How do you become your best?
Our minds are programmed for survival, not for being our best. At first glance, one might think this falls along the same path. Dig deeper and see how without mindful work and conscious choices, we end up going on autopilot and most is self-defeating.
We often find ourselves comparing and competing against other people. This is almost a guaranteed way to lose. Our focus needs to stay on what we need to do to make progress towards a goal and to overcome the next obstacle
We may envision an image of ourselves with our best intentions of achievement, happiness, energy, strength, and wellness. We may even decide to create a plan to reach these goals with some clear steps in mind, along with the utmost passion and strength to overcome anything that gets in our way. All of a sudden, survival mode gets underway while there’s a birthday party potluck of treats in the break room. This can easily turn into a glutton-fest. Or, let’s say we resist the potluck food frenzy all day and the will power quits at 7 pm, when we are finally home. We may end up devouring the pantry, only to ask ourselves 30 minutes later what the hell happened.
We need to create systems that help make our lives a little easier, to assist us in reaching our goals and feeling good about ourselves. In the food department, making pre-planned decisions about what foods we feel we want to limit for our best health and still allow for us to enjoy ourselves are important. Meal prepping is an obvious one that is often overlooked or put off, leading to poor choices in the day. Create the vision. Know thyself and what challenges you have, and create solutions for growth and progress. Acknowledge the progresses and build up that positive talk and support, to overcome and get more wins in each day. Consistency wins.
What can we put on autopilot, so we can save decision making for the important choices, like which project at the office needs attention or completion first? We often waste our willpower and decision making on what to wear, what flavor of coffee to choose at the quick-stop, and eventually, what to tell your boss about the project that you need more time on, because you were playing online or browsing social media.
Taking time for our health and wellness makes everything else in our lives better, happier, more fulfilling, and easier. This includes, but is not limited to strength training, cardio, stretching, balance, mobility, nutrition, water intake, rest, mindfulness, and social interaction. Why is it so hard for so many of us to make healthy choices?
We need to remind ourselves that we feel best after challenging ourselves. We can get a great happy hormone rush of dopamine from a great Spinning or boot camp class, but we can also get that same rush from a glazed doughnut. Which is the better choice? Which is the easy choice? And finally, which helps you feel good and gets you closer to your goals?
The oldest excuse is, “I don’t have time to practice mindfulness and workout.” The answer is that many people find the time who are much busier than you are. Most people won’t do this next step. Those who create progress, and achieve and feel better will do this.
The activity is to track what you do every hour. This is achieved by planning ahead from memory of a past day and making a best guess for our future day, with the best case scenario and intentions. Clarify what matters most. See where time is wasted and unnecessary. You may find that you need to get up a little earlier. You may find that you need to go to bed a little earlier.
Example:
4:30 – 5:00am:
- Wake up
- Drink 30 oz of water
- Practice Mindfulness
5:00 – 6:00 am:
- Warm up 5 min
- Strength Training 30 minutes
- Cardio 15 minutes
- Stretch 10 minutes
6:00 – 6:30 am:
- Bathroom time
- Pack healthy prepped meals and snacks and head to work.
6:30 – 7:00 am:
- Commute listening to motivational audio book or your favorite podcast.
7:00 – 8:00 am
- Settle in to work.
- Start on highest priority project and follow through, before moving on.
We are built with the repetition of what we consistently do. The more we lift weights, the stronger we get. The more we choose a healthy action, the easier it gets. We build receptors and memories. We actually change our structure at the cellular level by building intrinsic actions and thoughts over time. Take any negative and find a way to see a positive and then, use it to fuel you. This is not always an easy process, but is important and gets easier in time.
We all have doubt. It’s a matter of being proactive to overcome it, by creating your vision, everyday. There is always going to be someone better out there. Focus on being better than you were yesterday and fuel yourself with knowing that there is someone else out there working harder. It can turn into a beautiful push to get you to the next level.
Remind yourself of what you are working towards for your career, your health, and your strength, and that you have the independence to choose your best, without caring about what other people think you should do. Connect each day with the vision of who you are and who you want to be, as well as your short term goals and steps to get there. There are resources all around you.
There are going to be some who are close to us, who tell us to lighten up and who are trying to protect us from failure or getting hurt, but that is how we learn. There are going to be others that support and cheer us on. There are going to be onlookers who simply say they can’t do it. The key is to let them all fuel us on our path. Our perspective is our choice.
Overcome adversity, clarify goals, take action, use resources, build a support system, and create your best life, today.
What do you need to do, and what are you going to accomplish?
Today?
This Week?
This Month?
3 Months?
6 Month?
12 Month?
18 Month?
24 Month?
If we find ourselves comparing to others, we are losing focus.
See it and believe it first, then our actions will take us there! Go get it and do what it takes to be better than your competition yesterday…you.
Your Morning Motivation:
Mon, 5:10-6:00 – Morning Mix w/Gail
Tues, 5:15-6:00 – Rise N Shine Spinning w/Dan
Wed, 5:10-6:00 – Morning Mix w/Gail
Thur, 5:15-6:00 – Rise N Shine Spinning w/Dan
Fri, 6:00-6:30 – Fast Fit Friday w/Kate
