Des maintains motivation by thinking positive
From a young age, 17-year-old Clondulane local Des O’Reilly became involved in combat sports such as Mixed Martial Arts and Krav Maga. According to Des, training for these intense sports involves just as much mental training as it does physical.
“I was given a gift to study it more and to try and help others,” Des said.
In 2015 at just 11 years old, Des went to Ukraine to fight for Ireland and was meant to continue on to Thailand. However, when his mother broke her Achilles tendon, it meant that Des had no one to fly with, which put a hold on competing, but did not stall his drive and ambition.
About three years ago, Des suffered concussion and was advised by the doctor to stop partaking in combat sports for a time, which ultimately put a hold on the sport for Des. However, his motivation to keep physically and mentally fit remained and he has since been self-training.
Despite this setback, Des, who currently attends Youthreach in Fermoy has continued to train, both physically and mentally and has shared his advice with TheAvondhu following his experiences.
“I want to give people motivation and a drive to go further. I think anyone, no matter who it is, can do something physically. It’s in our nature, but you have to overcome what’s holding you back mentally,” he said.
An article written by Des noted: “We can train our brains just as easy as training any other muscle in our bodies, it’s all about positivity and keeping your dreams and goals at the front of your brain at all times.”
While healthy living is a major aspect of staying fit and both physically and mentally strong for Des, he advised that setting aside 10 to 15 minutes for meditation before you go to sleep can encourage a successful day.
“Meditation means going to your safe and comfortable bubble within your head where worry and fear can not harm you. Every night before you go to sleep think: what can I change for tomorrow to make me a better person and how I can be successful tomorrow?” he said.
‘THE FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS’
With Covid-19 and lockdown restrictions changing almost every aspect of our daily lives, many are struggling to keep to healthy routines in what is now ‘the new normal’.
“I live in quite a remote place, so I have a lot of free will with the fields and stuff. If I’m not training, I still have other things to do. I always run the backroads and train, but it’s tougher without the gyms, especially for people in towns,” Des said.
Mentally, the pandemic and the lockdown have been draining, with many people, especially the younger generation, struggling to stay motivated.
“When feeling down, remember you are never alone. We cannot change the doing of the past, luckily the future is in our hands to change through positive thinking, big dreams and hard work. We can be successful in whatever we put our minds to no matter what. Nothing is impossible.
“I was an MMA fighter and very successful. But as I got older, life got turned upside down and I decided to quit. When I felt trapped and alone in my own bubble, I sat next to a quiet spot I know near a waterfall. I thought long and hard - I had enough of feeling down and worthless, so I picked myself up and changed the future for myself. I trained long and hard, I thought positive every day and set my goals. I started being great again, all through a strong mindset,” Des said.
LOOK FOR THE ‘BRIGHT SKY’
According to Des, healthy thinking and goals have to come into play in everyday life and he advises to begin small and basic, reminding yourself of the simple phrase ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’.
Self-respect is another key area which Des continues to develop, as he claims that self-respect involves ‘ committing your life to yourself’.
“Your mission in life is you. After all, putting yourself first isn’t selfish, it’s wise, because you can not help someone if you can not help yourself.
“Build yourself stronger and wiser every day. Success awaits. Tomorrow is going to be great, as will next week and so on. If you come to a challenge remember to think positive. If you end up at the dark tunnel in your life, remember every tunnel has a bright sky at the other side, “Des stressed.