Tag Archives: Fitness

Your Mantra

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Mantra is a mind projection created in either a spoken or mental manner. Mantras can be a word, phrase, syllable or sound. They can be recited, sung or repeated silently in the mind. It is a technique for regulating the mind. There are many mantras each one having its own quality, rhythm, and effect. For thousands of years, mystics, meditators and yogis have used mantras for mental and spiritual transformation.  If you search the web you will find web site on top of web site full of inspirational and motivating quotes; mantras, if you will.  Well… here begins the story of Pink Nation and our mantra.

“In rodeo, to ‘cowboy up’ means to suck it up in times of adversity and carry on when you are injured or down and the prospect of doing whatever you’re about to try is so bleak that the best you can hope for is to live through it.” ~ Tuff Hedeman, World Champion Bull Rider

Mantra: any sacred word or syllable used as an object of concentration and embodying some aspect of spiritual power.  I am a proud card-carrying member of the Pink Nation Marathon Training Team.  We begin our “family reunion” each year in June.  We hold “church” each Sunday morning to get our sweat on and push ourselves towards a goal in November that most would never even consider attempting… start and finish 26.2 miles.  We have a phrase we use when faced with adversity when we head out for training runs, during our lives and especially on race day when we set out to conquer 26.2 miles. Our mantra is “All Go, No Quit, COWBOY UP“. 

You see, Pink Nation is not just a running training team; it’s a family.  We take care of each other and look out for each other.  We welcome new members into our family every year in June.  When one of us has a tough road ahead in any aspect of our life, team members shout our mantra from the roof tops (well comment on social media and other forms of communication, but you get the point).  Throughout the year many members of Pink Nation take part in other races around the stated and even throughout the country; races of varying distances.  No matter the length of the race team members are always there with a rousing “All Go, No Quit, COWBOY UP“.  It sticks in your head.  It becomes your “wingman” never leaving your side during a race.  When you are feeling beat up it is comforting knowing there are people out there who know just what to say to make you suck it up and keep pushing ahead. They know what to say that makes you not quit.

We all need a kick in the butt every now and then to keep us pushing forward in life, in work, and in reaching goals of all kinds.  What is your mantra?  Do you have a phrase that keeps you going? What gives you the kick in the butt you sometimes need to “get through it”, to make it across whatever finish line lies ahead of you?  If you do not have a mantra, I think it would be okay with my fellow Pink Nation family members if you borrowed ours.  But, be careful as it is a powerful phrase.  There’s no telling what you might accomplish once you use it.  “All Go, No Quit, COWBOY UP“, my friends. 

Desire: Give it some thought.

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Desire:a sense of longing for a person or object or hoping for an outcome. The philosopher, Thomas Hobbes maintained that human desire is the fundamental motivation of all human action. How badly you desire something will determine how motivated you are to obtain your goal. So, to me, the question is not only what do you desire, but how badly do you want it?

This time of year, aside from the New Year’s resolution rush, fitness facilities across the country will see an increase in memberships because people desire to be healthier, skinnier or more fit. Bathing suit, boat and beach season is in the near future. For many people this is a reason to start a new work out program. But, the desire to be healthier, skinnier and more fit can not be achieved solely by joining a fitness facility or purchasing the latest home gym/workout craze videos. Nutrition plays an important part in achieving your goals. But, desire (the deep down in your gut kind of desire) is the most important factor. Wanting to be skinnier is one thing, but what is the real reason behind your desire to achieve this goal? Are you unhappy with the way you look and/or feel? Are you tired all of the time? Are you unable to do the things you want because of your current level of health? You need to ask yourself what is the true emotion behind what you desire.

No matter what it is, take some time to examine the real reason behind what you desire in your life: job, love, family, wealth, possessions, health, etc. I believe unless you understand and know what the real motivation is behind your desire, you may never achieve your goal. Yes, there are other factors that you can not control that can affect the outcome. However, if you don’t set yourself on the right path with an understanding of and answer to the age old question of “Why?” you may never be able to achieve what you desire.

When you write your “bucket list” of desires for the upcoming months, I urge you to also examine why they are important and write it down. Then, paint a clear picture of what, why and how. What do you desire, why do you desire it and how will you achieve it? Post your list where you will see it all of the time. I have posted mine on my bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker. I see them every morning and every night. It is a constant reminder of what I desire.

So, what do you desire and why?