The Mental Strength Behind Your Progress: Why Your Journey Is More Than Just Physical.

This one won’t be brief, but personally I think it’s worth the read 😉

Do you remember the feeling when you first started? Like you are looking around not understanding how everyone else is dong the things that they are doing. Maybe thinking things like “I’m never going to be able to do that” Or “it’s going to take forever if I try to reach that goal.” Fast forward to a month in, and your eyes are open to so many more possibilities. You find yourself gaining strength and conditioning. You are getting through the workouts easier. You can see how you could work your way up to different movements and weights. Its exciting! It creates motivation and belief in yourself that you never had before.

In my opinion, that right there, that feeling of an open mind and stars in your eyes, that is the first sign of progress. Even before weight loss, or strength gains, you are already mentally progressing into someone who has confidence in their ability to learn something they don’t currently have the ability to do. To make a far-out goal and see that there are steps and progression you can take to get there. 

What we do is so much more mental than we sometimes realize. Your progress contributes to your mental strength first. If you are not in a place that you are comfortable being uncomfortable, comfortable being “not so great” at something, you will not be able to get yourself outside that starting line. 

For me, I want you and all our athletes to see that there are so many possibilities for you if you have the courage to trust the process and step into something you know will be hard. Something you have to work at. You know it may feel bad at first, but the more you show up and continue to face the challenge the less daunting the challenge becomes. Eventually, it will be no challenge at all.

This learned mentality seeps into all parts of your life. Whether it is a job or career you are dreaming of, a loss or grief you are working to integrate into your life, a season of anxiety or depression you’re navigating, or a lift or skill you’re chasing at the gym— those challenges always seems overwhelming at first. The strength to take one moment, one day, and one step at a time—showing up with your head held high and hope for the future—can be built and trained with every rep in the gym. You are training your mind as much as your body here.

When you think about the progress you have made at CFM so far, take some time to reflect on the mental toughness, courage and hope, you have gained since starting. Are there any areas or circumstances outside the gym that you feel more equipped to handle now? Are there moments that remind you of completing a tough WOD or consistently putting in reps to reach a goal?

I bet you will be proud of the person you have become.

If you have any stories or reflections you’d like to share, I’d be honored to hear them. Shoot me a message if you’re open to passing one along 😊