From the desk of Kelsey Buell,
Do you know how muscles get stronger?
Well, in super “sciency terms”…
After you workout, your body repairs or replaces damaged muscle fibers through a cellular process where it fuses muscle fibers together to form new muscle protein strands or myofibrils.
These repaired myofibrils increase in thickness and number to create muscle hypertrophy (growth).
But only by working your muscles and pushing them, can they build and get stronger.
My recent experience…
I was working out at Solidcore in West Fargo not too long ago, and MAN it was hard.
One thing that struck me is that they “celebrate the shakes.”
They celebrate the point in the workout when your body is physically almost to the point of depletion that your muscles start to vibrate or shake.
This got me thinking….why??
Why would they possibly celebrate this somewhat painful experience?
And I believe I figured out the answer…
It’s because the instructor knows that you’ll come out physically stronger on the other end if you’ve been able to push your body to the next level.
But in order to get stronger, you have to and take on those challenges even when it hurts a bit.
Life – personally and professionally – can be this way.
It takes hard work in order to get to where you want to go.
When have you experienced a challenge that helped you become a better person?
Every time I have gone through a tough time – whether it’s a disagreement with a coworker, death of a loved one, or a promotion I didn’t get – I always have come out the other end stronger.
Being physically strong can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.
I believe being mentally and emotionally strong can help you improve your overall health too!
Here are 3 top ways I have found to help enhance my mental and emotional strength when I’m going through something tough and I’m feeling the “shakes” of life:
1.Acknowledge your feelings…
When things get tough, the worst thing you can do is try to ignore what’s going on.
I have found myself asking…
”Why do I feel this way? Is it valid for me to feel this way? What is the true challenge I’m experiencing? Is it something deeper?”
These questions can be very helpful because sometimes when things feel hard, there’s actually an underlying challenge I’m trying to avoid and I need to uncover in order to understand my emotions.
2. Practice being self-compassionate:
Pardon my french but, cut yourself a damn break!
Life is hard. It’s not meant to be easy. Tell yourself you will be stronger when you come out the other side.
Find a way to do something that makes you happy during this tough time. Sometimes it might be as simple as taking a bubble bath or listening to your favorite song on repeat.
3. Find someone you can trust to talk about it with:
Life is too hard to try to go it alone. We all need companionship and someone to lean on when things get really hard.
It’s important to find someone you can trust…preferably someone who you can almost guarantee is going to cheer you up and provide you with a more positive outlook on life.
By sharing your hardship with a trusted person who can encourage you, you’ll probably already feel ten times better!!
And just remember…
You will make it out the other side much stronger! That’s how muscles are built.
So start building your strength, one challenge at a time.
I believe in you!
If you are a woman looking for additional ways to get stronger, come experience our amazing event on Friday, January 13th – check it out here: