By bike I mean my foldable compact exercise bike. Who would have thought I’d enjoy getting on it for 30 minutes in the morning? Actually looking forward to it! It’s totally shocked and delighted me. Here’s how it came about…
For the past few months I’ve become aware of the need to exercise more as my lifestyle like many others is too sedentary. Yes, I go walking at least twice a week and grapple with the garden but it’s not the same as a daily routine which is a commitment to me and my well-being.
The inspiration…
Living next to the Atlantic in the West of Ireland is a great place to walk but as anybody who’s been here will know the weather is not always inviting, especially as we head into the wilder months. So on the recommendation of a friend I bought a compact foldable exercise bike.
It started off well like any new enthusiasm but over the following days I could see it slipping into the occasional use with the prospect of it being relegated to the clothes horse category. Even my doctor suggested such and proposed that I bring it into my living room and cycle while I watch ‘Coronation Street’ or similar on the TV – a sure way of keeping me off the bike permanently.
But I thank her for the suggestion as it challenged me to find my own way of motivating myself.
I first of all found that using hand weights or a resistance band for my arms as I cycled made the workout more interesting and stimulating and 15 minutes flew by. Then I got bored. I moved to checking emails or reading a Kindle book and that nicely kept me on the bike for the next 15 minutes but I was still clock-watching.
The Real Breakthrough
The real breakthrough came when I started doing EFT as I cycled along. For those who don’t know what I mean, EFT stands for Emotion Freedom Technique and involves tapping on acupoints on the face and hands to reduce stress and change limiting habits. You can read more about it on my EFT page.
So I tapped on how I was feeling. Bored, frustrated, disappointed in myself I tapped on old memories associated with exercise – changing rooms at school, cold wintery netball games, missing the net, being laughed at, not being able to volt over the buck in gymnastics or do somersaults, lots of self-criticism and judgement. I tapped on all the excuses I’d make to not exercise ‘it’s boring/pointless/a waste of time’ ‘I’m too tired/busy/slow/old to exercise’.
EFT has a great way of helping you tune in to all those crafty underlying gremlin thoughts and you end up chuckling to yourself! You stop hiding and you start accepting yourself.
Gradually I found myself feeling lighter and happier and I found I was enjoying the feeling of moving my body. Time flew by. I tapped on how I could really choose to find the pleasure in exercise, moving my legs, appreciating the strength in my muscles, feeling my spirits lift with those healthy endorphins.
Focussing on the pleasure of exercising
What if exercising could now be pleasurable, something I looked forward to doing, something that really contributed to my day, something I wanted to do each day? Saying that felt very good and began to feel true and authentic, not brainwashing.
Since then I’ve looked forward to getting on my bike first thing in the morning. I find it sets me up for the day. I use EFT to tap on all sorts of things while I’m cycling. I think about my day ahead, notice how I’m feeling and tap along to what comes up. It helps me dissolve resistance to tasks I need to do but have been putting off, motivates me to be more productive, consider different possibilities and even inspire me to write a blog!
I’m really enjoying it and each day it’s different as I’m different. It feels like the ultimate in self-care as I’m getting the benefits of exercise combined with all the transformational benefits of EFT. What would encourage you to get on your bike, dance your dance or shake your tailfeathers?
Maggie Pashley offers on-line EFT sessions worldwide and face-to-face in Sligo. She also teaches EFT workshops.
