Resiliency and Revisiting Core Strengthening Audio Workout Program Level 1

Happy Friday!

Welcome back to your favorite end-of-week read, the Tactile Training Newsletter. If you’re wondering where last week’s post was, I was sadly battling a nasty fever. Luckily, I’ve recovered and am back. That is exactly why this week we are talking about resiliency and getting back on track after a failure or misstep. We’ve also got our usual challenges and audio content to keep you sweating. If you find this newsletter valuable, please share it with a friend.

Resiliency: 102 Degree Fevers and Getting Back on the Bike

• Last week I came down with a nasty fever. One hundred and two point three degrees was what I read when the thermometer beeped. Night sweats were waiting for me the moment I shut my eyes. Muscle aches, neck pain, and migraines were all sure to keep me company throughout the day and through the wee hours of night. I hadn’t exercised in a week, I was perpetually dehydrated, and felt as though I lost a fight with a sack of bricks. Finally, after a very unpleasant week, things changed and I heard the thermometer beep, telling me things would start to get better. It was time to get my life back on track.

• We all experience adversity in life. Adversity comes in many shapes and sizes. It can take the form of job loss, the death of a loved one, a misunderstanding with a friend, struggles to adopt a healthier lifestyle, or more recently in my case, unexpected illness. While we cannot prevent adversity from finding us one hundred percent of the time; we can control something that is equally as important. We can choose HOW WE REACT to the things we experience in life. Resiliency is defined by an individual’s ability ability to react in a productive and constructive way amidst adversity. Luckily, resiliency is a muscle we can all strengthen just like your biceps!

Here are some actionable steps you can take to become more resilient in everyday life:

1. Develop a Growth Mindset:

   • Embrace adversity as an opportunity for growth rather than an obstacle. This shift in perspective can help you approach difficulties with a more constructive attitude.

2. Extreme Ownership:

   • Whether you find yourself failing to stick to a new workout routine or in an argument with someone; humans tend to look externally for someone or something to blame. Instead, start with yourself and ask the following two questions: “What could I have done differently to prevent or improve this situation” and “What can I do right now to improve this situation going forward?” Inward reflection and action is always more productive than blaming circumstance or others.

3. Don’t Overuse Your Resiliency Muscles:

   • A surefire way to fail at a new fitness goal or nutrition plan is to rely on self-control too frequently. Imagine you are trying to improve your nutrition and are working to cut down on sweets or ice cream. This becomes exponentially more difficult if you are around sweets or ice cream frequently. Make it easy on yourself and don’t keep it in the house. This is an easy way to win without having to struggle when the ice cream or cookies start calling your name.

4. Maintain a Positive Outlook:

   • Focus on the positive aspects of your situation and practice gratitude. This doesn’t mean ignoring difficulties but rather balancing them with recognition of what’s going well in your life. If you failed to stick to your new workout routine yesterday, that’s okay. You are alive today and have a new opportunity to be successful. What are you going to do with your day?

Weekly Challenge: Change Your Environment

For the upcoming week, your challenge is to make physical changes to your environment that will help you accomplish your goals. If you want to go to the gym more frequently, improve your snacking habits, or not be late to an event, I have tips for ways you can set yourself up for success.

Here are a couple suggestions:

1. Remove obstacles and excuses: If you want to start a new fitness routine, but have trouble managing time or finding motivation the morning of, start by laying out or packing your workout clothes the night before to make things quick and simple for yourself in the morning. The removal of obstacles will help get your day moving in the right direction without providing time for excuses.

2. Change your environment: If you want to lose weight and improve your nutrition, removing sweets and junk foods from your pantry is a highly effective solution. This same principle can be applied to any goal. Want to go to sleep earlier — remove your television from the bedroom or a similar distraction. Humans will change their actions to fit their environment. If you don’t like your actions, think about ways you can change your environment!

Change your environment for a week and you’ll notice your actions change with it. Let me know if this helped you!

Accessible Technology: The TapTapSee App

This week, we’re featuring the TapTapSee app, a powerful tool designed to assist individuals who are blind or visually impaired by providing instant visual recognition. Using your smartphone’s camera, TapTapSee identifies objects and text and provides audio descriptions to help you understand your environment.

Key Features of the TapTapSee App:

• Object Identification: Take photos of everyday items and receive detailed audio descriptions, helping you recognize and locate objects.

• Text Recognition: Snap pictures of written text to receive spoken readings of labels, signs, and documents, making information more accessible.

• Voice Commands: Utilize voice commands to capture images and request descriptions, making the app easy to use hands-free.

Learn more about how TapTapSee can assist you by visiting their website: www.taptapseeapp.com

Community Highlight: VisionServe Alliance

This week, we’re spotlighting VisionServe Alliance, an organization dedicated to supporting agencies and organizations that serve the blind and visually impaired community. VisionServe Alliance provides resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities to enhance the services and support available.

Stay updated with their latest news and initiatives through their Facebook Page: VisionServe Alliance

For more information on their services and how to get involved, visit their official website: www.visionservealliance.org

I hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter! If you have any issues downloading this week’s free audio workout program below, have questions or suggestions for future newsletters; contact me at [email protected]. Until next time!

- Coach Brandon