Believe that you are capable of doing what you want to do. ~Coach Nancy
Fall is my favorite season. I find it is the perfect time of year to review where I am and how far I’ve come. As a Life Empowerment Coach, I find it is effective for my clients to take some time to review how far they have come and to create some time to acknowledge positive progress and the desired results they've strived for. Additionally, reflect on how/why they may have gotten off track.
Perhaps you can relate? Maybe this is the year you finally let go of an unhealthy habit or a limited way of thinking, but find that you have slipped back into old patterns. Maybe you have been diligent with your diet all week, then broke all the rules with a long weekend binge, and have not been able to get back on track. Perhaps it is that book you’ve been wanting to write and have even completed the first chapter, but then life’s responsibilities start dragging you down and you find your inspiration is no longer there.
A client who recently came to me shared that in the past, she could easily commit to consistent morning workouts for 2 consecutive days and then on day 3, was already finding excuses not to exercise. We successfully worked on creating positive habits what was getting in the way of fully committing to these habits and how to overcome any foreseen obstacles.
Sometimes pausing and reflecting is just the prescription we need. Taking time to review and recognize what changes or tweaks are needed can help us get back on track. I’ve shared with clients to accept that it happens. It can be easy to get off track. But, instead of being self-critical, accept that this happens with many people. Realize self-judgments and embrace this as an opportunity for improvement and another shot at reinventing what you’d like to see in your life.
Once you are aware that you’ve gotten off track, consider what the reason might be. Do you care about the goals you’ve created? Are these your goals? Are they truly meaningful to you? Sometimes, it can help to reconsider your goals and make some tweaks where necessary so they are goals you feel good about, are inspired by, and have deep meaning for you. When your goals are self-driven you will feel excited and inspired! You might sense you have found renewed energy by setting a few new intentions.
It might surprise you to realize how quickly you can get back on track and what is needed to get you there. Here are some tips that have been successful with my clients:
Obstacles Accept that you are human and that minor glitches along the way are part of life. This isn’t the time to call yourself a failure. Everyone will find that the routine can sometimes fall apart. Developing some strategies will help you bounce back on track. Taking even the smallest steps within these strategies can help redirect your focus, and time and start building momentum again.
Consistent Schedule It can help to stick to your schedule as much as possible. Sometimes, this might be in just the smallest way. For example, if you don’t have enough time to get to the gym for the usual one-hour workout, how about considering a 20-minute session of squats or lunges, push-ups, jumping jacks, and some planks? Contact me if you would like some Personal Training programs for inspiring High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) exercise programs to provide some ideas for a quick, effective, and fun workout session.
Everyday Responsibilities Have life’s responsibilities dragged you in another direction and you find that you are not able to write another chapter anytime soon? Consider writing one page per day. Can’t even commit to one page per day? How about one paragraph? The key is, to continue. Be consistent. Work with the flow and keep going. You can also consider having a life coach to help you with setting action steps and accountability.
Positive Environment It is crucial to take a look at who you allow yourself to be surrounded with. Negative people (or a negative environment) can drag you down and take you in a different direction. However, surrounding yourself with positive people can help create a more inspiring environment that makes reaching your goals feel less like a struggle and more fun and empowering.
Making Up Excuses Are excuses your reason for getting off track? I hear these often:
“I don’t have enough time.” For something really meaningful to you, you have to make the time. Carve out some time. Prioritize what is deeply important to you.
“I don’t have enough knowledge or experience.” “I don’t feel that I am ready; I’m uncomfortable.” My suggestion is to get started anyway. Just begin. Read more on procrastinating. Hire a life coach for encouragement, guidance, action planning, and accountability.
“I want to eat a healthy diet but I enjoy wine with dinner.” This is okay. You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 rule. Most of the time, maybe it’s M-F that works best for you (80% of the time) stick to a clean, healthy eating plan, and on weekends enjoy wine or a drink with friends. Just get back to your healthy eating plan again on Monday.
Motivation, inspiration, and encouragement will be plentiful on some days and zero on the next. This is life. This is normal. Creating strategies you can rely on will get you back on track quickly. Acknowledge your progress, and be grateful for the desired results you’ve seen, as this is a more positive attitude and the right mindset that will keep you on track. Make tweaks where needed. Keep going!
Wishing you Positive Progress and desired results!
~ Coach Nancy
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