Are you the one stopping yourself reaching your fitness goals?
Sometimes we have a tendency to get in our own way, and rarely on purpose. Sometimes we start moving towards a goal to find ourselves retreating from it or even convincing ourselves we didn’t want it anyway.
The most important relationship you’re ever going to have is with yourself, and the way you speak about and treat yourself does matter.
Stress affects us all in different ways and it’s important to learn healthy coping mechanisms when life gets too hard.
People underestimate the power self care and love can have on your everyday mood. Making time for you and having “me minutes”, carving out time to work out (my program TIFFXO.com fits into your life, not the other way round), or going for a coffee with a pal are all so important.
Self-sabotaging behaviour can interfere with actions that help you reach your goals. Try these things to help change your thought processes, become more confident and bring a little more self care into your life:
First things first
It’s about identifying the negative thoughts and changing them into positive ones. If you’re sitting there concerned about what could go wrong, switch it up and think about what could go right.
You can only think one thought at a time, so changing the negative thoughts into positive ones will stop the spiral. Negative thoughts do not have the power to change things and it only has the power that you give it. Stop giving the negative vibes the power! Swap that negative for a positive and get the control back.
SMILE
Look in the mirror a few times a day and smile. Seeing a happy smiley face (even if you’re faking it till you make it a little) encourages your brain to register certain emotions.
So if your noggin sees that beaming smile shining out of your face every day, you’ll start feeling happier with what you see and confident in the long run. People love a smile and they’re infectious – you’ll get a nice happy boost from the smiles you receive in return. This is one of the easiest self care acts to implement and you’ll be amazed at the mood boosting properties that follow.
Exercise IS self care
Did you know even 10 mins of exercise a day can give you an instant boost to your energy and self esteem? A big part of self care and looking after yourself is making sure you move your body regularly. Exercise releases endorphins and makes you feel good, leading to a more positive outlook on life.
It doesn’t have to be something that takes up your whole day either. Try a TIFFXO workout, grab a gal pal for a goss and a walk or take the dog on a new adventure. When the baby sleeps (IF the baby sleeps… am I right?!) use this time to do a level of TIFFXO or a quick circuit of lunges, star jumps and squats. Trust me, it will make you feel great.
Fill the jar
For those moments that you’re able to recognize and stop your self sabotaging behaviour, pop a coin in a jar to reward yourself as a reminder you avoided an action that would have kept you from your goals.
As the level of coins rise, not only will you be more in tune with your behaviours and feelings, you’re going to feel more confident and motivated to make more and more positive choices.
Remind yourself of the good stuff you’ve done
Take some inventory of some of the great things you’ve done to help elevate your feelings of self worth, as the more deserving you feel, the less likely you’ll want to sabotage yourself.
Remind yourself of the good things you have done for your friends, family and community, look at some things you’re proud of and recognize how you give back. These gentle reminders of things you’ve already achieved will help break through self sabotaging feelings.
Switch off
Switch your screens off as often as you can. Uninterrupted computer use has been associated with stress, lost sleep and depression in women.
Take 5 mins and do a few power lunges around the room, go and water a plant or have a mini dance party. Motivate yourself to read a book or take the kids outside for some jump rope. Practise and live mindfully and be fully present in your own thoughts and you’ll find that those niggly thoughts that tell you to sit on the couch and eat 15 cookies will get so quiet they eventually completely and totally disappear.
Phone a friend
Keep a positive support network around you (My TIFFXO Ninjas have a built-in cheer squad in our private FB community, as we all push, motivate and encourage each other) and make sure you connect with those who are close to you to keep your perspective on the right track. Stay away from toxic people and relationships that don’t fill you with joy.
I am a work in progress (and that’s okay)
It’s time to love you. Find ways to reconnect with your body and your mind. It’s all about you and taking time out for some “me minutes.” It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, but something that is solely for YOU. It’s amazing the relationship between our physical health and our brains and what we can achieve.
For more information on Tiffiny Hall’s online health and fitness program, head over to www.tiffxo.com