Be More Human

Over the last month I have been encouraged by Reebok to Be More Human. They even sent me a new pair of trainers to help… the new ZQuick Dash, probably the brightest pair of trainers I have ever owned!

Reebok know that fitness is not just about the body, but also about the mind. When we are working on our fitness, we are also working on our minds, and we benefit across all aspects of our lives. Being more human is not just about being fitter and stronger, but also about being a better leader, a better team player, and a more determined and focussed person.

There’s a great video introduction here:

To be honest I seem to have taken this all a little too hard, as in reality I don’t think I can compare myself to the athletes in the video, and know that I will never be like them. As you know from this post I have recently struggled and had a bit of a wobble, doubting my abilities and wondering whether I will ever be as fit and strong as I want to be before the Lyke Wake Walk and in general. I also have noticed a lot more lumpy bits on my body and realised that I am going to have to do something very definite to reduce the back and stomach fat and get back into my summer clothes. At 34, this “girl” is starting to feel like she is not a teenager any more.

My new Reebok ZQuick Dash trainers.

But of course the point Reebok are making is not, I believe, about everyone becoming crossfit champion, or competing in a strongman run. Be More Human isn’t even about making you spend every waking moment doing exercise. It is, though, about encouraging us to get active with the knowledge that the benefits of exercise are way beyond the physical. Fitness amplifies the best parts of our personalities – we are more confident, more focussed, more compassionate, more human. And so we should use exercise – running, cycling, crossfit, circuits, weight lifting, walking, and anything else – to help us be a better person.

With all that in mind Reebok are asking us all to Break Your Selfie. They want us to show the world what we really look like – when we are drained, tired, worn out. None of this pouting nonsense, no filters, less emphasis on the final outcome, and a whole lot more truth, experience, fire and reality. To be honest any selfie you get from me is just that – me – I’m not sure I could manage the ‘prune pout’ even if I tried!

Running Race for Life 10k in June 2014. #BreakYourSelfie

To Be More Human, for me, is about trying and failing, playing and having fun, learning and experiencing. Yes it’s about becoming fitter and stronger, and not worrying about what I look like in the process, but it is also about getting to know myself better and allowing myself some time for self-development. I genuinely hope that all my ramblings here on Splodz Blogz, the way you see me live my life, will encourage you to try, play, learn and experience. And in return I hope you might be able to inspire me.

Let’s all Be More Human.

Thanks to Reebok for encouraging me to Be More Human, and for sending me the brightest pair of trainers I have ever owned. I’ll tell you more about the trainers another time.