Anatomy of a Thought

I only started parkour in my 30’s; I couldn’t jump or climb and moved with all the grace of the tin man. I spent a lot of time searching for reasons why everyone was better than me - they had trained gymnastics as a child, they had a supportive family, they had great teachers, the list was endless. I finally realised the biggest limit to achieving my goals was my attitude.

Training parkour has made it crystal clear that my body is capable of doing so many things but it’s my mind that continually holds me back. I’ve tried so many methods to overcome my fear and, in the process, realised that there was a lot more going on behind the scenes in my subsconscious than I cared to admit.

We spend a large chunk of our lives lugging around inherited beliefs and assumptions without ever stopping to take stock of whether we believe them or if they serve us; we’re the product of our environment, the caregivers who shaped us, instilled their values into us. Now we’re all grown up, we reflect it back out into the world and these stories we tell ourselves shape our internal model of reality.

• Do you feel that you’re too old to ever do a something you’ve dreamed of doing?

• Do you believe everything your teachers tell you?

• Do you hold yourself back because you’re scared of getting injured?

• What are the stories you tell about yourself?

When we act or when we observe an action performed by someone else mirror neurons in our brain fire. From birth we learn through imitation of those around us. Observing things around us creates familiarity and this becomes our normality and what we’re comfortable with. Who we are, our personality, isn’t set in stone. Just because we haven’t been courageous, brave or achieved our dreams doesn’t mean we can’t in the future. Who we have been isn’t who we can be.

‘We learn through mirror neurons by seeing what other people accomplish and that it's possible for us’
- Lacy Phillips

Seeing is believing, so when we meet people who already embody, have or are successful in what we want and come from a similar background to us, it is a powerful way to expand our subconscious sense of what is possible. I learned about this concept through Lacy Phillips, of To Be Magnetic, who calls these people ‘expanders’ and, in the age of social media, finding them has never been easier.

FIND EXPANDERS | They are everywhere, you just have to look! Are your social media feeds inspiring you or depressing you? Start to pay attention to what’s showing up and what you’re looking at everyday and if it’s reinforcing your positive beliefs or affirming your negative ones. For instance, I follow Pamela Gagnon, Julie Angel and Odelia Goldschmidt because they all inspire me and show me what it’s possible that women can achieve, how strong they can be and that life doesn’t have to end when you reach 30.

WATCH | Scroll down for a video made by Julie Angel of women in their 60s and 70s training trapeze. I found it so inspiring and it really opened my eyes and reminded me that it is possible to train whatever your age. Take note of the kind of media you’re consuming - what messages is it reinforcing? Is it negative and depressing or uplifting and positive?

For those ready to do the work, I look forward to connecting over a session.

- F

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JULIE ANGEL | MOVEMENT OF BONES

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What we believe to be possible defines what we are capable of creating.

Nassim Haramein

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