Gratitude. Being thankful. Have you stopped to consider how important this might be to your fitness or coaching practice? Think about it this way: have you ever had a workout and afterwards said to yourself, “What a waste of time”? How you ever had someone you have been coaching say that to you after a session? Maybe it was not said directly but the body language sure telegraphs it.
Thinking about gratitude
The idea of gratitude has been on my mind lately. We live in an increasingly ungrateful society. There are lots of contributing factors- social media, marketers who condition us to be dissatisfied, even star athletes and performers contribute to this problem with bad attitudes.
And it is a problem.
I was recently coaching a newer athlete of mine at our provincial championships. While he won, he was not happy with his performance and afterwards threw his shoes in anger and stormed around. While I agreed it was not his best performance, he did win and I did not like his attitude in victory. He took for granted the win and was not only ungrateful for the opportunity to compete but also for the victory in the process showing disrespect for his fellow competitors. Obviously, gratitude is not an automatic based on circumstances or results.
An ‘attitude of gratitude’
Gratitude is an attitude and something we can all look to improve (I know I can!). Cultivating an ‘attitude of gratitude’ is like working on any other fundamental skill. You have to practice. It is not only necessary for track athletes like mine, but for everyone. It takes practice and is a something to be developed. This is also not just for athletes. Whether you are a business owner, worker, stay at home parent or a teacher, we need to remind ourselves of how fortunate we are. With so much conflict and misery going on in so many parts of the world this young man had forgotten this. Have you?
As followers of Jesus, we’re called to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In our fitness journey, gratitude transforms our mindset and fuels our progress. We thank God for our bodies, capable of movement and strength. We’re grateful for the ability to care for our temples, honoring Him with healthy habits. As we sweat and stretch, we pray with thankful hearts, acknowledging God’s goodness and provision. This is an ‘attitude of gratitude in motion’. When we practice this, when we teach this, it becomes a powerful fusion of faith, fitness, and joy that has the capacity to change lives.
Okay, so how do we practice an ‘attitude of gratitude’? We cultivate it through prayer, intention and reflection. Focus on God’s blessings, provision, and promises. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which I mentioned earlier, says “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” That becomes our starting point. We then practice thankfulness in all circumstances, recognizing God’s sovereignty and goodness. Meditate and even memorize bible verses on being thankful. Here are a few great ones: Ephesians 5:20, Psalm 50:14, and 1 Timothy 4:4. Finally, express gratitude to others, honoring God through humility and kindness. We have to be intentional about it, just our training routine. It needs to become a habit. Then we need to reflect on what we are thankful for and why.
Being grateful
What am I grateful for? I’m thankful I have the opportunity to coach. I am also thankful that I have recently started to lead an organization called Fellowship of Christian Athletes Canada. I’m thankful we provide an opportunity for coaches and athletes to combine faith, fitness and sports. Our ministry provides a supportive community where coaches and athletes can grow in their faith while developing their skills. We seek to foster camaraderie, discipline, and perseverance. By integrating Christian values into sports, we equip athletes, and their coaches, to be positive influences on and off the field, glorifying God in all they do. Is this something you could do in your own coaching or fitness practice? I bet you could!
So, what are you thankful for? Take time to name at least five tangible things right now. The key is to spend time considering what you are thankful for and then taking the time to thank God for them. I guarantee it will change your disposition.
So, what happened to my athlete? At our next practice we had a talk about a proper attitude and being grateful for the opportunities we are given. At his next competition, though he jumped worse, he didn’t yell, and he didn’t throw anything. To me, that is progress and moving him a couple of steps closer to God. I am grateful that that.
