No pressure, no expectations, no stress
Welcome to 2019 - the year of hard work and success.... at least this is our plan for SMASH! Sam here with a short sweet email to set you up for your January. No pressure, no expectations and no stress.
We witness it a lot in the media, amongst friends and in many gym spaces – the unnecessary expectation that we should make overly specific resolutions and many of us can feel overwhelmed with a sense of "having" to make drastic changes or life decisions purely because it's the start of a new year. Of course, it is good to reset every now and again, to reflect and review the past year and set your intentions for 2019 but why so much pressure?
Let's break it down a little...
What can we do over the next week that will contribute to us having a successful year? - Small steps are important to completing a main goal, so by splitting it into short-term tasks we can manage it better.
For me, I am committing to doing my scheduled 3 runs.
Ask yourself why am I doing this? - Think about what you could benefit from doing this task over the next week, figure out what is motivating you to do something and realise if it is serving your goals.
For me, the three runs are something pretty essential in my marathon training which hasn't really been happening these last few weeks! It will help to prepare my body better for a good race.
What can I do to NOT set myself up for failure? - Look at your intention for the week again – is there any way you may not achieve it, and if so how can/will you manage this?
My 3 scheduled runs are two short ones and a 12 mile long run. I know that I haven't been running long distances for a few weeks so I will aim to achieve at least 8 miles for the long run, and will not give myself the added pressure of a certain pace.
What’s the worst that will happen if I do not do this? – Hopefully this will highlight that the world isn’t going to end if we don’t complete our goal for the week but it may help encourage us to go for it.
For me, if I don’t do my 3 runs, I will find the following weeks training harder and I may not be completely ready for my marathon.
Doing this exercise regularly can really help us whittle down what is important right now, what can be managed to minimise stress levels and what can potentially wait a little longer if necessary.
Our main message as you come back to SMASH and other classes is to be kind to yourself. If you feel like you have 'overindulged' over the festive period just let it go and get back into your routine, resisting the temptation to force yourself through three sessions every day! If you do need that extra push, come see myself or Ash for a quick chat, a complimentary PT session or even a cup of coffee – we love hearing from you guys so don’t be shy!!
Next Saturday 12th January we will have our next SMASHcamp, with Discovery the following Saturday (19th) and SMASHcamp the one after that (26th)!
All three will be a mental and physical challenge, with SMASHcamp focusing on physical fitness – 80 minutes of work, split into three sections, designed to push you WHATEVER your current level of fitness.
SMASH Discovery is our 45-minute workout followed by a 10 minute meditation and a 30 minute workshop to improve your mental wellbeing. Spaces are being booked very quickly so do please let us know if you would like to come and if you are bringing anybody – as always non-members are welcome, and the cost is £10 per person or £20 for three classes.
I'm off for a nice slow run! Good luck with your planning and give yourself a little time to re-affirm your habits... strengthen your foundations and look after your mental health just as much as your physical health.
Have a great weekend!.
Sam and Ash
