Keep a Positive Mindset with Parkinson’s: Finish every workout in a positive way
Menu: Tools to Maintain a Consistent Exercise Program
(learned from my years as a runner)
What we remember about an experience is almost entirely based upon how that experience ends, followed by the peak of that experience. Psychologists who have studied this refer to this phenomenon as the Peak-End rule. (Some of the research was done on people having colonoscopies with no sedation— I have no idea how they found subjects to sign up for that!)
Experiences that are remembered as positive are easier to get excited about doing over and over. This explains why it was easier for me to stay consistent if I drove to the bottom of the hill to start and finish my runs rather than the top.
When we lived in Utah, we lived at the top of a big hill. This meant that if I started a bike or a run from home, I would have to finish trying to make it up the big hill at the end and I would feel awful at the end. It became more and more difficult to get out the door to go for a run. One day, I decided to drive to the bottom of the hill and run the same loop, except finishing with a gradual downhill the last mile. I was running the same loop but I felt strong and fast at the end. I started to look forward to running again, rather than forcing myself out the door.
Another example is when you are watching your favorite football team, and they are playing horribly, and for 3 hours you are angry and throwing things at the TV and your blood pressure is up and then a miracle occurs and they come back and win it in the last 2 minutes. The next day when you look back at your afternoon watching the football game, you will think that you had a fun afternoon watching football when in fact you were angry for 3 hours and only really enjoyed the last 2 minutes.
Find a way to end every challenging workout in a positive way or tie it to something positive. This way the next time it’s time to get out the door to push yourself, it will be something you look forward to. You could tie it to going to get coffee with your friends after the workout, or stopping at the store and getting a tasty treat, or taking a hot shower. Find something that you look forward to and do that at the end.
Next: Suffering with friends is more fun
Menu:Tools to Maintain a Consistent Exercise Program
What are some ways you have found to finish your workout on a positive note?
