Has your health journey taken a wrong turn? No worries, you are not alone.
This post is all about five things to ask yourself before starting all over again.
Your health journey may seem like a roller coaster of seasons! In the spring, you feel revitalized and inspired. By summer, you are at your peak. And then, your health journey dips with the cooler temperatures and eventually slides off with the melting snow!
No worries, most women experience ups and downs in their journeys. In this post, you will learn five important questions. How you choose to answer these questions may change everything about your health journey.
This post is all about five things to ask yourself before starting your health journey AGAIN!
Ask Yourself These Questions
1. Where Are You Today with Your Health Journey?
Stand tall, feet flat on the floor, and drop the red pin! This is your current location! On any journey, it is important to know where you are before you begin traveling to where you want to go. Think about this – if you don’t know where you are, how can you figure out your final destination? Therefore, this is the time to pause, be still, and get very honest with yourself.
What exactly is a “health journey?” A health journey is about making changes to your physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. Luckily, you have your path and it will look different than your mom’s, best friend’s, or co-workers.
All of your answers to the questions above lead you exactly to your location today. Imagine – this is the foundation you are starting with TODAY! Foundations are what homes are built on and your foundation may seem a little crumbly right now, yet don’t fret. Underneath the rubbish, your foundation can be built again, with more strength than you imagined.
2. What Do You Want your Health Journey to Be Like?
Whew! That was some heavy stuff – admitting EXACTLY where you are. And guess what? Now is your opportunity to lean into what you want. Heck, that may be the most confusing thought you’ve had to ponder in a while. Take a deep breath! My friend, Mel Robbins, made this much simpler for me. Fortunately, she shared two questions in her book, The High Five Habit. Maybe they will point you in the right direction, just like they did for me.
What Can You Stop?
Sometimes the easiest way to start your health journey again is by identifying what you want to stop doing. These are habits, behaviors, actions, attitudes, and beliefs that are not taking you to your future destination. The life you want to create does NOT include these things – they no longer serve you. For example, is the bowl of ice cream before bed allowing you to meet weight loss goals, or is pushing the snooze button providing an extra ten minutes for prayer or stretching?
What Are You Jealous Of?
Once again, Mel Robbins changed my perspective of jealousy with this concept. Are you ready? When you feel the jealous pang kick in and see other people achieving, doing, and creating in their lives, this is something YOU WANT! Bizarre, I know, yet it makes perfect sense. Maybe you’ve been caught in comparison mode, believing what your best friend is doing with her health journey is not possible for you. I’m here to call bullsh*$!
What is it about her health journey that is pulling you toward it? Could it be the way she handles meal prep or possibly her discipline to put herself at the top of her list and get her fitness in EVERY DAY? What if you listed all the things you felt jealous about and took a look at them, judgement-free?
3. Where Are You Headed with Your Health Journey?
Now that you know exactly what you want to stop and what habits, behaviors, actions, and attitudes that are creating jealousy, it is time to dream about your health journey. Are you a natural dreamer? Great! Set a timer for five minutes (feeling brave? set it longer!) and close your eyes, take a big deep breath, and look ahead to two short years from today. If you aren’t a dreamer, DO THIS ANYWAY!
As you focus on your health, what do you see yourself doing in two years? How does your body move and feel? What does your skin look like? Do you have wrinkle lines from laughter and adventure? What foods bring you energy and life? What consumes most of your waking hours? Have you figured out how much sleep is best for you?
Oh, this time travel brings goosebumps to my skin. I am smiling as I think of the healthy life you are visualizing. Take time to write it all down or speak it into your voice memo. This is a moment to capture while the path ahead of you is crystal clear.
4. How Do You Put One Foot in Front of the Other?
Are you ready for adventure? This is your health journey and the possibilities are endless on how you choose to move step by step toward your dream. You have the opportunity to be the leader of your life, a detective on what brings joy to your health, and a scientist to understand what works for you and what doesn’t. Being open to learning and growth is the most exciting part of your health journey.
Podcasts, books, blogs, YouTube, and health communities are everywhere for learning, implementing, and helping figure out the daily routines and habits to take you closer to your destination. Putting one foot in front of the other is becoming a student for your health.
Reading and listening to your dream EVERY DAY is probably one of the most important daily habits for your success. When you read or listen to where you want to go, your brain begins searching for evidence. It’s magical – your brain is on a hunt to find all things healthy because it knows it is important to you. The universe wants to bring you more life!
5. What’s the 1st Brick You Will Lay in Your Health Journey?
You already dropped the pin and know the exact location. Or maybe it’s simpler to answer this question – is your health foundation strong and sturdy or cracked, leaky, and beginning to crumble? Let’s embrace starting your health journey AGAIN with simplicity and a smile.
Transformation takes time. Many times the journey is one step forward and five back! Everybody’s journey is unique to them and it’s important to find what fits you. Here are a few ideas to help you get started on brainstorming the ONE THING you can begin to incorporate as a daily discipline to strengthen your foundation.
This post was all about five things to ask yourself before starting your health journey AGAIN!
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