It’s been a while?
One of my pastimes for some reason is a weight class at my local gym. Called “Body Pump”, it’s an hour of weights and muscle work to a high-energy soundtrack, choreographed by one of a selection of uber-fit instructors. The monday class is always punishing. After a weekend of recuperation, followed by your average monday, the last thing my brain wants to do is lift weights. And yet, I go.
So this monday I was feeling strong. My training regime seems to be paying off and I was looking forward to taking my weights up a notch and burning right through. I had a positive frame of mind and I was ready to go.
And as the class started, the instructor warmed up the room by telling us how many times she got rained on at the weekend. I muscles shrunk and I no longer felt like lifting heavy things.
See, her well-meaning comments effected a change in my state of mind, and this in turn effected a change of physiology… my strength drained away. Fortunately I was aware enough of what was happening to change my state back, but only because I knew what was happening. I wonder how many times a day we have our state changed by others, all with positive intention but blissfully unaware of the trail of destruction we leave behind.
So next time you get ready to tell a sad story to someone, check to see whether doing so is going to benefit them right then!
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