← Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

How Running Can Transform Your Life with Sanjay Rawal #79

Oct 16, 2019 2h 5m 22 insights
CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains mild swearing. When we think about running, most of us think of it as a form of physical exercise – something that we do to lose weight, look better or stay healthy. Some of us like to measure how far and how quickly we can run. But running can be so much more than that. What if someone told you that running could be a tool to transform your life? This week, film-maker and inspirational human being, Sanjay Rawal, is here to do just that.   Whilst making his latest film (3100: Run and Become), Sanjay followed the most elite multi-day race in the world - the 3,100 mile race, which takes place on the streets of Queens, New York City each summer. He also followed the Kalahari Bushman and a group of Japanese Monks. What was common amongst all three groups of people was that they performed superhuman feats with the sole goal of spiritual growth. Sanjay talks about their individual journeys and what we can all learn from them.   Through physical exertion, Sanjay believes that we can all understand who we are and connect to something bigger than ourselves. We discuss how modern life presents many obstacles for us, but Sanjay explains how we can all achieve self-expansion, whether we are running or simply walking down the road. This is an incredible conversation – I think you will really enjoy it.  Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/79 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee/ Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee/ Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize Inner Self-Discovery

Embark on the journey of self-discovery to understand who you are beyond external influences, past experiences, and inherited tendencies, as this is the ultimate point of life and leads to feeling empowered.

2. Find Joy in Exertion

Consciously seek and cultivate joy during moments of physical or mental exertion, rather than just enduring it, as this practice is a formula for self-transcendence, transformative happiness, and can make stress melt away.

3. Embrace Solitude for Health

Dedicate time for solitude and self-reflection, even just five minutes daily, to sit with your thoughts, discover your meaning and purpose, and achieve true health and happiness, as constant external inputs prevent this internal work.

4. Connect Beyond Self

To find true happiness, growth, and evolution, connect to something greater than your individual self, whether through religion, spirituality, relationships, or community, moving beyond an overly self-focused mindset.

5. Begin Day with Contemplation

Practice 5-12 minutes of contemplation first thing in the morning to consciously slow your mind and bring forth heart qualities, starting your day from a point of balance and enabling you to return to that state during stressful moments.

6. Eliminate Stress with Contemplation

Understand that most stress is self-created and can be eliminated through consistent contemplative practice, which, over time, can lead to living an entirely stress-free life.

7. Reframe Running as Transformation

If you find running painful or injurious, shift your perspective from performance, miles, body shape, or calorie burning to viewing it as a pathway to personal transformation and self-discovery.

8. Move with Heart-Led Intention

To use running or walking for transformation, cultivate a ‘soft mind,’ connect with your heartbeat and spiritual heart, and let these inner energies guide your movement, rather than external metrics or distractions like GPS watches or music.

9. Breathe Consciously for Calm

Unplug from distractions during any physical activity and consciously focus on your breath, imagining you are breathing in peace to fill your being, which can bring both peaceful and dynamic energy, calm, and power in moments of exertion or stress.

10. Act on Inspiration

Do not mistake consuming inspirational content for progress; true progress only comes when you convert that inspiration into actual physical action.

11. Curate Goal-Oriented Inspiration

Identify your aspirations (career, physical, spiritual) and actively handpick inspiration that directly supports and helps you achieve those specific goals.

12. Integrate Physicality for Happiness

Recognize the physical part of life as an essential component to achieving personal happiness and long-term dreams, rather than separating oneself from the world or eschewing the body in the pursuit of spiritual progress.

13. Cultivate a Happy Mindset for Running

Approach running with the intention to be happy and mentally loose, as this can lead to a looser body, fewer injuries, and a more enjoyable experience, transforming running from something painful to something beneficial.

14. Embrace Childlike Consciousness

Approach challenging situations or overwhelming exertion with a ‘childlike consciousness,’ embracing spontaneity, newness, and freshness to find joy, which can prevent your mind from bothering you.

15. Prioritize Fun with Kids

When engaging in physical activity with children, focus on having fun and enjoying the experience together, rather than being time-focused or subtly nudging them towards performance goals, which can stem from your own unresolved issues.

16. Start Small, Enjoy Movement

If you struggle with motivation to be active, begin with very small, unprescribed goals, like walking one lap of your block once or twice a day, and build on the desire for a deeper, more freeing experience rather than fixed distances or times, prioritizing enjoyment to increase capacity.

17. Simplify Physical Activity

Challenge the notion that you need specific gear or equipment to engage in physical activity; embrace movement in whatever you are wearing, or do equipment-free workouts at home, to simplify exercise and reclaim it as your birthright.

18. Start Self-Care Simply

For those feeling disconnected or overwhelmed by stress, begin self-care with simple, symbolic acts like lighting a candle and taking a bath, as the consistency of these small steps can be transformative and lead to deeper self-care.

19. Expand Self-Care Inwardly

After starting with simple self-care acts that provide release, actively seek to channel that energy inward and expand your self-care to practices that lead to personal growth and wisdom, ensuring you can access inner resources even without external tools.

20. Reflect on Life’s Preciousness

Understand that life is an incredible gift and what you get out of it is up to you; set long-term goals that aren’t solely for outer success or making others happy, but also for achieving personal happiness, to avoid realizing too late that you lack the capacity to achieve your dreams.

21. Try Vivo Barefoot Shoes

Consider trying Vivo Barefoot minimalist shoes, which are thin, wide, and flexible, and have been beneficial for the host and his patients for issues like hip, knee, and back pain; get 20% off for new customers and a 100-day free trial at vivobarefoot.com/livemore.

22. Apply for Podcast Team

If you have expertise in social media and copywriting, are based in the UK (ideally northwest England), and are passionate about spreading positive health messages, email info@drchastity.com with your expertise, experience, and why you’d be a good fit.