Ignore Your Thinking Traps

There are plenty of Youtube resources for beginner yoga, but I particularly like Yoga with Adriene. However, it is said that yoga is one of the best exercises to train our brains to be less anxious. This is because, during yoga, we learn deeper concentration through breathing techniques. Our minds are too focused on the workout itself to become anxious about anything else, and yoga teaches us mantra statements which we will discuss a little later. Trying for ten minutes is enough. Just put it on and do it when you can! I promise you will be glad you did, even after only ten minutes. If you are lucky enough to have a gym membership and feel you have the motivation to go, that is awesome! Interacting with strangers, bonding over a shared experience and goal can be immensely uplifting. But if that isn’t something you feel you can do yet, then don’t worry. That can be something to aim for in the future. Pick something you think you would be interested in, and choose a date. However, keep trying so that you don’t teach your brain that it’s okay to give up. You can try to search for fitness classes on Youtube or buy workout disks from a store.

Race Against Time

Although this isn’t something that should take over social workouts, it’s the first step towards your goal. While it’s important to know that we can at least decrease our anxiety through exercise, and the above information gives us some great options, the real obstacle can often be those pesky thoughts that might get in the way before we even start. You know what I mean those excuses that we come up with that tell ourselves, I don’t have time right now. Then it never gets done. Or I will get to this later, and we become distracted or anxious, and that’s what we spend our time focusing on. No worries, just like any new habit you are hopeful to start, you can train your brain to become committed and motivated. Here are some ways to stay on track when you’re struggling. Doing something new always takes work and overcoming the obstacles we run into, such as excuses or anxiety. However, when it comes right down to exercising, we must take steps to do so. It’s almost impossible to get up one day and run a 10k when we haven’t built up our lung resilience to do so. But then after about a week, we start exercising only four times a week, then two, and eventually none. So, how do we keep the momentum going to keep exercising as a life change doing it every day? Get rid of those excuses.

Don't Run Away

Excuses like I hate exercise or I’m too tired today or I’m not an athlete are all or nothing thinking. Your first goal is to challenge these thoughts. I suggest creating a workout journal or a thought journal. When your mind goes, I’m too tired, write that down but then write a response saying something like, I may be tired, but that’s because my anxiety is trying to stop me from getting better. If I start slow, I will feel better, which will decrease my anxiety symptoms. What’s worse, having panic attacks or going for a walk? Firstly, make a list of all the workouts that sound the best to you, and start with the one you want to try. Choose a workout buddy. Do you have a friend that suffers from anxiety too? Or maybe you know someone positive, upbeat, and energetic? Pick a friend and ask them if they want to be your workout buddy. Not only will this help you get out of your comfort zone in small doses, it will also help you become motivated for the days you don’t feel like exercising. Or if your friend feels low and comes up with their excuses, you can call them and motivate them. Once you know that, you can choose what you love the most from your list and continue with this until you are ready to learn and experience more. There is always a reward system that solidifies your craving from the habit loop, making it an enforced habit.

Mixed Emotions

It’s the same thing with exercise. Before you start your daily workout routine, make sure you have a plan in place to reward yourself after fulfilling your daily goal. When we feel restless or wide awake at night, it could stem from the very fact that we aren’t active enough during the day. Sleep has always been my nemesis. I spent years chasing that elusive eight hours. I would be exhausted all day, and then as soon as I went to bed, I would be ultra alert and awake. I would lie there and become more awake as the night went on. My mind would repeat, Just go to sleep but I would feel hot, nauseous, fidgety, and desperate. It became a disastrous pattern of not sleeping because I was anxious, followed by anxiety about not sleeping and, therefore, not sleeping. The world is an extraordinary place when you don’t sleep. It is impossible to hold concentration, rationalize thoughts, let alone have the energy to exercise. I found the less I slept, the more anxious I became about not sleeping, and then the anxiety fed on this feeling in a perfect circle of worry. It is essential to remember that sleep eludes most people at some time, whether because of stress, stimulants, hormones, or simply the Sunday night feeling. It is not unusual, and it is not dangerous. It is annoying and frustrating and can mess up your day, but that’s it! You may be adamant you didn’t sleep a wink, when in reality, you probably did drift off for a few minutes here and there. I know that sleep is a crucial anxiety trigger, and I know it has to be a priority, as much as diet and exercise. It’s no big deal, just mildly annoying.