Back To the Future

The other day I was out doing a little grocery shopping when all of a sudden I was stopped in my tracks by a bottle and label I haven't seen since Franklin Jr. High days,  where I got to work in the after school snack shop. I was, in an instant, transported back to the little room next to the lunch room that housed the snack shop and getting to work with my buddies Scott, Kemia, John and others. I remembered how it felt, what it like, and seeing my school mates stand in line waiting to spend the money burning holes in their pockets on New York Seltzer, Charleston Chews, Mambos and more.

Last night as I sat at my picnic table taking a moment with the moon, some yummy tacos and gentle music, I was again whisked back in time to a few years ago. As the introductory notes of River Runs Through Me played, my heart soared and I was marinating in warm feelings of love and joy, remembering  when a dear young friend of mine sat at my piano and played this song that moved me to my core. I was also taken to the tent where I slept with my crew before my first 100 mile run, where ear buds, with this song playing, where inserted into my ears by this same friend as a way to calm and relax me before this big event.

Then, there are those times when you are pulled into not so pleasant memories, like being scared, hurt, picked last for the team, being made fun of, etc.. These we don't want to linger in as long but tend to more recall easily.

All of these experiences and their resulting memories make up how we view the world we live in and how we choose to interact with it. If our experiences were more pleasant and we felt secure, safe and successful we are more likely to try new things as adults and to take more risks and know we will be successful, at least to varying degrees.

However, if our experiences as younger peeps were not so pleasant and resulted in embarrassment, hurt, feeling left out and the likes, again, we are more likely to bring those memories and feelings forward.  These feeling tend to lower our self-efficacy and belief that we can do different and succeed at new things...or anything for that matter.

So, I challenge you as new routines start with school, work, exercise, and family stuff, to take a trip back to your youth and set yourself up for success. Challenge the little voices that tell you you can't do new things or do old things in better ways.  Take a journey back to those moments in your life where you felt empowered and on top of the world.  Remember what it felt like. Sounded like. Tasted like. What you saw and heard in those moments. Soak it all in and feel those feelings in your whole soul and then bring it back to the future, into the present moment and let it bolster you to new heights and achieving your goals.

Being swept away into these moments can be wonderful moments to gain strength for the present.  Remember to visit, soak it in and come back to the present where you can do something with it. Then...Get to work and Take Action!

As for me, I am off to enjoy the beautiful moon and the magical memory of experiencing it on top of the Grand Teton and how it filled my soul to the brim with awe and wonderment. I'm going to let this memory feed my soul as I sleep and wish you peaceful, powerful remembering.

Until Next Time...Go BE Great!

Jennifer Saunders
ACE Certified Personal Trainer, BS
Intuitive Life Coach, Reiki Energy
ButtInGear