The Mind Body Connection

I started this post Thursday evening after a rough day. Anxiety has been rearing its ugly head as it does at times. If you've ever had anxiety or depression you KNOW how it can affect you physically. To top it all off, it stormed right when I got off work so I couldn't go outside and run. Outside has become my escape, my relaxation, my stage, my courtroom. I can enjoy solitude during a run at the trail, sweat out the day's angst, lay it all on the pavement, and prove myself. I came home to a cardio circuit which I was angry about and never let go of the day's stress. I convinced myself it was going to be a bad evening because I had no outside run.
One of the things I've learned is how connected our mind and our body is. Through  my struggle with lupus, arthritis and fibromyalgia, my mind suffered. Pain, fatigue, it all affects your mind. Sleep for so long became my solitude and escape. I didn't realize how dangerous this was for my body which in turn, made it even harder for my mind.
On the other end, the more you think you can't do something, the more your body complies. The worse you convince yourself everything is mentally, the worse it truly becomes. I've read quotes about how the hardest part of running is convincing your mind you can do it. This whole concept is true about ALL of fitness. Today was a treadmill day and I totally didn't want to do it. I almost quit easily and early on. However, I pushed forward, got over 3 miles and finished my circuits and weights. Each day, it's a battle of mind over matter. I can attest its no where near easy and I struggle frequently. However, as one of my favorite Jonwisdomisms says "Are you drowning or are you kneeling?" Stopping to set perspective, fix your mindset and constantly work on strengthening your mind and body is the only way to lead to success!