Being Grateful for Health; Why Working Out Should Be Enjoyable

“Stop, listen, and go.”

This advise offered by in the Ted Talk, Want to be happy? Be Grateful, by David Steindl. What does he mean by this? How can we take his philosophy into the gym?

“If only we could live a grateful life. We would be happy.”

We’ve all experienced grateful moments. The time when you received a gift from a friend, that is feeling grateful. For some, these moments are fleeting.

What if we can be grateful in the gym — in the training process and practice of physical fitness — this would create a daily habit of gratefulness. We then can develop grateful living.

This type of lifestyle perhaps could give a lasting more fulfilling fitness journey. We learn to appreciate in the complexity and longevity of a physical practice. I am grateful to be able to pick up this bar. 

Time after time we rush through our practice of fitness. We look through our movements to the external goals— whether thats physical appearance or personal record numbers — in search of the end-all and be-all destination. I’m sorry folks, we are only given this moment, not the future non-existing moments.

All we have is the present.

But its wonderful to think we can take grasp of this moment, a moment of opportunity to create lasting change in your life. This Ted Talk captures what I believe, the 99% of CrossFitters should do– stop, slow down, and start enjoying the process.

Becoming aware of your mind is crucial to enjoying your training process. Phil Lennon, entrepreneur and mindfulness teacher, has a blog focusing on meditation, mindful thinking, and other radical thoughts. He has helped me slow down, become aware, and find gratefulness.

How do we become aware and in turn happiness? David Steindl tells us to Stop – Listen – Go.

Stop. Stop running around. Take a moment to pause. Now, listen. Listen to your thoughts. Use this time to smell the air, hear the birds, feel the wind. Then go about your life.

Time is short. The music won’t last. Take your training experience slower and with more gratefulness. Revival in each movement you perform, from the starting position through the execution into the finish position. Feel the weight on the bar. Feel your chest panting. Embrace the opportunity before you.

How do we enjoy our time in the gym? By being grateful that we even have the opportunity to move.