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SPORTS, FITNESS &SPORTS, FITNESS & 
HEALTHY LIVINGHEALTHY LIVING 
Mountain View News Saturday, January 10, 2026 
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SPORTS, FITNESS &SPORTS, FITNESS & 
HEALTHY LIVINGHEALTHY LIVING 
Mountain View News Saturday, January 10, 2026 
NEVER SAY NEVER 

UNLOCK YOUR LIFE 


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 
professional who offers semi-private/virtual fit-
ness classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit. 
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness. 


Have you ever told yourself, “I’m just not a runner,” or “I’ll 
never be strong enough for that”? Maybe you’ve heard it 
from a friend, a coach, or even your own voice in the mirror. 
The truth is… you’re probably lying to yourself—but your 
brain doesn’t know that. Repeated messages, even false ones,
have a sneaky way of convincing our minds that they’re true. 
This is called the Illusory Truth Effect, and it’s one of the 
biggest obstacles in fitness—because it doesn’t just spread 
myths about workouts and diets; it can make you believe you 
can’t do something. 

Here’s how it works. Our brains are wired to treat familiar 
things as true. If we hear the same idea over and over, we 
start to believe it, even if it’s false. Advertisers know this— 
they repeat slogans until they feel true: “Just do it,” “Eat more 
fiber,” “This miracle pill burns fat fast.” Political slogans, 
memes, even social media posts all take advantage of the 
same trick. Repetition creates trust—or at least the illusion 
of truth. 

This is exactly how propaganda works. Governments, political parties, or media campaigns repeat 
certain messages over and over to shape what people believe. Sometimes the messages are half-
truths or outright lies, but by the time you’ve seen them on posters, TV, online, and heard friends 
repeat them, your brain starts to treat them as fact. Think about history: repeated slogans like 
“Work hard, obey authority,” or modern misinformation online. Even smart, educated people can 
fall for it. The Illusory Truth Effect is powerful because repetition feels like proof. 

Fitness is full of similar examples. Think of all the myths we’ve heard: “Carbs make you fat,” 
“Crunches eliminate belly fat,” “Women will get bulky if they lift weights.” These messages show 
up in magazines, Instagram posts, and even well-meaning trainers. You hear them enough, and 
suddenly your brain says, “Well, that must be true.” But the Illusory Truth Effect doesn’t stop there. 
It creeps into the most dangerous place: your mind. 

This is where it becomes personal. Repetition can convince you that you can’t do something. Maybe 
someone once said, “I could never run a 5K,” and you heard it so often it became a rule in your 
head. Or maybe your neighbor said, “I’m just not flexible,” and suddenly your brain says, “Yeah… 
I’ll never touch my toes either.” These repeated “truths” become self-limiting beliefs. They’re like 
invisible walls that block progress before you even try. 

You might even hear it in subtle ways at the gym: “Some people are just born fit,” or “You’re too 
old to start.” You repeat these words in your own head, and soon your brain believes them. The 
Illusory Truth Effect is powerful because it works quietly. It doesn’t scream at you; it whispers, 
“You can’t,” and over time, you start to believe it. 

But here’s the good news: just like it can trick you, you can also trick your brain back. You can 
break free from the “I can’t” habit. Here’s how: 

Challenge the negative repetition. Write down the “I can’t” thoughts that pop into your head. Then 
ask yourself: Is this actually true? Have I tried it before? Often, you’ll realize you’ve just accepted a 
repeated idea without evidence. 

Replace it with positive repetition. Surround yourself with examples of success. Read stories of 
people who started where you are and achieved their goals. Follow trainers who emphasize growth 
over perfection. Even small doses of positive messages repeated over time can start to rewire your 
brain. 

Start small and track wins. Want to run a mile without stopping? Start with a quarter mile. Want 
to lift heavier weights? Add just a few pounds weekly. Every success, no matter how tiny, is proof 
that your brain’s “I can’t” messages are wrong. 

Remind yourself: repetition ≠ reality. Just because you’ve heard something a hundred times doesn’t 
make it true. Your limits are not fixed—they’re flexible, like muscles. You can grow stronger, faster, 
and more capable than your brain thinks. 

Fitness is not just about strength or speed. It’s about mindset. Every time you catch yourself 
thinking, “I can’t,” remember that your brain is being tricked by repetition. You can start that new 
routine. You can try that exercise. You can achieve more than you’ve ever imagined—if you refuse 
to let repeated lies define you. 

So, next time you hear someone—or your own inner voice—say, “You’ll never…” stop. Because 
that “never” is a lie, repeated enough times to sound true. And your job is simple: don’t believe it. 
Take one small step, one repetition, one day at a time. 

ALL THINGS by Jeff Brown 

WINTER: THE STORY OF A 
SEASON BY VAL MCDERMID 

In Winter, McDermid takes us on an adventure through the 
season, from the frosty streets of Edinburgh to the windblown 
Scottish coast, from Bonfire Night and Christmas to 
Burns Night and Up Helly Aa. 

Recalling in parallel memories from her own childhood—
of skating over frozen lakes and carving a “neep” (rutabaga)
for Halloween to being taken to see her first real Christmas 
tree in the town square—McDermid offers a wise and 
enchanting meditation on winter and its ever-changing, 
sometimes ephemeral, traditions. 

Winter is also a reflective, wide-ranging exploration of winter 
as both a physical reality and a powerful idea that has 
shaped human lives, fears, and imaginations. Rather than 
approaching winter as a single scientific or historical subject, McDermid weaves together 
personal memory, social history, crime writing, folklore, and cultural observation to show 
how deeply the coldest season influences the way we think and behave. 


The book moves fluidly between the intimate and the expansive. McDermid begins with her 
own experiences of winter in Scotland, recalling childhood landscapes of ice, darkness, and 
endurance. These memories ground the book emotionally, reminding the reader that winter 
is not an abstract concept but something felt in the body—through cold fingers, short days, 
and long nights. From there, she broadens her scope, examining how winter has historically 
meant danger and deprivation, especially before modern heating, medicine, and food supply 
systems. Starvation, illness, and isolation loom large in earlier centuries, giving winter a reputation 
as a season to be feared and survived. 

As a renowned crime writer, McDermid brings a sharp eye to winter’s association with violence 
and death. She explores why winter settings are so common in crime fiction, where 
snow can hide evidence, darkness can conceal motives, and bad weather intensifies human 
desperation. At the same time, she contrasts this with winter’s quieter symbolism: rest, stillness, 
and the suspension of normal life. The season becomes a pause in the year, a time when 
growth retreats but reflection deepens. 

McDermid also considers how modern life has reshaped winter. Central heating, electric 
light, and global travel have softened its dangers, but not erased its psychological weight. 
Seasonal depression, loneliness, and social inequality still surface more starkly during winter 
months, reminding readers that the season continues to test resilience. 

Ultimately, Winter presents winter as a paradox—harsh yet beautiful, threatening yet necessary. 
McDermid suggests that winter’s power lies in how it strips life back to essentials, forcing 
humanity to confront vulnerability, mortality, and endurance. Through elegant prose and 
thoughtful connections, the book invites readers to see winter not just as weather, but as a 
defining force in human history and identity. Brrrrrrr!! 

Lori A. Harris 


THE QUESTION THAT MAKES 
YOUR BRAIN LIGHT UP 
DIFFERENTLY 

I found myself staring at another coffee mug: "What would 
you do if you knew you wouldn't fail?" 

Ugh! My shoulders tensed. My jaw clenched. I started mentally 
listing reasons why my ideas wouldn't work.

Here's what I've learned after 30 years as a trial lawyer and now 
as a coach: That question is designed to inspire you. But it's actually activating your 
brain's threat detection system. 

Why Inspiration Backfires

When you ask "what if I fail?", your amygdala, your brain's alarm system, floods your 
body with stress hormones. Neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman's research shows 
this literally narrows your field of vision and shuts down creative problem-solving. 
You're biologically primed to scan for danger, not possibility.
No wonder that Pinterest quote leaves you stuck. 

The Question That Actually Works

A client once told me she'd been asking herself the failure question for months while 
her business idea stayed trapped in her notebook. One morning, she asked somethingdifferent: "What would I create if I remembered I'm built for this?" 
She launched her website that afternoon. 
The difference isn't just semantic, it's physiological. Research from Stanford's Carol 
Dweck shows that identity-based questions ("I'm someone who creates" vs. "I want to 
be creative") increase follow-through by 30% and significantly reduce action-anxiety.
You're not fighting against fear. You're changing which part of your nervous system 
you're activating. 

Try This - This Week 

Notice when you catch yourself asking, "What if I fail?" Don't fight it. Just notice where 
you feel it in your body. Chest? Throat? Stomach? Then ask: "What would I do if I 
trusted I'm equipped for this next step?" Not the whole journey. Just the next step. A 
baby step. Write down whatever shows up. Not the perfect plan, just the honest answer.
Maybe it's "I'd send that email." Maybe it's "I'd make the phone call." Maybe it's "I'd 
block out an hour to work on it." That's your starting place. 

Here's Why This Matters

You're not broken for feeling afraid. Your nervous system is doing exactly what it's designed 
to do: protect you. But you can learn to work with it instead of against it.
The life you want isn't waiting for you to become fearless. It's waiting for you to take the 
next step, even though you're feeling some fear.
You've got what it takes. Just ask yourself a different question.
This week, ask the right one. 

Lori Harris is an Integrative Change Coach, Life Mastery Consultant, and the Host of 
the Unlock Your Life Podcast with Lori Harris. Learn more at loriaharris.com 


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