Have you ever begun the day with the objective to make healthy choices, only to come to the end of it and realize your intentions didn’t materialize? Or if they did, they didn’t last? What is it between 7am and 7pm that makes the difference?
It can be any number of things…work surprises, difficult people, or just plain not feeling like it. Truthfully the “what” is less important than the “how.” That is, you have control over developing the resources and a plan to handle the challenges when they come up. You control the how more than you control the what.
Dealing with external issues, like work and people, requires external skills. For instance, if you’re pulled into a project that requires overtime, how you respond with self-care is about flexibility. You can make any number of changes to your plan:
- Shorten your workout
- Pack a lunch
- Have healthy snacks on hand
- Take 90-second brain breaks
- Work standing up, when possible
No surprise, internal issues require internal skills, and these can be more challenging. Most people bring willpower to the situation, frustrated when it doesn’t last. They blame themselves but willpower is a short-term energy source, not something to rely on indefinitely.
When it comes to exercise, I’ve often said, “You always wish you had; you never wish you hadn’t.” Just think about how good you feel when you follow through on something. That’s the feeling you want to capture before you’ve done it, whatever “it” is.
I was listening to an interview with entrepreneur Jesse Itzler and love the phrase he uses: Remember tomorrow. He says that any number of decisions might feel good in the moment, but if you reflect on them as though it’s already tomorrow, you might make a different decision. Consider the following temptations:
- Staying up late when you have an early morning commitment
- Having a second helping because it’s so tasty
- Skipping your hike because you don’t feel like it
- Posting an angry rant on social media to get something off your chest
- Saying yes to another glass of wine because you’ve had a long day
Now run those through the lens of “remember tomorrow.” That’s the first step toward making a healthier decision, one that keeps you in integrity with your values. Then, how will you focus on developing the skills of “how” to deal with the “what?”
Do you have someone in your corner to help you do that? If so, great. But if not, I invite you to consider asking me to be your person! If you’re ready to make your health and weight loss more of a priority, I invite you to schedule a strategy session today.