Did you make some BIG summer plans that aren't happening (yet)? Maybe your intention was to: Declutter Get into a healthier routine Reduce your anxiety Connect with your spouse or kids Finally finish the book that's been collecting dust on your nightstand (I have about 10 books on my nightstand, but that's another story for another day :) If you've been hanging out with Kate Wood Coaching for awhile, you already know that your thoughts and beliefs play a HUGE part in how you feel and the actions you take (or don't take) each day. There are three thoughts that are likely holding you back from your victory. Remember, awareness is the first step in your transformation! Catch yourself if you find you're thinking any of these and make a choice about whether to keep the thought or transform it.
#1 "It's too hard." When you label something as “too hard”, you will often talk yourself out of taking even simple action steps toward your goal. You start to wonder, "Why bother?" Let's take stress reduction for example: If you're telling yourself that you're "just a stressed person" and that changing is "too hard" you will often talk yourself out of something simple like making sure your daily walk happens or using your journaling prompts (which I often write for clients) to process your day. You will defeat yourself without even realizing it. Transforming your thought into something like "I'm improving my wellness with each good decision I make," will greatly increase your chances of success AND allow you to feel more victorious on your journey. It may sound too easy, but that simple mindset switch can truly make a huge impact on your actions! #2 "I’m going to fail again." It’s easy to start thinking this way if you have tried and “failed” multiple times. And, yes, it’s true that you don’t want to keep banging your head against the wall repeating the same unsuccessful strategy with the same poor results. This time, let's use emotional wellness as our example. Let's say that you've been bouncing back and forth between emotional explosion (yelling, freaking out, and/or constant anxious feelings) and emotional numbing (scrolling too much in order to "escape" your life, going through your day feeling detached, and/or withdrawing from loved ones). You've googled some stuff, tried some meditation, read a self-help book, but nothing has changed. Let's flip the script... What if this time you: Enlisted the help of a professional who can fast-track your results Had a Christian Life Coach on your side to encourage you when things started feeling tough Had an expert take you through a step-by-step process instead of you spending months or years trying to re-invent the wheel What becomes possible in the scenario where you have support and a blueprint to follow? #3 I don’t have time. Aaaah, the "time roadblock". Can I be 100% honest with you here? Most people will buy your story about time (or lack thereof), but I believe you're here because you know I'm not going to take a surface-level excuse that will guarantee you stay stuck. "But Kate, you don't understand! My kids are doing a rigorous basket weaving summer camp that involves me driving 3 hours each day! I'm teaching my dog sign language, and it's taking up most of my time! My job is crazy. My family is nuts. I have teenagers......." Friend, I've heard it all. Let me bottom-line this for ya. If you really care about something and you believe it will make a huge difference in your life and your family's life, you will FIND THE TIME. Period. End of story. Let me put this another way: If you stay on your current path using the same strategies you are right now, where will you be 6 months from now or a year from now or three years from now? If the answer is, "Still stuck." or "My health will suffer because of my stress, anger, or worry." or "My relationships will be in trouble." please fill out this 3-min questionnaire, and I'll get in touch with you with personalized next steps. I sincerely hope I am not stepping on your toes here (at least not too hard), but we often need to challenge our old/unhelpful thoughts so that we get the beautiful progress we deserve. I'm here to help you on your journey. All my best, Kate Wood Christian Life Coach, Emotional Intelligence Coach, Behavior Change Specialist, and Health Coach