Are you still willing to be the best version of YOU?
Hi guys! Welcome to episode 153 of the Wildly Successful Lifestyle podcast! Don’t forget if you’re enjoying a certain episode to share it, you can make an impact simply by sharing it with one person!
I journal every day and usually when I journal I list things I really really want. One of the things that comes up most days is to reach my full potential. Now, I don’t know what that is, but the question that has to follow is: Am I doing the things that make that possible?
Are the things I’m doing every day working towards being the best version of me that I can possibly be? Doing my own report card, I would say in some ways yes and in some ways, I need some work.
This week I did a vitamin C detox cleanse, and with that comes a protocol that has me eating basically no gluten, dairy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, vinegar… which leaves only certain fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grass fed meats, and healthy oils like olive oil. Earlier in the week, when I couldn’t have my beloved cup of coffee, and I was feeling a little low on energy, I was feeling sorry for myself. And then later in the evening I had to run to the store to get more veggies and passed a Mexican restaurant with lots of people going in and coming out and for a minute I was jealous of them, just eating whatever they want…then I realized that line of thought wasn’t serving me and it certainly wasn’t going to help me continue this protocol for 10 weeks, which is what Dr Osborne prescribed for my body and what it needs.
So I stopped and I thought wait, I wanted this. I chose this. I could tell there were some things that weren’t right with the way I feel in the morning and after eating. I journal every day that I want to be the best version of myself and I’m not being the best by eating things that my body reacts to so that I have inflammation every day. Now, that would be the easy thing for me to do, but is it ultimately what I want for my life? No, it isn’t. So I chose to take control of my nutrition, and yes it’s hard but having thoughts like, “I’ll never make 10 weeks on this” or “I can’t eat anything good” or “Am I no fun anymore because I won’t be drinking at all for 10 weeks?” Those thoughts are not going to get me to the finish line. I chose it. I want it. I want a healthy fit body more than I want the food or the alcohol. I have decided this is what I’m doing for the next 10 weeks. Remember from a few episodes ago, the difference between wanting and deciding. Deciding means it’s happening. It has to happen in your head first though. Kind of like when you’re working out, your mind will tell you to quit loooooong before your body really needs to quit. I use this pretty regularly in my workouts, if Im wanting to slow down, or come out of a pose, I have trained myself to ask if my body is needing to quit or if its just my mind. 9 out of 10 times it’s my mind and I keep going.
Our mind is a powerful thing. We can use it to our advantage or it can keep us from any achievement we even consider. It’s designed to keep us safe, so it will always take the easy way if you let it. That’s why it’s so important to decide how you are going to think about things. And you aren’t going to be perfect, I know I’m not. But I know if I’m not, I won’t beat myself up, Ill just pick right back up and keep going. I’m creating habits that will be part of my life, that are creating a life I choose, not just letting life happen to me because it’s easy. I don’t want to live a life that is the result of always doing the easy thing. I don’t think you do either. If you did, you probably wouldn’t still be listening to me! I’m reminded of a powerful, extremely impactful story…Here’s the story, I think you’ll like it. It’s talking about a thing we all have, that we all do but I’m not going to tell you what it is until the end…so here we go.
I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half of the things you do you might as well turn over to me and I will do them – quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed – you must be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons, I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of great people,
and alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine though
I work with the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person.
You may run me for profit or run me for ruin – it makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you. Who am I? I am Habit.
My challenge to you today is to take a look at your habits. Are they creating a life that excites you? What can you do better, what new habit can you start? Is there one you’ve been trying but your thoughts constantly derail it?. Turn it around and tell your brain, I’m the boss of me, I’m choosing this habit and all that comes with it, and when it gets hard, which it will, Like my second day with no caffeine, that was a tough day, when it gets hard like that, pat yourself on the back, acknowledge that it’s tough but you’re tougher because remember your brain will take the easy way out but you control your brain. You’re doing something new, new things are hard until they’re not anymore, which will happen when you stick with it. I love you guys and I’ll talk to you in a few days.
