Mental Strength, "Mental-Fitness"

Hello, people of the world-wide-web....This is Keith writing to you.  Jami and I rolled through the steep inclines of Allsop Park earlier today for some trail running/walking.  We also mixed in some pushups, sprints, and occasional gasp for O2 mixed with curse words (at least on my part).  We had fun, and we challenged ourselves.  Also, equally important, we got outside, enjoyed some fresh air and sunshine, and had fun together.  Good times being ALIVE!

In this house, physical fitness is such an important part of our lives.  Just as important though is what I call mental fitness.  If you follow us on twitter, you may occasionally see mental fitness following a hash-tag after I put what I feel is food for the mind.  For me, my mental strength, my mental fitness, is such a strong component of my daily living. It doesn't matter if I was physically the strongest guy in the state of Arkansas, if my mind wasn't right, if I listened to negative self-talk in my own head, if I allow myself to be influenced by the negativity of others around me, if I take what others say and do personally, I am weakening everything about me.  I am defeating myself and not being true to the actual nature of who I am.  That's not LIVIN!
I am reminded of this concept by the wonderful book by Don Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements.  The second agreement reads:
"Don't take anything personally.  Nothing others do is because of you.  What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream.  When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering."


People operate by their own perception on reality.  Sure, we get in each others way sometimes, but the sooner I realize that I don't need to waste my brain power, my precious time here on Earth worrying about your opinion, what you do or say, the better off I am.  For me, honestly, it's daily practice, sometimes I forget.  I'm always learning, always working and getting better.  Another reminder I keep in my mental bank is a saying I read every day.  It reads, "Avoid negative people.  Don't take anything they say seriously".  Don't get me wrong, I respect what other people think.  We all have a beautiful mind and reasons we think and do the things we do, but bottom-line, I don't have time for it....I'm doing my thing, and that centers more on the positive side and what works best for me.  The BEST me can do better for those that I influence in my day-to-day life.  Life is meant to be enjoyed and my experience shows me that I am happier with a positive, clear, strong mind.

Just like you hit the gym and strengthen your physical bodies, don't forget to keep your mind sharp and strengthen your mind too. In my opinion, a strong mind trumps a strong body.  We need both strong and healthy, but the mind tells the body what to do.  Don't neglect your mental fitness!

And me, Jami, I keep us on the right track with our nutrition. All of these aspects together make for a great foundation for health and wellness to be expressed! It is always an adventure to go move with Keith because I usually end up doing something I would have never thought..I could do...like run up the hill I usually hike. I'm a pretty decent hiker I think and I get a good workout for sure....but running up the hill is a very different story. And remember folks, running for me looks very different than running for Keith but the point is to take the action. Here I am after running to the top the first time...

This face is saying while breathing really hard.."holy sh*#, OMG, that was -------Hard!" so, we go again. I took the hill a total of 4 times. Keith did 5 or 6.....here he is coming up at the end..

We definitely had fun. Then as we were walking around and back down from whence we came he says, "I have a couple more sets of push ups to go". HUH? I'm thinking...so I say "you've been doing push ups?" "oh, yeah, in between, I've got a couple sets to go, wanna do some?" Me again, "Uh, that's not what I was thinking but ok..." this is generally how a workout with Keith goes. Here are some great things we found in the woods to do push-ups on..

a rock

                                                         

2 stone benches

and a stump

And folks, this is how to get some sunshine and vitamin d, exercise, laughter, and of course we nourished ourselves before and afterwards. One of my daily thoughts says " I stretch myself daily past my assumed limits" and today was a good experience of that! We had fun, we worked hard and on the walk back to the truck we were both smiling.....holding hands and feeling really alive. : )