Do you love what you do, or is there gap between your work and your passion?

Picture this: you’re on a long run.  You are completely consumed in the moment, your mind is focused, and all you can hear are your feet hitting the ground.

You know that staying focused right now is key, because one wrong step and an ankle turn would make for a long hobble back home, and you don’t want this moment to end.

Imagine it… I know you’ve been there.

This state of sheer bliss offers an escape, and an opportunity to shed some wisdom on your worries.  You may soon forget about the difficult conversation at work, future plans, or what you’re going to do about tomorrow’s meeting.

On the other hand, if there’s a gap between what you love and how you make a living, you probably do a lot of things every day that aren’t as enjoyable and euphoric as that experience – sitting in traffic after a staff meeting, and everything that seems like nothing more than a check on your list, a means to an end, and a deposit into an account.

But I bet you’ve noticed that working out does something for you.  It happens to be one of the best parts of your day.  In fact if you had to put into words, you might say that…

Movement in the body creates movement in your life.   

It’s the increased motivation you have to conquer your day after that euphoric run in the woods, and the way you move from mundane to running on the edge of it all.

So, can working out actually help you love your job? 

The next time you workout, try one of these mind-body strategies to inspire you.

Witness your purpose

You’ve probably set goals for race times, followed a training plan, or set an intention before a yoga practice.  Goals guide us where we want to go, but purpose reminds us why we’re going there.  What’s your mission? What are you passionate about?  Why do you do what you do?  Notice something you do at work today that aligns with that purpose.  What keeps you going?  Endurance is taking one step after the other because we’re after something bigger.  Before your next workout, take a moment to think about your passion behind training and your work, and carry it with you as you go.

Trust your body wisdom

You may have a coach, physician, or trainer to help guide your wellness path, but you know your body best.  Are you in the middle of a decision and have a gut feeling?  Do you feel torn between stop or go?  In working out and life, your body is your best teacher. Listen. The more you notice, the more this innate wisdom will guide you.  Stay aware, awake, and in tune.

Train with your inspired desires

How do you want to feel when you workout?  How do you want to feel when you show up to work?  The reality is that we do things to feel a certain way.  For example, if you want to feel strong and free, what can you do to harness and feel that same way at work?  Do you need to strategize, take a break, or move and act in some way?  Post the ‘feeling’ word somewhere you’ll see it every day.  Repeat the word as a mantra during your warm-up, or meditate with it for a few minutes on your way to work in the morning.  What can you do to feel more of that right now?

Move with it

Make a list of activities (other than working out) that make you feel more like the real you (hint: they probably match up with your inspired desires) – spending more time with family, creating a piece of art, volunteering, or giving someone a gift.  Scan through your list. Choose one to focus on this week – that’s right, just one.  Daily action is key.

Respect your uniqueness

Your interval workout, push-ups, and Warrior Two will probably look different than mine.  Accept your differences as a blessing rather than compare yourself to other people or societal standards.  In your job or business, don’t be afraid to color outside the lines, suggest a new idea, or take a new approach to an old problem.  You can make a difference if you harness what is uniquely YOU!

Balance work and play

A good interval workout is a mix of fast and slow, work and relax.  Yourjob and life should be the same way.  Make time to do what you enjoy, and make it a non-negotiable.  Just like the slower pace between hard intervals, the only thing that will allow you to go your hardest and best is to break it up with rest in between.

Your thoughts create beliefs, and those beliefs inspire action.  Moving your body is the closest symbolic expression you have of who you really are.  Use it to help you move into a new place, expand your vision, or engage with more zest for life.  When you move your body, you can change your life.

Goals guide us where we want to go, but purpose reminds us why we’re going there.

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