5 Tips for Stamina

Here we are just at the cusp of May, bracing for the tumble roll into a race for time before summer takes full control. Often it feels easier for us to hold our breath and plow through the busyness, but when we don’t exhale we tend to shatter. By building a steady stream of stamina, while breathing of course, we allow ourselves the gift of space and time. Accomplishing it all at once is never possible in the end, so we need to feed the endurance meter so that fatigue is not the victor over our busy lives. Let’s look through some helpful steps:

1. Bite-sized goals. You can’t eat a big meal in one large bite. Instead, you take manageable bites until the plate is clean, or you are full. Set yourself up for success by setting small goals that you can reasonably accomplish in a specific time frame. If you are working toward a larger overall goal, break it up and complete it one piece at a time.  
2. Build up time. Give yourself a specific amount of time to work on the goal each day. Start on the smaller side, keeping the bite sized mentality in mind. Once you have hit that time mark for a week or so, add a longer amount as a target for the next couple of weeks. The key to endurance is building, and time is one of the blocks in the structure.
3. Practice Persistence. Obstacles and challenges are going to fall across your path. Having ways to help you stay on track, or get you back up when your legs have been knocked out from underneath you is crucial. Try some of these:

• ​​​​Positive self talk-”You can do this” or “Just try again, you are doing a good job”
• Deep Breathing-Take at least 5 deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. It will give you space to relax, refocus, and keep going. 
• Music motivation-Find a song that motivates you, and make it your go to when you need encouragement.   ​
  

​4. ​​Everyday exposure. Repetition is a key step in building up stamina because it allows you the time to practice while getting used to the process. Once you set this step it's easier to build up to a high level of accomplishment.   

5. Celebrate. Tell yourself you did a good job and acknowledge that you actually did the thing you intended to do. Surround yourself with people who will do the same. A solid support system is the foundation to keeping you going when the wheels feel like they might spin off of your busy schedule.
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Make May the month you start the steady path up your mountain of goals, whether they are big or small. Find your rhythm and stay consistent. Stamina is a built- in friend and will pick you up when you fall. 

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