When I'm told I can't do something I don;t generally pay any attention, something about my wiring just doesn't simply compute.

That's not necessarily the case when I tell myself I can't do something, I start to believe it, I find reasons why it's not possible and my story around it grows.

We all do it.

It can be a problem, it can keep us safe and stop us hurting ourselves but it can also hold us back.

Yesterday I ran the Winter Wolf Run with members of Team Achieve.  One of our members, Kat, who was running for charity had been told when she was 14 that she had arthritis in her knees and should never run and limit her exercise by her doctors when she went to them for knee pain.

Unfortunately this was common practise a few years back.

Not being able to run and exercise became part of Kat's story, part of what she believed about herself.

She took on board what the authority figures had told her and avoided running and most types of exercise in case her knees gave in.

One way of guaranteeing knee pain long term is not using your knees or making your legs strong.  By following her doctors advice and it becoming part of her knee story, it became true.  Her knees were always painful.

Then about a year ago, she joined Team Achieve and changed her story.  We helped her understand how the knee functions and adapted our sessions to suit.  She became much stronger and her knees hurt less.  

When we were discussing the Wolf Run as a group, Kat asked if I thought she could do it, I'm a 'yes person' when it comes to what can be achieved and she signed up.

Her knees held out yesterday, ankles are a different story ;), and we had a great day.  In her words - 

What stories are you holding on to that are holding you back?

Maybe it's time to change them.

Darren 'make that change' Checkley

P.S.  Todays November Man challenge is a simple one.

20 Press Ups

20 Squats

10 Burpees

It doesn't matter if you do it in one go or spread them throughout the day, just get them done.