For as long as I can remember I’ve enjoyed running. From running all the way around my primary school, which was a small, hexagonal-shaped building (but which felt like 5 miles at the age of 9 or 10), to being the only one who actually liked running the 800 metres at secondary school.

When I had my eldest son and felt the restrictions of time to go to the gym, I swapped the treadmill for a quick 30 minute run when time and baby allowed and reignited the passion; for being out in nature, getting a blast of fresh air and oxygen into the body with the added bonus of not having to pay a monthly gym membership.

The benefits of running, from both a physical and mental health perspective are well documented. It can boost mood, relieve stress, improve sleep and can use up some of the adrenaline caused by anxiety.

Over the years I’ve come to realise one the things I enjoy about running is the mental challenge it presents; the more I push myself the greater the sense of achievement at the end. Equally there are times when I’m doing a gentle 2-mile jog just to get out in the fresh air and that’s ok too.

Unconsciously, I believe I’ve been using my successful running strategy for years in other areas of my life; adopting the mindset, if I can mentally push myself out of my comfort zone by entering challenging races, not actually KNOWING if I’ll be successful but BELIEVING I can be, then I can do it in other areas too.

And equally there are times when it’s ok to do that gentle ‘2-mile jog’ in my comfort zone too!

So it came as a surprise to me that last year life got in the way and drained my time and energy and I pretty much stopped running. I would drag myself out for the occasional run, believing that the fitness and love for it was still there only to find it extremely mentally and physically hard to the point I stopped enjoying it.

People kept saying to me “…but you’re a runner, you’ll get back to it” to which I heard myself saying, with a slightly heavy heart, “…not anymore, I prefer yoga now” in an attempt to deny to myself that I had found a better alternative, whilst deep down knowing that yes, I love yoga, but running was part of ME.

Whilst the fog of last year started to clear I started to listen to my heart again and realised that yes, running was currently hard but I needed to re-apply that successful running strategy and mindset and push myself out of my comfort zone. I needed and wanted to find the time and energy to get back to it, as it was my ultimate mental and physical self-care tool.

I was out for one of those slow, plodding runs when I was reminded of Robert Dilts’ Logical Levels model which made complete sense as a means of supporting my goal.

The Dilts’ model explores the hierarchy of levels required to make change (for an organisation or an individual). The function of each level is to direct and facilitate change on the lower levels. Change on a lower level is often easier but does not necessarily effect change to the upper levels.

When your environment, behaviour, strengths, values and beliefs are aligned with your identity and purpose you are likely to feel congruent and authentic.

When you know your purpose and identity you can identify:

• Which values and beliefs support you to be who you are and fulfil your purpose and which ones limit you.
• Which behaviours support you to be who you are and fulfil your purpose and which behaviours limit you.
• Which skills, strengths and capabilities support you to be who you are and fulfil your purpose and what skills you need to acquire or learn.
• And finally which environments support you to be who you are and fulfil your purpose and which environments limit you.

For me, I knew that running was absolutely part of who I was…my identity. And I knew that my purpose, as a Coach, was to help people be the best they could be from a psychological and physical respect. And that had to start with me being the best version of me.

Therefore, from that starting point I could explore how to identify what would support me to achieve my goal of getting back to running:

Which values and beliefs were supporting me?

• My love of nature and being outside and my love of keeping physically fit were supporting my goal.
• My belief that I COULD enjoy running again and I COULD find the time and the energy to start doing it again.
• My belief that it was important to look after myself, mentally and physically, and it was my responsibility to do that, both for myself, my family and friends and my clients.

Which behaviours were supporting me?

• Planning the time in my diary to go for regular short runs was supporting me.
• Having the awareness that going for a run first thing in the morning sets me up for a positive day.
• Listening to music while running, or an audio book made it relaxing and fun.

What skills and capabilities were supporting me?

• My determination to achieve my goal and do what I know makes me feel physically and mentally healthy.
• Being able to visualise the end goal whilst also enjoying the process and achievement of taking small steps to move towards it.
• Having so many positive experiences of running anchored in my body; the sounds of birdsong, the trees swaying in the breeze, the occasional passing plane, dogs rustling and snuffling through the long grass, the rhythmic sound of my feet landing on the ground and my regular, deep breaths of fresh air.

Which environments were supporting me?

• This is a big one. I am so lucky to live in a beautiful area close to nature, fields and woodland for miles, and this was a massive driver to get back to running.
• I know that running in a town or city just wouldn’t support me in getting back to running, as it would drain my energy, whereas running in the fresh air in nature makes me feel alive.

So, what are you DOING and who are you BEING when you feel like the best version of you? Are you consciously making time to DO it and BE it regularly?

What values, beliefs, behaviours, skills and environments are supporting you to do it….and which are holding you back?