It comes down to mindset. Many people admit that they want and need to make health improvements, but don’t take the first step towards changing it. This can show up as how we speak to ourselves (internal dialogue), making excuses, lack of awareness, not asking for help, or not prioritizing what’s important to us. Trust me, I have my moments when it come to this. That’s the thing about mindset, it is a continued practice that you have to work on all the time. Step one is bringing awareness of that inner voice. How we speak to ourselves takes up a lot of space in our head and can make or break us in a moment of difficulty.
Think about a pro athlete walking into a championship game. His mindset has great influence on his performance. He has to put complete trust in himself and his abilities to play the game at the highest level. An ounce of doubt can affect what he puts out onto the field. It’s a mental game just as much as it’s a physical one. Even though most people that I work with are not pro athletes, the concept is the same in whatever you do. This is why coaches say, “keep your head in the game.” Their point is that their mind cannot afford to go somewhere else. They can’t afford any distractions.
We have to see ourselves as smart, capable human beings and for many people that’s extremely difficult. As well as, being open minded, willing to learn, willing to make mistakes, and not do things perfectly. Much easier said than done, I know. The thing is, if you are able to shift that mindset over time, you’ll learn that things will come easier to you in a way that posed so difficult before. What’s in front of us is not normally our challenge, it’s how we view it and approach it. Our preconceived notions about the thing or topic itself is what has us hesitate. It’s the fear of failing that keeps us from taking that step forward.
If I can tell you anything as the new year approaches, it’s to identify what’s important you and WHY. Second, is to be kind to yourself. I know that gets thrown around a lot, but I mean it in a way of approaching yourself as the human you are. No one does anything perfectly. Leave yourself some room to mess up and try again. That’s how we learn and that’s how we improve moving forward. You can do anything you put your mind to.
