motivation, energy or ANYTHING.
Go on, dig in.
Listen to your narrative and let us know if the same story is keeping you STUCK.
Here’s what some of our members have to say about their personal views self talk.
“For years I had come up with so many reasons why I couldn’t, shouldn’t or just plain wouldn’t. I still do some days but grateful that these are becoming rarer. So now, working on squashing the lame excuses on why not and just challenge myself why the heck not?”
“What’s perhaps worse is when someone else has boxed you in and you internalize the message so well you done even realize that’s what’s being going on your whole life…(aka the entire female sex by society at large!)
We are all strong, capable people and we must keep fighting for society to drop the often unconscious bias! ….though sometimes still very conscious!!”
“I’ve done a lot of those over the past 12 months working out my ‘new me’…. I’m sure a lot of ladies who have retired have had to work hard to identify a new normal…”
Yvonne Shepherd is the Founder & CEO of Women’s Fitness Adventures. Established in 2014, Women’s Fitness Adventures encourages women to become fitter and stronger for life through fitness, adventure and social connection.
We can take you comfortably out of your comfort zone.
Click here to learn more about becoming a member, or for details on our adventures and courses visit our website or contact us on 0412 121 420 or email [email protected]
