The Special Podcast Series continues this week with a further exploration of Physical Activity…one of Kate’s all time favorite topics.
Kate sat down virtually with Alice Havill – a fearless adventurer who loves to ski, run, rock climb, and everything in between – and shared a conversation about the habit of physical activity, the benefits of movement (and it’s not just the obvious that we get into!), as well the personal mantras we both lean on when a physical pursuit starts to test our wherewithal.
So pour yourself a fresh cup of joe and start your week off listening to two girlfriends encourage and inspire you towards joyful movement.
Ready to hear Kate tear up on the podcast…again?!
Well, the below featured review absolutely brought me happy tears as I read it to start this week’s episode. It’s reviews like this that encourage me to keep creating the podcast. On the night’s when my kids are asleep and I’d rather binge The Bachelor (don’t judge ) than edit the podcast, THIS reminds me that we’re all connected and working towards better health and joy together. Thank you, thank you.
If you have two minutes to leave a five-star reviews and two-three sentences about what you enjoy most I’d be so appreciative! And as a thank you, after your review is read aloud on the podcast shoot me an email and your next cup of coffee will be on me!
Meet Alice
Alice joined Colorado Impact Fund as Vice President in 2020 after spending over a decade in the cleantech sector. Her career has seen her travel the world supporting sustainability initiatives and technology deployments. Prior to Colorado Impact Fund, Alice was the Chief Operating Officer of Vartega Inc, where she led the company’s strategic planning and operations management in support of their novel composite recycling platform. Alice also worked at LanzaTech inc., where she managed technology validation projects for the production of low-carbon chemicals.
Alice is native to New Zealand and gained her bachelor of Chemical and Materials Engineering from the University of Auckland. She also has an MBA from the University of Denver and proudly resides in Colorado with Adam, her partner in life and adventure. Alice is passionate about supporting community development initiatives and currently serves on the boards of Discover Breathe (a self discovery and community development festival) and Innersense Healing Arts Collective (a community center for self-reflective practices within disempowered populations).
One of the benefits of physical activity isn’t just building strength and resilience in your body, perhaps just as if not more importantly is the strength you build in your mind.
Both Alice and Kate are runners and have experienced what happens when you push your body physically…that is your mind can start to overthink or start spinning thoughts in your mind. Instead of giving in to that desire to stop, both have learned the value of digging deep, staying committed to the goal at hand, and taking back control of their thoughts (and thus their emotional response to those thoughts) via a mantra.
Alice uses this mantra with each breath. So one breath she’ll tell herself, “I’m fit.” And for the next, “I’m strong.” And so on until she’s told herself the following:
“I’m fit. I’m strong. I’m healthy. I’m happy. I’m free. I’m me.”
By acknowledging your thoughts and the emotions they create, and through using a mantra to focus your mind and calm a racing mind, you’re able to clear the unwanted emotions and get back to the task at hand.
This is a helpful skill to hone for physical pursuits but also for life in general. By practicing a mantra and calming a racing mind, you’re better prepared to remain calm and present in future situations that are challenging such as a work difficulty, disagreement with a partner, or anything else that might previously sent your thoughts into a tailspin.
Tips For Physical Activity
Baby Steps: Start with something accessible to you right now and grow from there! Kate’s very favorite thing to do is run one mile out from her home and then turn around and run one mile back. It’s something she can’t overthink, and it only takes about 20ish minutes to complete. Find what that is for you – the thing that makes you excited and challenges you some but isn’t so difficult that it’ll keep you from beginning in the first place.
Make Exercise A Habit: As Alice shared, “The one thing I’ve always learned is you’re most vulnerable to stopping just before you put your running shoes on.” Acknowledge that’s when you might ditch your commitment to movement, and set yourself up for success proactively. Layout your clothes ahead of time, hydrate well ahead of time, and remind yourself what we’ve all learned from Rachel Hollis, which is “I don’t break promises to myself.”
Make Yourself A Priority & Find Accountability: Let go of the “shoulds” like prepping dinner, sending just “one” more email…because here’s the thing, there’s always going to be something that holds you back. To keep yourself accountable, find a group of friends that can meet weekly to sweat together (safely, of course!). Pick a fun place or activity such as hiking stairs, running in a beautiful place, etc. and then commit to being there every week when you say you will.
Joyful Corner
In this week’s joyful corner, Kate shares her gratitude for her husband receiving his second COVID-19 vaccine on the day the episode drops. It’s been a long 11 months of the pandemic, and this moment of relief is most welcome. While there’s still a long way to go before things will feel “normal” again, it’s a relief to know her husband is considerably safer now.
I hope you’re enjoying the Special Podcast Series based on IIN’s Circle of Life Exercise! If you’re finding that you’d like to implement the strategies discussed on the podcast in a one-on-one coaching program, then Kate would be thrilled to work with you. You can learn more about Kate’s Six Month Coaching program online and even schedule a free, no obligation Health History call to see if you jive with Kate’s coaching style and to discover what 2-3 areas you might focus your time and energy on during a possible coaching program.
Feel free to respond to this email with any questions or to schedule your Health History call today!
Let’s Connect!
Did you know that I continue the conversation from each podcast episode over on Instagram @livebydesignpodcast? Let’s keep the joy-train rolling! Slide into my DM’s to let me know you’re a podcast listener and so I can follow your account and cheer you on!
