Health and Fitness journeys can be scary enough on their own. But they can be made more daunting when our environment is not supportive, and even actively discouraging. Sometimes, when we don’t reach those health and fitness goals, we think that we have somehow failed ourselves. It’s worth noting that in some cases you didn’t get to a problematic place overnight and alone, and changing that narrative may also require you changing your environment.
KEEP YOUR PLANS TO YOURSELF.
We know that starting a new health and wellness journey can be exciting, and its tempting to shout out to the world what you’re going to do. There are countless examples of this behavior on social media, and countless examples of what happens when that person ultimately fails to follow through. Our rule is: don’t tell them what you’re going to do. Instead, SHOW THEM WHAT YOU’VE DONE. We believe that when something is real, you’ll make the decsion from the inside out. It won’t matter what is going on around you, or whether anyone will approve or disapprove of your choices… because you’ll realize that none of that matters anyway. This is about you and your journey.
We’re not advocating keeping your journey a complete secret all of the time. But remember that ultimately the person you have to be accountable to is yourself. We advocate finding a community that unconditionally supports your journey, which is why every NOURISH program comes with inclusion into our curated digital community. It helps you set up an environment where you are encouraged every day to keep going. This can be priceless when you hit the inevitable lows in your journey.
CURATE YOUR HOME COMMUNITY.
Changing the way you eat and move shouldn’t mean cutting off friends and family members who may sometimes get the way of your progress. But it does mean changing some of your personal expectations of those people. It’s not their fault that you’ve decided to stop eating and drinking certain things, or move your body in a way that is not interesting to them. They are their own people, and they are on their own journey. So take control of your narrative, and check in with your support community about tips and tricks to navigate concerts, dinners, and the occasional midnight taco run. It’s even a good idea to recruit a buddy in this process, so that you can hold each other up and hold each other accountable.
KEEP A JOURNAL.
We know… it seems so basic. But it works. Every day, take the time to record what happened and how you felt about it. It’s a good way to get your emotions out of your body and in a place where they can be more manageable. One of the biggest causes of a health or fitness relapse is an emotionally upsetting event, or series of events. Get in front of the potential problem by airing out your feelings and turning them into teachable moments for yourself.
No matter what, forgive yourself every step of the way. You’re not going to do everything perfectly. But the more you make this journey about YOU instead of everyone and everything around you, the more likely you are to stay consistent and succeed.
Protect your Peace. You got this.