By Jennifer Bellini, Founder of Moving Forward + Rhapsody Brain Trust Member

I started my Rhapsody CrossFit in Charleston journey a few short months ago. Although health and fitness has been a significant part of my life for years, CrossFit was an entirely different beast compared to anything I’d tried before.

Initially, I thought the workouts would be easy – they were much shorter (10-15 min.) than what I was accustomed to, so I assumed I would breeze through them. Piece of cake.

Try slice of humble pie. Not only was I learning entirely new movements and lifts, but the workouts themselves were more challenging than I anticipated. I wasn’t as strong as I thought I was. I wasn’t as fast as I thought I was. I wasn’t finishing first, and I was frustrated.

Jennifer Bellini Rhapsody CrossFit in Charleston, SC.

Then I took stock of my headspace – instead of embracing this new challenge and welcoming the opportunity to grow, I was feeling sorry for myself and questioning my ability to rise to the occasion.

Like any other muscle, I needed to strengthen and exercise a positive mindset just as much as I needed to strengthen and exercise my body.

I don’t mean to be all puppies and rainbows, because, trust me, it’s much easier to find the silver lining some days than others, but, when I stick to it, a positive mindset makes all the difference in moving forward.

Now, like a good warm-up, I take a moment before each workout to make a choice – I choose to be positive. I choose to be open. I choose to progress.

If you find yourself struggling with those positive vibes, whether it is in everyday life or in the gym, try the following:

Breathe

Focus on your breathing during the workout. Not only will controlled breathing improve your performance, but it will also help you feel less strained and stressed. Knowing how to come back from the edge using careful, controlled breaths is a stellar practice for slaying your workouts …and life in general.

Stop Negative Self-Talk

Knock it off! Not only does negative self-talk bring you down but it’s infectious to those around you. Instead of saying “I can’t do this,” try “I’m working towards this.” Small but significant, it’s incredible how powerful (like-new-PR-level-powerful) curbing little bits of negativity can be.

Use Positive Self-Talk

The first person who must believe you can do this is you. Use a positive mantra that you repeat to yourself in the throws of a challenge – “I am strong. I can do this. I will do this.” The body is capable of incredible things, but often it’s our mind we must convince.

Be Confident

Confidence is about believing you will overcome the challenge in front of you. Find and hold on to your small victories – allow them to propel you towards more wins! When you see defeat, learn from the experience and use the lesson to help you come back stronger.

The CrossFit Open, for me, has been a great test of these practices. Confession, I get super nervous before each WOD, but have used this experience to practice careful breathing, combat self-doubts and be my own cheerleader. Instead of letting the nerves get to me, I choose to get excited about how capable I am today and how much potential I have for tomorrow.

Cultivating a positive mindset inside and outside the gym takes practice. It is hard work, but the outcome is beautiful. Want to learn more about how Moving Forward Health & Wellness can help you develop a powerfully positive mindset or about the dynamic expertise offered through the Rhapsody Brain Trust? Let’s connect.

“Cultivating a positive mindset inside and outside the gym takes practice. It is hard work, but the outcome is beautiful.”