The one aspect of health and fitness that isn’t spoken about much today is mindset. There are magazines and books covering nutrition, workouts, and supplements. And yet one of the biggest players in seeing real results, mindset, isn’t explored.
The fact is, a negative mindset can be so powerful, that it can completely derail any effort you put forth.
A lot of times we try to be perfect. We say, “I have to make it to the gym 5 times this week” or “I’m cutting out carbs for the next two weeks”.
While these aspirations aren’t bad, the problems begin when we do not meet these goals. The problem isn’t that we didn’t meet our goal, rather it’s how we perceive ourselves for not meeting our goal.
I’m saying we here, because I’m guilty of this too. Everyone is human; we all fail. The thing is, its OK to fail. And in a time of failing it’s ok to say “it’s ok”.
But it’s so hard. We want to be perfect. We hate messing up. I know this all too well.
Here’s why I say that though. When we do not meet our aspirations, it creates a burden on us. We feel bad, and it unravels into the rest of our lives.
There have been times in my life when I have failed and it has affected my relationship with my wife. That’s serious stuff right there.
When you are on a weight loss journey, there will be plenty of ups and downs. There will be times you feel like superstar and then there will be times when you feel like a failure. You have to be able to roll with the punches.
I come back to this time and time again, but the truth is it’s all about consistency. I was speaking to a good friend of mine the other day, and we were talking about how we both feel we are at a point in our lives where we don’t worry if we eat something “unhealthy”.
One of my nephews turned one year old last week. There was plenty of cake, cupcakes, and candy at that party. And I indulged. I’m only human 🙂
But you know what? It didn’t bother me. I’m consistent with what I eat during the week and my workouts, so I know it’s no big deal.
I don’t share that to brag or make it seem like I have it all together. It took me a while to get to this point. It always does. With consistency, there’s freedom.
Many times when creating a goal, things start out well. But then the stress of life piles on. Your work schedule gets crazy and you become super busy.
There will be days and weeks when things don’t go as planned. Just keep moving forward. The truth is you can’t succeed until you do this. Having a negative mindset about failing will drive you insane.
Failing gives you clarity. It helps you see how or why you didn’t meet your goals. That’s why it’s beneficial to your success. It helps you weed out things that didn’t work so you can focus on things that do.
It’s ok to say “it’s ok”. Remember, no one is perfect. The trick is actually believing it. When you do this, you tend to come out stronger and wiser on the other side.
So next time things get tough, maybe you don’t get to the gym or you don’t eat well one week, tell yourself “it’s ok” and move past it. This will save you from unwanted stress, anxiety, and stagnant progress.
Photo credit: http://www.running4cupcakes.com/its-ok/
