Mastering Your Mindset

I’m going to take a wild guess that you have more than enough knowledge on how to be healthier. Chances are you’ve also read a ton of conflicting info. Hello confusing!

This is why getting really clear on what you think and how that impacts what you do is so important for success.

Let’s start to master your mindset, shall we?

So many people want a personalized meal and exercise plan, but can’t implement it long-term. The only way to do personalization well is to start by getting to know yourself better. Learn about what you want, what makes you feel good, and what you believe in.

Start to tune in and listen to yourself and pay attention to how your body responds to changes to your nutrition and exercise.

Look for clues such as being suspicious and experiencing anxiety about giving up certain things or fear of feeling deprived.

Think about how this will work within the reality of your lifestyle taking into account social life, vacation, business travel.

Those signals will become your guide and let you know that you’re on the right path with the chosen plan and behaviors you want to improve.

DEFINE YOUR WHY

Make the connection to the root of what is driving you to want to make this change. This deeper understanding is what you will then be able to go back to when you’re questioning why you started in the first place.

Try this: Continuously ask yourself the question “why.” Picture that kid who annoyingly says “but why, but why, but why” and on and on.

By the end you’ll figure out that it’s not actually about what you initially thought, but something much bigger and much more meaningful.

IDENTIFY THOUGHT TRAPS

Your thoughts influence your actions so knowing where you get tripped up will help you anticipate where you get derailed and can plan ahead. This could be things like weekends, vacations, dining out, socializing. Another big one is tied to fluctuating internal and physiological states like stress, feeling anxious or depressed, or poor sleep quality.

Try this: Without thinking too much about it, start a list and write down what situations are challenging for you.

FOCUS ON SUCCESSES

Throughout the process there will be ups, downs, and setbacks. Motivation is not constant. And for many it’s easy to set the bar high and to lack self-compassion which leads to giving up. The best offense against this tendency is to be deliberate about noting your successes. It can be the teeniest, tiniest thing that you noticed that you did differently. This will keep you in a more positive headspace so you endure and stay committed to the process.

Try this: Make a list of habits you already feel good about.

ENVISION YOUR FUTURE SELF

Who do you want to be? Maybe you don’t know yet. If that’s the case, pick someone who inspires you, that you aspire to be like. It might feel impossible to get there from where you sit right now. That’s okay. They didn’t get there without taking the same steps you’re going to take either.

Try this: I want to be a person who (fill in the blank with whatever pops into your mind first)

Don’t judge it. Don’t let your can’ts or don’t-know-hows get in the way.

The reason this is so important is because creating your future means letting go of who you were and who you are today to become the person you want to be. When you see yourself being the version of yourself inside, you’ll start doing the things that will get you there.

The process to true change is not just physical. It’s also psychological.

ABUNDANCE

When it comes to making a lifestyle change, it’s easy to get caught making an endless list of all the habits you want to stop doing, all of the things to get rid of. It’s helpful to identify challenges and, at the same time, that can reinforce a deprivation mindset. Instead, when you reframe what you want for yourself, it’s helpful to think about what you can add to your lifestyle vs take away. You’ll inevitably set yourself up for an abundance mindset instead of the likely ingrained approach of giving things up and feeling deprived.

PRACTICE

Another mindset trick is to think about any new habit you’re trying out as practice. With each new habit it’s like you’re simply testing it out. This way you don’t get tied to the outcome which can lead to a success vs failure mindset. It’s an opportunity to learn. You’re just practicing. In the process you discover, evaluate and tweak as needed.

Try this: This week pick a habit you want to improve and practice. Write down how it felt, what the challenges were and what you might do differently next time.