In mid July, Lisa and I went to the Omega Institute for a six day mindfulness-based stress reduction seminar. In other words, we meditated all day, every day, for six days. The impact was profound. Although I have been meditating for 35 years, this one week of intensive activity, seemed to affect me more than all of the previous decades combined.
When I returned from the seminar, I recognized that I needed to re-establish my relationship with my training and athletic goals. I needed to completely reexamine my motivations and ensure that they were consistent with who I am and how I aim to serve the world. I have been grappling with this now for four months.
When all is said and done, I have come full circle and have actually reembraced everything that I was already doing. At the same time, my motivation and thinking about what I am doing has totally changed and feels more grounded and purposeful. So, even though I have missed a lot of gym time, I am confident that I will get back on track more consistently than I have since I retired almost 2 years ago.
Competition Update:
Because of the profound mental searching I was going through, the bodybuilding, track and field, and swimming competitions that I had planned for late summer and early fall were canceled. I now need to research and target new competition dates. Through all of this process, my diet has stayed very good, and I have continued to move consistently on a daily basis, albeitt not so much in the gym. Bottom line, it should not take me too long to get back to my competitive peak.
Tip of the Week:
I have discovered, to my consternation, that reestablishing existing habits is just as difficult as establishing them in the first place. Prior to my retirement, I would habitually go to the gym every day immediately after work. I probably missed no more than two dozen workouts in 10 years. It was a firmly established habit. I did not have to think about getting to the gym and if I actually tried to talk myself into it, those were the days that I missed.
Now that I am retired, and working out in the mornings, it is a think about it, talk myself into it, process every morning. Not only do I have to get myself to the gym, but I have to make myself get out of a nice, warm, comfortable bed a bit earlier than I would prefer.
I am hopeful, that my reestablished goals and purpose for training will provide enough reward to help me re-establish those habits on which I depend.
