Here’s another prelude to Feelin’ Good, the Feelin’ Great eCourse on assertiveness (coming soon).
The physical relationship with assertiveness (as well as genuine confidence) is so important, yet often overlooked.Physical improvement can act as a hinge to leverage success in every area of life, especially when it comes to assertiveness.
Physical changes come first, because they are tangible. Unlike thought patterns, physical changes can be both seen and measured.
Physical improvement is empowering on so many levels. There are many different kinds of strength; all interconnected. And the physical level of strength is most readily improvable. This acts as our foundation to build upon.
Physical changes are a crucial factor in building assertiveness that simply can’t be ignored. You need to have a sound physicality for everything else to function optimally. There’s no way around it.
If you’re not confident in your own skin, it’s going to be hard to be confident in your own mind.
Funk Master Flex
And you don’t have to build a bodybuilder’s physique or anything like that. That’s not the point. But what you need to do, however, is eliminate disharmony (or dis-ease) and consistently improve.
Side note: Perfection doesn’t exist. But imperfection carries with it the opportunity for continuous improvement and growth. So keep improving, my friends.
It’s amazing what tangible physical improvement can do in terms of how someone interacts with the world around them. Physical improvements develop success habits, which reverberate into every other aspect of life.
When you make any sort of physical progress, it synchronizes with the mental aspect as well. It creates a snowball effect. And, in my opinion, the best way to get the snowball rolling is with physical changes. (You would learn to push that snowball before attempting to develop telekinesis, right?)
Here’s what Tim Ferriss has to say: (From The 4 Hour Body)
“Your body is almost always within your control. This is rare in life, perhaps unique. Simply focusing on some measurable element of your physical nature can prevent you from becoming a ‘Dow Joneser’, someone whose self-worth is dependent on things largely outside of their control. Job not going well? Company having issues? Some idiot making life difficult? If you add ten laps to your swimming, or if you cut five seconds on your best mile time, it can still be a great week. Controlling your body puts you in life’s driver’s seat.”
Set a personal record for the amount of weight you lift and you’ll instantly feel powerful. Not just physically but mentally as well. You don’t have to try to feel powerful, it just happens.
Do some mobility exercise, stretching, or yoga and you’ll feel tension being released from your body. You don’t have to try to release the tension, it just happens.
Lose 20 pounds of fat and you don’t have to think your way to more confidence. You don’t have to try to be more confident, It just happens.
Gain 20 pounds of solid muscle and a feeble mindstate will naturally morph into a strong mindstate, reflecting the physical changes. You don’t have to try to be a stronger and more confident person; it just happens as a result.
I’ve experienced all of this first-hand in my own life since I started working out and being conscious of my eating habits. Once I began to see physical changes, my mind naturally changed as well. I became more confident, positive, and of course, more assertive. And this wasn’t just because I thought I was better looking. It was because I felt empowered. I was making progress with the only thing I have complete control of; myself. That’s the main reason behind improving one’s body. It’s empowering.
We’re going to go into 3 types of physical changes as they apply to assertiveness.
The first is Training/Fitness. Working out. Exercise. Physical exertion. Physical training.
The second is diet. What you eat, what you don’t eat, and eating habits.
And the third is physicality and confidence. This goes into how the physicality relates to assertiveness. It also includes short-term physical techniques to deal with any situation at hand.
So, what to do?
Here’s how to step up your physical game and improve your mental state to go along with it:
Optimize nutrition and fitness.
Simple as that. Even by making slight enhancements with those two factors, you’ll see tangible, physical improvement. And with tangible, physical improvement comes mental improvement.
I’m not going to go into the details of nutrition and fitness here (that’s another tangent), but one more point regarding those topics….
Know your goal:
Do you want to add muscle? Do you want to lose fat? Do you want clearer skin? Knowing your goal will allow you to tweak your nutrition and exercise to achieve these goals. And when you make progress towards these goals, it’s as much of a mental achievement as a physical one.
And the third aspect of the body’s effect on assertiveness is the relationship between physicality and confidence. When you see tangible results from enhancing your nutrition and fitness, you carry yourself differently. You’re posture will improve, you’ll be more relaxed, you’ll naturally breathe deeper, your body language will be friendlier…etc.
Your body is your vehicle on this road trip we call life; so why not drive something that maximizes your experience?
Keep an eye out for the Feelin’ Good, Feelin’ Great Assertiveness eCourse in the coming weeks. Launch date coming soon.
Stay feelin’ good, feelin’ great, my friends.
-Stevie P!