Our hunter gatherer ancestors, BEFORE agriculture are believed to be us at our pinnacle of physical and mental performance.
Of course
the threats were high and we were pretty brutal at times, however it is believed that we were at our most fulfilled and 'worked' only 25-30 hours a week.
The tribe supported each other, all children were treated by all adults as their own (in fact nobody knew for sure who's child was who's anyway!) and the elderly were cared for.
There was a finite amount of people where
this tribe started to lose its togetherness at around 150 people.
Also, this seems to be the amount of employees a business can get to and any more then support needs to be brought in as the culture can break down.
I find social media fascinating and, like everyone, spend a good amount of time on it. However does anyone else feel strangely unfulfilled after too long
on there, even if catching up with loads of old friends?
- Do we reach out to others enough?
- Do we meet up face to face enough?
I know I don't!
If I've had a day on the laptop and then go do the school run, talking to real people suddenly almost feels
alien after the screen all day!
Scientists have tagged the need for this interaction 'social support' and it has also been shown in research to be the single most important aspect in success of a health or lifestyle improvement.
Its at the centre of why people have a work out buddy, join a fitness or slimming group or hire a PT. Accountability, support and someone to pace
us really does work.
I've written before about the 'gap' between us that are just starting on a fitness journey to those that are well into it.
We can use this gap to our advantage.
The scary dude in the gym who lifts massive weights is probably one of the nicest guys in there, just talk to
him and you will probably find he is more than happy to help you out. Aim high!
That 'fit' friend that always seems to be posting pics of herself running races is probably wishing that you would ask her is you could try a run with her one day.
People who have had success at turning their life around and got healthy are busting to help
others feel the same.
Rarely their motivation to get to where they are is to simply be better than others. I can tell you now that if that was their only motivation then they would have failed long ago..it's a lonely path with no social support that one!
Have a think about that network
that I quarantee you have surrounding you waiting to be nurtured.
That friend who lifts weights, the one who grows her own veg, tha chap that has lost loads of fat doing sprints in the park you see whilst walking the kids to school.
They are looking for a community too, a real one.
Often I find that when
I'm on a dip in my training and motivation, talking to someone interested in getting better or stronger gives me a boost that I need. It works both ways and everyone benefits from the interaction.
The energy I get when I see someone Deadlift their personal best and the look on their face will keep me on fire for ages (well done Emma for yesterday!).
Thats why a PT
does what they do, it's not an ego thing, it's really exciting to see that smile of pride on someone's face when they awaken to what their body can really do. We care, lots.
Reach out to those people today, tell them how impressed you are with what they have done. Buy them a coffee and have a chat about how they did it. I know I've been guilty of sitting on the sofa feeling jealous of that mate who
has changed their life in some way, when really what I should of done is show them how proud I was of them.
Build your tribe, ask people for help and tell them how proud you are of them.
Smile at the person on the tube, make that cashier smile with a joke and chat to that big scary dude in
the gym. You may get ignored..if so, then that is their loss!
J
