I’m often amazed at how we, at times even chronically, push ourselves beyond our limits and boundaries. This seems to be the norm in our society, even desirable. But where do sustainability and self-love fit into this constant cycle of pushing ourselves and depleting our resources?
In his book “80/20 Running,” Matt Fitzgerald talks about something he calls “Intensity Blindness.” He points out that most runners exert themselves much more than they realize, especially in terms of speed. They become accustomed to their usual pace without realizing that they’re accepting a higher risk of injury and missing out on the benefits of training at a lower intensity more often.
This concept of Intensity Blindness extends to various aspects of our lives, whether it’s work, sports, diet, or our relationships.
If we want to communicate effectively and healthily with each other—being assertive, self-confident, clear, honest, and connecting—we need to have the energy and capacity to do so. Without enough energy, we can find ourselves stuck in a negative feedback loop where we can’t meet our own demands, leading to dissatisfaction, emptiness, and loneliness. This, in turn, hinders us from connecting deeply with others and ourselves.
Instead of merely addressing the symptoms of our constant overstimulation and pushing, it’s empowering to reflect on how we can stop this pattern altogether.
We need to allocate more time to various aspects of life, including healing, talking, sleeping, and eating—all of which are essential for a healthy body and mind. While our bodies can handle short, stressful periods reasonably well, chronic stress becomes problematic. We can even take a global perspective and understand that pushing beyond limits often leads to increased consumption and poor decision-making.
It’s crucial to acknowledge that our bodies are constantly in flux, influenced by various factors like the menstrual cycle, sleep, food, and weather. Regardless of the situation, what matters most is accepting your current state. Pause any thoughts like, “Normally, I’d be able to do…” It can be comforting to know that your situation can change, but that shouldn’t push you to surpass your current limitations hastily and forcefully. The consequences are clear: injuries, conflicts, unnecessary misunderstandings, bad mood, poor decision-making, detachment from others, ourselves, and our surroundings.
I understand that slowing down can be challenging, especially when you want to shape and change the world. However, in this context, sustainability is the key concept. In practice, it means continually getting to know yourself and adjusting your behaviors based on your own perceptions and insights.
Let’s face it; when running on little fuel, we don’t perform at our best.