Take Action Today, No More Waiting

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast I want to strongly encourage you to take the action, even if it is the smallest of steps towards what you really want to achieve.  I hope you go from being perhaps slightly overwhelmed and where do I even start to knowing how you can begin the journey you truly want to embark on and the small steps you will have to take.  Let’s go, girls.

We, as humans, often fail to pursue our dreams, why?  Because we are waiting for the ‘perfect’ conditions to magically appear. 
You say to yourself…

If only I had a little more time…
If only I had a little more money…
If only I had a little more (fill in the blank)…
Well, then I would give it a shot.

Whether it’s starting a workout routine, a new hobby, eating healthier, a walking routine or any kind of exercise for that matter, writing a book, painting a room in your house, reading a book, or any infinite number of things… we can always find a reason to put if off because the conditions or circumstances aren’t just right.

Unfortunately, this is a lie we keep telling ourselves.  There is no perfect time.  There is no perfect place to start from, no optimal jumping off point. And, truth be told, the effort will likely never be perfect, no matter what we do. 

Believing, buying into this lie leaves us with a creeping sense of failure, a sense of unhappiness within us.  It leaves us feeling like we are treading water, working very hard just to keep afloat but never really getting anywhere or achieving anything.

It’s been said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and the rings true in the pursuit of dreams and goals as well.  You have to start with a single step. It’s all about putting one foot in front of the other.

START WHERE YOU ARE.
Honestly, there’s no other place that you can even start from.  Life will pass you by and you may never take a single step to chase down your dreams if you wait until you are in the perfect place – whether that is physically, mentally or spiritually. 

USE WHAT YOU HAVE.
Today, more than ever, we live in a culture of perfection, so we have to ditch the attitude that our current society leads us to believe.  Far too many times, we are led to believe that only the newest and shiniest is good enough.  This is a lie! 

DO WHAT YOU CAN.
This is all you can do.  Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s chapter 10.  We are all beginners in everything we start with.  There is and always will be a learning curve involved.  Adopt a growth mindset by seeing activities as learning experiences and ways of figuring out how it can be done, rather than failures or setbacks.  What truly matters is not that your efforts are perfect, but that you made the effort in the first place.  You’re a winner for taking the initial action steps. 

So, let’s look at some scenarios that I see people in.

If your dream or goal was to become a runner, for example.  It’s not realistic to think that you could hit the roads or the trails and complete a 10-km run right from the start.  No, you’d have to start small and work your way up to that distance.

Start where you are – lace up and get at it.  Don’t wait for the perfect weather conditions or the perfect time of day.  Just do it! 
Begin by walk-running and see how that feels.  But if that’s not possible, just start with walking and alternate between slower and slightly faster paces.

Use what you have – I’m sure you have some comfortable clothes and shoes you can walk/run it to get started.  Don’t use the excuse that you don’t own the right equipment.  I hear this a lot.  Sure, it’s a good idea to have proper footwear that supports your feet, knees, legs and hips.  That is one thing I highly recommend owning no matter what.  But people often wait until they have purchased all the seemingly necessary items before they even set foot out of the door.
 
Do what you can – literally, every step in the right direction is positive here.  Don’t worry if you can’t walk/run as far as you’d like to at the beginning.  The fact that you’re actually taking the first steps toward your new goal of running, is tremendous.  Start small and build on that each and every day.  Keep track so that you can be proud when you look back at your meager beginnings.

Remember:  Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your dreams and goals.

Okay, so let’s look at another example because not all of us want to become runners or simply can’t due to physical limitations. 

Many women want to improve their lifestyle and make it healthier, perhaps lose some excess weight and become more toned.  This could mean tweaking their eating habits, incorporating more exercise, improving their sleeping routine, and so on.

If we apply the “start where you are, use what you have, do what you can” to improving your daily nutrition, here’s what you could do in order to take small steps, yet highly impactful.

Start where you are  – decide to make one small tweak or change that will benefit you and your body.  This could be (and I strongly recommend this) hydrating more each day.  Many women underestimate how much water they should be consuming and the health benefits of drinking more, water that is.

Last week I made a post on the Inspiration2grow for Female Goal Getters group page on the advantages of optimal hydration.  There really are so many and it might warrant an episode on its own to talk about this topic.  I feel more energized; my complexion is better; I think it helps detoxify and cleanse my body; it lubricates my joints; it helps my head stay clear.  Whenever I don’t drink enough, I usually experience a bad headache.

There’s a nutritionist from L.A. who I have been following for some time now and she advocates:  water first, veggies most.  She always emphasizes the importance of drinking before eating and during meals as well as tracking your consumption.

Use what you have – everyone has water bottles at home.  You also have water pitchers or simply glasses you could fill and have ready for consumption.  There is no need to buy anything for this.

Do what you can – it may take some time to feel comfortable drinking 3 – 4 litres a day.  Start with a smaller goal if that’s the case.  A fitness expert once suggested taking 10 gulps each time in order to help get in more water.

So, I recommend starting the day by filling a few water bottles and placing them strategically for easy access during the day.  Set a simple goal of drinking (or refilling and consuming) 3 – 4 water bottles a day.  For example, every time to go to the kitchen, drink some water.  Before you begin eating, drink some water.  Every time you open the fridge, drink some water.  Every time you feel hungry, drink some water.

For those of you who don’t LIKE water, you could spruce up your water by adding: cucumbers and lemon, or lime, berries or fruit add a refreshing flavour to water as well.  Experiment and find the taste you enjoy most.

Have a look at your grocery store for the flavoured tea bags for cold drinks. The brand I often buy is Twinings and currently I have the flavours:  strawberry & lemon, mango & passionfruit, watermelon & mint in my pantry.  I love these, both in summer and winter for a slightly different taste to my water. 

Drinking more water is the easiest way to start living a healthier lifestyle.  But it is just one example.

So, let’s turn to starting a fitness/workout routine…

Soooo many people wait, plan, contemplate, wait some more, think about starting, then decide the time is not right or they don’t have all the equipment they need, or they don’t have enough time, waiting for the perfect moment.  It’s never going to happen.  The time is now.  So, let’s press play today.

Start where you are – you may be completely new to the world of working out or you may not have been active for a long time, but you’ll have to start exactly where you are now. 

One word of caution though, if you are totally new to exercise and working out, please consult your doctor or health care professional to get the green light and talk about any restrictions due to conditions you may have.

So, let’s get started.  What are you going to do?  Walk 5 – 10 minutes, bike for 5 – 10 minutes, pick up some free weights and do one exercise of 15 reps to get started?  Maybe you’re like me and want to start with an activity that is easy on your joints – so you decide to get in the pool and take up swimming.  Start there with one lap and increase it each time.

The point is ->  you do you and what feels right for you and your body.  Don’t overdo it.  Take your time and build up to more reps, longer exercise times, more laps of the pool, etc as your fitness journey continues. 

Use what you have – there is no need to head out to the nearest Canadian Tire or Sport Chek and spend money on equipment.  If you wanted to begin strength training program for example, you could use heavier food cans or water bottles as your weights.  There is also a plethora of free exercise routines online you could try – search online or send me an email so that I can recommend a few for you. 

What I am trying to say is that you don’t need a gym membership or fancy home gym equipment to get started.  If you want to graduate to these things after you’ve gained some momentum, that’s great.  But it is not necessary for the beginning stages.

Do what you can – Don’t get discouraged or frustrated with yourself.  Do what your body allows you to do when it comes to exercising.  If you can only walk for 5 minutes, great.  If you can only lift weights for 5 reps, great.  If you can only swim 20 meters to begin with, great.  It’s perfectly okay to feel like a true beginner, because after all, that’s what we all are when we embark on a new journey of any kind.

Just remember:  start where you are, use what you’ve got, do what you can!  That’s the winning formula right there.

Don’t put your life and goals on hold because you are waiting for the ‘magic moment’.

The perfect time does not exist!

Here are my thoughts on this…

“Waiting only attracts more waiting”- but taking aligned action creates results!

The truth is we normalize waiting.

You wait for the perfect time.
You wait until you have all the answers.
You wait until you are confident enough.
You wait until you have the ‘free time’ to do it.
You wait until all of the T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted.
You just wait…. and while it feels safe in the waiting there is no growth there.

What most people won’t tell you is that waiting begets more waiting NOT results.

When we wait until all of the stars are aligned in our favour, you could be waiting for your entire life.

Can you relate?

My message for you, ladies, is DO NOT WAIT.

Don’t wait- and put your dreams on hold, because you could be waiting your entire life and that is not a choice you can afford to make!

When you make the first move, a spark of momentum will happen.

With every little bit of action, self-doubt becomes less and less.

Make the decision today to take the first steps in prioritizing your health, your fitness, your mindset, your self-care, and YOURSELF.

This is your chance to create the outcome you desire and deserve.

But it all starts with you, your decisions, and your actions.

Don’t wait. Your time is NOW.
 
And that’s my message for today, friends.
 
My only hope is that you start to implement some of the ideas, tips and strategies that I talk about and I would love to know which ones have been beneficial for you personally.

I would also like to invite you to become part of the Inspiration2grow community on Facebook.  The group name is: Inspiration2grow for Female Goal-getters.  It is meant to be a community of like-minded women who want to grow strong from the inside out.  There will be daily journalling prompts, nutrition and fitness tips, exercises to try, encouraging conversations among the community and lots more.  So, be sure to join this group for support, new ideas and the necessary rocket fuel to propel your health and wellness to new heights.

You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself, show up for yourself and become the best version of YOU.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are incredible, capable and your potential is limitless.  Never forget that I believe in you 100%.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa xoxo
 
 

The Best Challenge to Strengthen Your Mental Toughness – 75 HARD

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast I am going to introduce you to a challenge called the “75-Hard Challenge” and it is one of the toughest challenges I have ever done but it changed my life completely.  It was truly one of the most transformative, mentally challenging things I have ever done.

And, before you think, “Oh, this is just one of those internet challenges.”  It is not. 

And, if you’re looking for a new fitness program or challenge to start the year off, this is NOT it.

This challenge will change your life … starting from the inside. 

Think of this as an IRONMAN for your brain.  It is a way to take complete control of your life in 75 days.

75-Hard is a transformative mental toughness challenge.

Are there physical changes?  Yes, absolutely.  But trust me when I say the physical changes you notice on the outside are a FRACTION of the results you can gain by completing the 75 HARD.

There’s nothing worse than experiencing life in the passenger’s seat rather than the driver’s seat.  You wake up each day, go to work or go about your day, and aimlessly drift through each day with no direction or driving force or purpose…

After that, you drive home, scroll social media and flip through the TV shows, binge some Netflix, go to bed and repeat the same cycle the next day.

Weekdays all run together and become a blur.  You just put in the time and go through the motions until the weekend arrives, so you can finally relax, unwind and enjoy yourself.

You feel like you are a robot or zombie of your own life.

People around you are getting ahead … and you begin to wonder what they have that you don’t.

Self-doubt starts to creep in.

Your thoughts beat you up all day long to the point where you feel stuck, not being able to get out of this funk you find yourself so deep in.

The mental struggle turns into a physical struggle.  You’re not exercising like you used to and this weighs heavily on your mind too.

You try different programs, or at least you make an attempt to follow them in hopes of getting your body and mind back to feeling great again.

But, you fail because you are lacking some crucial elements. And you find yourself right back at square 1 again.

The big problem is that each failed attempt drains your tank a little more of your hope to overcome the deep hole you find yourself in.

If you feel like this, I know exactly how you feel because I’ve been there myself.

I spent years simply going through the motions – literally floating through the days with no game plan and no results to show for it.
I let myself go mentally as well as physically.

That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands.

Because the REAL PROBLEM I had was a lack of mental toughness and discipline.

I needed a challenge that would change me from the inside out. By completing this challenge, I believe the mental changes are 100x greater than the physical changes you will undergo.

If I think back about how I developed or changed during my first 75 HARD challenge, I can honestly say that my thinking changes and the level of discipline which I now leverage to tackle every single task in front of me.

Mental toughness is a skill that can be trained, but here’s what it takes to be mentally tough:

·         It takes confidence.
·         It takes grit.
·         It takes belief in yourself.
·         It takes fortitude.
·         It takes endurance.
·         It takes perseverance.
·         It takes a certain willingness to win.

These are not traits you are naturally born with, but the good news is – they can be developed, refined and trained.

What is 75 HARD?

The very first challenge I completed looked like this:

1.        Complete two 45-minute workouts per day – one of them has to be outside regardless of the weather condition.
2.       Drink 4.5 litres of water each day.
3.       Take a progress photo every day.
4.       Read 10 pages of inspiration non-fiction each day.

These are the 5 core elements to the original challenge.  Sounds pretty easy, right?  Well, it’s not.  Life has a way of getting in the way sometimes.  The concept here is if you fail to complete all 5 of these activities, you have to start over again at Day 1.

You and only you are in complete control because none of these activities are reliant on anyone else.  And, if you decide to follow this challenge, amazing things will happen within you.

For example:

-> You’ll feel more confident about yourself and your actions.
-> You’ll learn how to manage your day better, so you can get more done and quit wasting time on meaningless things.
-> You’ll gain independence and the ability to take ownership of tasks.
-> It will completely overhaul the way you think and act.
-> You’ll learn how to be honest with yourself and gain the necessary self-awareness to stay on track.
-> An added bonus to the mental transformation, you’ll improve your level of fitness.
-> You’ll learn how to be consistent with your actions.
-> You’ll have a sense of pride in yourself.

Granted, it is called the 75-Hard Challenge, but I like to think of it as a tool. A useful tool  that can be revisited time and time again whenever you feel yourself off course in your life.

 That’s not to say it isn’t challenging because it is – without a doubt.

The idea is for you to follow through with the 5 activities for 75 days straight with ZERO compromise.  It requires a higher level of mental toughness not to deviate from the ‘plan’. 

Like I said earlier, this is not meant to be a physical challenge per se.  It is a mental challenge which is designed to develop all the characteristics you lack in life that have landed you where you are currently. 

Believe me, I am speaking from experience here.

I needed to solidify my commitment to change, so I did.

I needed to strengthen my ‘follow through’ abilities, and I did.

And, what I really needed was to stop talking about all the stuff I wanted to do and start taking steps to create REAL changes.  And I did.

Physical transformations do take place, of course.  But there are merely a by-product of the mental transformations you will make.

To modify or not to modify?

People say you shouldn’t modify it.  But after completing it the first time and following through on all the 5 core activities, I decided to tweak it the second time through.
 
In addition to the exercise twice a day, reading, drinking water and taking a progress photo (which no one saw but me), I added in three more elements:
 
-> One random act of kindness each day 
-> No alcohol
-> No sugar
 
This made the challenge even harder, but it was so worth it.  Doing one random act of kindness each day was definitely the highlight.  I would call someone to chat and catch up, I would send a ‘thank you’ card, I would compliment people and stop to say hi. 

This is also the time when I realized that my body and mind function so much better without alcohol.  I have never been more than a very casual social drinker but I felt 100% better without consuming any alcohol.  And no sugar, well that wasn’t the easiest for me but I somehow managed.

 
My entire point about introducing the 75 HARD challenge in today’s show was to give you inspiration for the coming year. 
 
What is one activity that you might like to commit to, follow through on and complete for 75 straight days with ZERO compromise?
 
* Walking outdoors each day
* Journalling
* Exercising for just 5 minutes
* Drinking 4 litres of water a day
* Giving up something, like sugar or alcohol
* Broadening your mind with reading perhaps
* Strength training for 1 or 2 minutes a day
 
I think getting started with just ONE habit would be amazing.  Then after the first 75-day challenge, you could add in another new habit you’d like to form and become part of your every day.
 
There are many ways of approaching this, but the main concept remains and the ‘see-it-through-to-the-end’ mentality will grow stronger.
 
If you’re interested in starting your own 75 Hard Challenge and you’d like an accountability partner in me, I would be happy to check in with you and help you complete it.
 
Send me a message via Instagram or Facebook or even by email to: lisaoberbichlercoaching@gmail.com. 
 
I am going to do my own 75 HARD challenge too starting in January, so we can do it together.
 
And, that’s my message for the first episode in 2023.  It’s going to be a great year, I can feel it!!
 
I would also like to invite you to become part of the Inspiration2grow community on Facebook.  The group name is: Inspiration2grow for Female Goal-getters.  It is meant to be a community of like-minded women who want to grow strong from the inside out.  There will be daily journalling prompts, nutrition and fitness tips, exercises to try, encouraging conversations among the community and lots more.  So, be sure to join this group for support, new ideas and the necessary rocket fuel to propel your health and wellness to new heights.

You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself, show up for yourself and become the best version of YOU.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are incredible, capable and your potential is limitless.  Never forget that I believe in you 100%.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

Thanks for listening and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa xoxo
 
 
 
 
 

Mindfulness Practices for 2023

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast I am talking about injecting more mindfulness into our daily lives.  Many people strive to become more mindful of people, situations, things in their lives and I would like to give you some inspiration to incorporate a simple mindfulness practice into your routine.

We live in a fast-paced world in which it is quite easy and almost inevitable not to get caught up in the daily hustle and bustle, losing sight of what truly matters to us.

We are constantly distracted by work, family, school, friends, responsibilities so our minds are often preoccupied.  The demands for our attention are high every day.

By introducing some easy mindfulness practices into our daily routine, we can establish a sense of balance and feel more at ease within ourselves. Mindfulness habits can help improve your life.

Finding flow in a world full of distractions takes some work. It involves staying in the present (without judgment), so you concentrate on what is happening here and now versus focusing on the past or future.

Mindfulness practices have been around for centuries but more recently they have been implemented by many as a means to manage stress and increase your overall feeling of well being.

They are best described as small, intentional actions practiced daily to instill more awareness and become more mindful of our lives.

It could be taking a few deep breaths or mediation to journalling to getting some fresh air.  These habits are wide ranging and can be simple or structured.

The main point of mindfulness is to be present and attentive in each moment rather than letting your mind wander or become distracted.  It’s about paying attention to your thoughts and feelings in a non-judgemental way.

Yoga is a prime example of mindfulness, so is deep breathing (Episode 35 of this podcast was all about breathwork and introduced 2 techniques).
Mindfulness can have several pillars but today I’d like to mention three of the foundational elements:

-> Intention
-> Attention
-> Attitude

Having intention refers to the purpose or goal behind the practice.  Living intentionally is all about being fully present in the moment, not dwelling on the past or fretting about the future.  This allows for more clarity, purpose and direction for you and your life.

Paying attention is the ability to focus on the present moment, being aware of your responses to people and circumstances and then responding with openness and curiosity.  It’s about remaining neutral, not getting caught up in your thoughts and emotions.

Attitude refers to the mindset and approach you display during the practice of mindfulness.  Adopting a non-judgemental and accepting attitude to your thoughts and feelings is what we want to achieve.

But it is also about being open to whatever arises, even if it is uncomfortable or difficult.  Developing a positive and compassionate attitude will help you adopt a gentler approach to yourself and your life.

Living life with calmness and acceptance is the goal and definitely worth the pursuit.

Research has shown mindfulness practices to reduce stress and anxiety levels, improve sleep quality and reduce blood pressure.

Okay, so I hope to have convinced you that mindful habits are super beneficial, but how do you start?

1.        Start small
 
This is always the common theme when starting a new habit -> begin with small, achievable habits that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine.  This could be as simple as taking a few deep breaths at the very start of your day.  Referring back to episode 35 – I went over 2 breathing methods: the 6-2-8 technique as well as the 5 by 5 box.  Those are great to start with.
 
The point here is to set aside a few minutes a day to be mindful.  If you stay to the end, I will give you lots of jumping off points for mindfulness practices.
 
2.       Be consistent
 
I sound like a broken record all the time because consistency comes up every time I am talking about goals, habits, fitness, – you name it -> consistency is the key when it comes to introducing new habits of any kind.
 
It is very helpful to practice your chosen habits at the same time each day making it a non-negotiable part of your regular routine.  This helps form the habit and automates it.  Soon it will be effortless.
 
3.       Be patient with yourself
 
It takes time to develop a habit and it is no different when incorporating mindful habits into your life.  It is normal and human to experience setbacks and challenges along the way.  Just be patient with yourself and don’t be quick to judge yourself if immediate results are not seen.
 
Stay positive about the small steps you are taking and be present in the moment enjoying the journey rather than focusing on the end destination.
 
4.       Find what works best for you

We are all individuals, so you’ll have to take some time to experiment with different habits and practices that speak to you.  Be open-minded to trying new things. Stay flexible and don’t be afraid to tweak your habits over time in order to meet your needs and goals.
 
20 Easy Mindful Habits You Can Start Today (divided into 3 categories: mind, body, soul)

For your body:

1.        Go for a walk or spend some time in nature.  Connect with the world around you.
2.        Eat a healthy and balanced diet to nourish your body and mind.
3.        Exercise or engage in physical activity to boost your mood and energy.
4.        Get enough sleep to help feel rested and rejuvenated. 
5.        Be intentional when exercising.  Have a goal in mind and focus on the muscles you are working.   Feel your body and notice how strong it is getting.
6.       Make time for relaxation and relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.

For your mind:

7.       Take a few deep breaths to help calm and center your mind.
8.       Introduce regular breaks and give yourself permission to relax and unwind.
9.       Spend time on hobbies or activities that bring you a sense of joy and fulfilment.
10.   Practice self-care by taking time to nourish your physical, emotional and mental wellbeing.
11.   Be present in the moment rather than worrying about the past or the future.
12.   Set boundaries and say no when necessary to protect your time and energy.
13.   Engage in creative activities like drawing, painting, or writing to stimulate your mind and unleash your creativity.
14.   Seek out new experiences and try new things to broaden your mind and your horizon.

For your soul:

15.   Spend time with loved ones and engage in activities that bring you joy and connection.
16.   Practice random acts of kindness and compassion toward yourself and others.
17.   Engage in creative activities like drawing, painting, or writing to stimulate your mind and unleash your creativity.
18.   Practice gratitude by giving thanks for all the small and big things in your life. Write down 3 things you are thankful for each day.
19.   Create a journalling practice.  Episode 36 dives into this topic and provides inspiration.
20.   Engage in acts of service or get involved in some volunteer work to help others and find your purpose.
 
So, there you have it… 20 wonderful ways of injecting a bit of mindfulness into your every day and finding the calmness and peace of mind you need and deserve.

I would also like to invite you to become part of the Inspiration2grow community on Facebook.  The group name is: Inspiration2grow for Female Goal-getters.  It is meant to be a community of like-minded women who want to grow strong from the inside out.  There will be daily journalling prompts, nutrition and fitness tips, exercises to try, encouraging conversations among the community and lots more.  So, be sure to join this group for support, new ideas and the necessary rocket fuel to propel your health and wellness to new heights.

You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself, show up for yourself and become the best version of YOU.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are incredible, capable and your potential is limitless.  Never forget that I believe in you 100%.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

Thanks for listening and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa xoxo
 
 
 

My Mission & Goal For Women in 2023

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast I am going to outline my goal for 2023 which, by the way, has a lot to do with you.

When I started this podcast back in October, I had a vision in mind.  I can even show you the original content plan and ideas I had scribbled down on my whiteboard.  Excited to finally get my message out into the world doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt.  Admittedly, I was a bit nervous too.

Would people enjoy listening to my shows?  Would the information be helpful?  Would it be difficult coming up with new topics for 5 episodes each week.  I was plagued by such questions, but I put one step in front of the other and just dove in the deep end.

It’s been a wildly fun ride so far.  The feedback from my listeners has been great and it lights me up to hear that people, in particular, women are benefitting from the tips and strategies I am sharing.

After talking quite a bit about mindset shifts, habits, goals and goal setting, changing your belief system, self-confidence, consistency, the mindset of highly success women, and much more, I felt compelled to incorporate more about specific health issues women often aren’t aware of or haven’t taken any action to improve on. 

I’m talking about things like how to start an exercise program at your stage of life or how to eat right and fuel your body consciously.  There are additional topics such as joint health and exercising when you suffer from arthritic pain and discomfort.  I plan to include lots about strength training and how that benefits your declining muscle mass and bone density.  Brain health as well as gut health are two of my favourites that don’t get enough attention if you ask me.

I couldn’t help but feel I wanted to have more of an impact on women in terms of how they can not only upgrade their mindset but also their health and fitness.

I can’t help but feel that women in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and beyond have neglected their own health or at least put their health and fitness needs on the back burner for a long time due to the demands of family life.

These women I am talking about have been in the passenger’s seat of their life rather than the driver’s seat.  Looking after everyone else but themselves.  Postponing their own health for a later date.

Does this sound like you?

But, I’m here to tell you that it’s time to start prioritizing you and your health now.

Stop waiting for the right moment.
Stop waiting until your children are grownups and out of the house.
Stop waiting for a sign from the universe.
Stop waiting for permission to prioritize you and your health.

Your time is now.  There is no better time to start taking care of yourself then NOW, today and every day forward.

You see, far too often, we neglect our needs for a number of years and only when we receive a ‘wake up’ call do we realize that we need to make changes.
I have talked about this several times already in previous episodes about how I neglected my health and fitness while building up a business and suddenly one day, I received some shocking news about my mobility.

That was the wake up call I needed to start making changes slowly but surely.  I needed that jolt to shake me out of my stuck situation.  I needed to take full responsibility for my circumstances. 

I want this podcast to be your wake up call.  I want you to see this as your go-to podcast for the best and most helpful information and inspiration to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle.

My goal is to bring fitness and healthier habits to your life.

I have a phrase I like to use:  I don’t practice what I preach, I prefer to preach what I practice.

It’s great to tell people what they should be doing to get fit and healthy but it is quite another thing to actually DO the things and be a good example yourself. 

I choose to be a great example of what is possible, how to achieve a higher level of fitness, how to eat better, improve your mindset, live more mindfully, incorporate rest, play and creativity to your life, and develop bit by bit over yesterday -> the 1% improvement concept.

My goal is to impact your mind, body and soul to have massive changes.

I want to create a ripple effect so that when you start taking action and small steps in the right direction, which means showing up for yourself, then your confidence will get stronger, your self-esteem will increase and ultimately, you will get better and feel better about yourself in other areas, such as at work, and in your relationships.

There’s something magical that happens in us when we start taking charge of our life in a way that feels good, healthy, beneficial, energizing, sexy, meaningful, exciting.

And this feeling allows you to come alive.  You shine your light so that others can see it.  You know deep in your heart that you are looking after yourself better and this will help you be a better: mom, partner, colleague, friend.

There’s a lot we can do to help ourselves – both to improve our mental health but also our physical wellbeing.

On a scale form 1 – 10, 1 being the lowest rating and 10 the best – how would you rate your level of health and fitness?

I asked a number of women I know this question, and the majority of them didn’t give themselves a rating above 5.  It wasn’t shocking really, but it saddened me to think that we could and should be doing more to lead a healthier lifestyle. 

What I learned from this poll was that many women 40 years and older don’t really know where to start.  They don’t realize all the small changes they could make that would potentially have a huge impact on their life.

That’s where things are going to change for women in 2023.  Because this podcast is going to be dedicated to upleveling their knowledge on nutrition and exercise, adopting a growth mindset and providing all the inspiration needed to take the steps and make the changes to live a healthy life.

I want to inspire women to take charge of their health for THEMSELVES, not to be desirable for others, not to please others, not to attract others, not to have more friends. 

I want women to fully understand that leading a healthy lifestyle is about their own well being, increasing their own confidence and self-esteem, showing up for themselves in ways they have never done before.  Why?  Because you deserve it. 

It is really, really important for me to get the message across that YOU have to want this for YOU.  Your motivation can’t and shouldn’t be, “I want to look great for my partner.” 

You have to be happy and pleased with yourself, your efforts, your growth, your appearance, your life.

Undergoing change just to feel validated by others is not the right approach. 

You need to feel a strong, compelling urge to take charge of your own life -> because you desire to.

I want 2023 to be the year of transformation and elevation for YOU.

2022 was definitely the year of massive transformation and evolution for me.  I don’t say that lightly in any kind of way – it was a full spectrum rejuvenation despite all the health challenges I experienced.

I know that you can experience the same if you’re willing to do the work.

There’s one topic I haven’t touched on in my podcast so far, and that’s manifestation.  Nowadays you hear a LOT of people telling us to manifest our dream life, that new car, that dream job, that loving partner, that perfectly toned body.

But here’s my huge problem with the concept and myth around manifestation – most people are led to believe that by only thinking of what they desire to have, whether that’s a sleek new car, a beautiful new home on the beach, ….it can come true.  It can ‘magically’ fall in their lap. 

That is simply NOT how it works, friends.

 If you are not willing to take the necessary steps, make certain sacrifices even, do the work and stay consistent even when you don’t feel like it, you will not get any closer to that dream of yours not matter how hard you manifest it.

So, please don’t be among the disillusioned bunch that feel only by envisioning a fit, toned body, you will get closer to having one.  It doesn’t work that way.  I just can’t stress this enough.

But by taking small actions consistently toward improving yourself and working toward your goals, you will succeed.

You get in life what you are brave enough to go after.

You are the creator of your own reality.

Here’s a little math equation to sum up.  I call this the Manifestation Equation:

Clarity + Alignment + Action = Manifestation

Have the clarity on what exactly you want, the alignment with who you want to become and take the action needed ->  this equates to manifestation.

So. Friends, that was today’s very first message of 2023.

It’s time…that you ignite the vision you have for your life this coming year.

It’s time…that you get crystal clear on what is needed for you to really anchor it in.

I’ve posted a few reflective thoughts and journalling prompts over the past few days in my Facebook group called:  Inspiration2grow for Female Goal-Getters, which I invite you to join.

For those who like to journal or have just started out on their journalling journey, I will try to post a new prompt each day for reflection. 

Here’s one to take a moment to consider:

What are you taking with you into 2023 AND what are you leaving behind?

My only hope is that you start to implement some of the ideas, tips and strategies that I talk about and I would love to know which ones have been beneficial for you personally.

I would also like to invite you to become part of the Inspiration2grow community on Facebook.  The group name is: Inspiration2grow for Female Goal-getters.  It is meant to be a community of like-minded women who want to grow strong from the inside out.  There will be daily journalling prompts, nutrition and fitness tips, exercises to try, encouraging conversations among the community and lots more.  So, be sure to join this group for support, new ideas and the necessary rocket fuel to propel your health and wellness to new heights.

You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself, show up for yourself and become the best version of YOU.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are incredible, capable and your potential is limitless.  Never forget that I believe in you 100%.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa xoxo

Focus On What Really Matters

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast we are talking about what really matters in life:  your inner peace and your happiness.  In the hectic world we live in today, it’s easy to feel completely drained, burnt out, pulled in all directions, anxious and overwhelmed.  We have to take back our control and that starts on the inside, so let’s focus more on what really matters to be better equipped to deal with every day life.
 
Why is it so difficult to live well amidst the hustle and bustle and noise of our every day lives? 

Have you ever taken a moment to consider this?

Some people might say this is due to the way society has developed and is just a consequence of our modern world, but it is actually a timeless issue.

The challenges we are all facing look different for everyone.  But today, I am concentrating on 2 parts of the puzzle to living well:

·         How you can find inner peace
·         What it takes to be happy

Of course, each of these are huge topics in their own right, so we are only going to touch on each of them today.  I want to give you food for thought going into the last few days of 2022.

It’s a good time to remind ourselves to focus on the things that are truly important to us.

“Living a good life is about not getting distracted…We all need higher goals, projects, and ambitions to live our life a certain way.  If you have a reason to do things, you wake up with clarity.”

When you always focus on goals which lie within your control, you – not other people OR luck – determine the direction of your life.

So, we are going to explore ways of staying in control of your life and living well despite all the challenges our daily lives present us with.

Finding inner peace is a skill, one that we all need and one that can be learned and trained.

Inner peace is a state of calmness you feel deep inside yourself.

It’s interesting to note that peace is actually our most natural state of being.  If we don’t find our inner peace, we will be constantly overstimulated, hyperactive, exhausted and burnt out.

Let’s face it… today’s world can be too overwhelming, stress-inducing, hectic and totally chaotic at times. So, it’s essential that we return to the calmness and stillness within ourselves.

It takes conscious effort to bring ourselves to this inner state of peace.  We have to believe it’s possible and trust that every action we take will bring us one step closer.

Here are a few ways to find your own inner peace.

1.       Meditate and practice breath work – In episode 35 I introduced two breathing exercises:  the 6-2-8 breathing technique and the 5 by 5 box method.  Both of these will help calm your mind and connect to the present moment.  Don’t underestimate the power of breathwork as a means of relaxing, finding focus, meditating and reconnecting with your inner self and calmness.  It has an astounding effect.  Give it a try!
 
2.       Put down your smart phone – Do a social media detox on a regular basis.  I like to think of it as intermittent fasting.  Just as people detox their bodies for a determined length of time, you can implement this practice for screens too.  Instead of glaring at your phone and scrolling, grab a pen and do some journalling or read a book, or just sit in silence with your eyes closed and let your thoughts wander.
  
3.       Take a walk in nature – Nature is such a beautiful thing and can be so grounding.  Just by breathing in the fresh air, you’ll feel invigorated.  The Japanese have practiced ‘forest bathing’ for years and it truly does have psychological as well as physiological benefits.  Notice your surroundings, listen to the sounds, soak up the environment – find your inner peace.

If you become aware of moments when you need to find your inner peace, when the world around you is happening too fast and furiously, it’s important to have a few tools in your toolbox to calm yourself down.  I have merely touched on three ways that I find particularly beneficial, but I haven’t listed all the ways.  Test and find out what works best for you and train this necessary skill to install more calmness and inner peace into your life.

What does it take to be happy?  That’s a loaded question, isn’t it?  Simply because, happiness means something completely different to everyone.

I think there are two kinds of happiness:  surface-level happiness and deep inner happiness.

Today, I will share my thoughts on what I think it means to have deep, inner happiness.  And, I will give you two journal prompts for reflection.

Being happy comes from the inside.  I’m sure you’ve heard the saying,

“Happiness is an inside job.”  And, it’s true.

The way I interpret this saying is that we all have to be fully in love with ourselves on a deeper level, not on a superficial level.  It begins with loving yourself and accepting yourself for who you are.

Showing self-love and self-acceptance means being happy with:

·         The way you look, your appearance
·         The way you show up for yourself on a daily basis
·         Your personality traits
·         Your behaviourisms and habits
·         Your characteristics
·         Your flaws and shortcomings

That doesn’t mean you don’t need to change or it’s wrong to work on yourself to improve.  In fact, trying to grow and improve as a person is an act of self-love if you ask me because you are striving to be or become your best self.

I can love myself, yet still strive to lose weight for health reasons.
I can love myself, yet still strive to tone my body and build up muscles to prevent injury.
I can love myself, yet still strive to adopt more of a growth mindset.
I can love myself, yet still strive to implement new habits for my own development.
I can love myself, yet still strive to educate myself more and broaden my horizon through reading.
I can love myself, yet still strive to change aspects of myself.

But any change you desire to make has to be your choice and not that of someone else.

You have to understand that: you are enough just the way you are, you are worthy of everything life offers you, you have a gift that the world needs, you are special, very very special.

Deep down we all have to internalize this message.

I’d like you to journal about or if journalling isn’t a practice you have started (YET), just simply reflect on this question and jot down some points if you feel compelled to:

End-of-year Reflection
~Journal Prompt~
Write down all the POSITIVE WAYS you’ve changed over the past year.

And, once you are finished with this one, consider this second one:
Have my requirements for REST, PLAY and CREATIVITY been considered in 2022?

Finding inner peace has a lot to do with being present in the moment.  So, I encourage you to start setting intentions for yourself of returning to your inner calm and being fully present for yourself in this coming year. 

Recognizing all the awesome ways you have changed and grown over the past year must leave you feeling proud and pleased with yourself.  And, remember to inject that fun factor that I am talking about so much.  While our bodies and minds need down time to rest and recover, we also need play time to have fun, laughter and enjoyment in our lives. 

In Episode 39 on Creating Your Life Vision, I talked about the pillars of life.  If you recall, I highly recommended that everyone should include a fun pillar for adventure and excitement.  Never underestimate the value of such experiences in your life. 

That’s my message for today, friends.

This is the last podcast episode of 2022.  Thanks so much for taking the time to tune in and listen.  Just know that I truly appreciate your support of my podcast and I hope to bring you loads of great content, talks and topics in 2023 as well.

It’s going to be an exciting year for this show and I am glad to have you along for this ride with me.

My only hope is that you start to implement some of the ideas, tips and strategies that I talk about and I would love to know which ones have been beneficial for you personally.

I would also like to invite you to become part of the Inspiration2grow community on Facebook.  The group name is: Inspiration2grow for Female Goal-getters.  It is meant to be a community of like-minded women who want to grow strong from the inside out.  There will be daily journalling prompts, nutrition and fitness tips, exercises to try, encouraging conversations among the community and lots more.  So, be sure to join this group for support, new ideas and the necessary rocket fuel to propel your health and wellness to new heights.

You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself, show up for yourself and become the best version of YOU.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are incredible, capable and your potential is limitless.  Never forget that and I believe in you 100%.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

Thanks for listening and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa  xoxo

10 Empowering Messages You Need to Hear

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast, I will be talking about some ideas worth considering to live your best life.

I try to keep all the information, ideas, tips and features on this podcast evergreen, which means they will always be relevant for my listeners and followers. So, I have to emphasize that even though I am referring to a new year full of possibilities to live your best life, your NEW YEAR could begin anytime, not just on January 1st.  That’s a myth that I would like to dispel here, that you can start to implement change anytime.  There is no pressure to start on any particular day.

These concepts, quotes, thoughts can be revisited time and time again.

1.       Show gratitude.  “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more.  If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.” ~Oprah Winfrey

What are you feeling grateful for today?
 
2.       Start a regular exercise routine.  Your body and mind will thank you for it.
 
Your muscles don’t know the date on your birth certificate.  They only know whether or not they’ve been exercised recently or not.
 
3.       Show yourself some self-love. Look deep inside and see your own beauty.  Know you are powerful beyond measure.  Go forth confidently and believe in yourself.  Shine where you stand.

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” ~Khalil Gibran
 
4.       Just know that it’s never too late and you’re never too old to start something new. 
 
5.       A person’s most beautiful asset is not a head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen and a hand willing to help others.
 
6.       Slow and steady progress is still amazing progress.  No matter how slow you go, you’re still lapping everyone on the couch.
 
7.       Strive for 1% improvement over yesterday.  At the end of each day ask yourself what you can do or implement to create a small, yet over the long-term significant, improvement in comparison to the day before.
 
8.       Consistency is where it’s at.  In anything we do or want to achieve, consistency is the key word.  In terms of your fitness or workout routine, the best advice is to get it done in the early morning rather than “later” in the day because most times later doesn’t happen. 

Try to adjust your sleep routine to go to bed 30 – 60 minutes earlier to allow for an earlier wake up call. 

Getting your physical exercise early on in the day will set you up feeling more energized, productive, youthful, in control, and less overwhelmed about the day.

It truly is the puzzle piece to unlock something extraordinary in your body and life. And, you’ve heard me say this in previous episodes, but by taking care of yourself and putting attention and care into your body, you will reap the benefits like a domino effect through other aspects of your life.
 
How can you structure your day to show up for yourself, your body and mind in the early morning?
 
9.       Turn your dreams into goals and fiercely chase them down.

Dreams are nothing more than fantasy when they are not translated into goals.  It takes nothing to have a big vision, but, everything to make it a reality.

You can turn your dreams into goals and goals into reality as long as you truly work for them.  I am grateful for where I am today as it’s the fruit of my hard, determined work.  It’s the result of taking action when I didn’t always feel like it.

Reality check – If you have been dreaming of something for so long but feel like there’s no progress, look back.  Have you done what you’re supposed to do?  Or did you simple manifest your dreams with no action?

That leads to no where.  Dedicate yourself to achieving your desires and be ready to do anything for it.

Focus on doing the things necessary, taking intentional action and it will lead you to great results.

10.   About motivation…

Motivation is not something magical that suddenly appears from the sky and falls into your lap.  Motivation changes; it’s not constant.  And if you have it one day, you might not find it the next day.

If you only work hard on the days you’re motivated, then you will never achieve your goals, never!  Discipline trumps motivation.  Integrity trumps motivation.  Grit trumps motivation.

Discipline means showing up day in, day out because YOU set a goal for yourself.

Following through with the commitment or plan you made with/for yourself even when it gets tough is called: integrity.

Pushing your way through the resistance that comes up in your mind and body is called: grit.

So, instead of me saying, “Get motivated” or “Find your motivation”, I will say – work on your discipline, personal integrity and grit.

That’s a winning combination!  You’ve got this.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa xoxo
 
 
 

Some Year-of-End Thoughts

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast I am sharing some ‘end-of-year’ thoughts with you.

I like the idea of starting the new year with a different focus.  A year, 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days – is enough time to make a lot of things happen.

But, while we can achieve a lot in a year’s time, we can still become frustrated if we’re not realistic.  Taking the time to think and ponder what you really want to do in the upcoming year will ensure you get a good start into 2023.

Let’s be honest… no one can make a significant impact by doing something for a week or even just a month.  Mastering skills, working on your character, personal development, growing your mindset, and building healthy relationships all take time.

If you are chasing your dreams, never quit too early.  Keep going and stay the course as I like to say.
 
So, here we are just a few days away from Christmas and the holiday season.  Another year is coming to an end.

For me, Christmas has always been the most wonderful time of the year.  My excitement and enthusiasm for Christmas dates back to my years of working in my parents’ retail store.  I asked to be scheduled to work on Christmas Eve when everyone else didn’t want to because people would come in scrambling to find that perfect gift at the very last minute.  If I was able to help them, they were delighted.  This lit me up so much.

On the flip side, I also loved shopping and experiencing the hustle and bustle.  There is something magical about the colourful decorations, streams of lights, beautiful trees, the smells of Christmas, candy canes and gingerbread – two of my all-time favourites.  Not to mention, family get-togethers, playing games and enjoying quality time with people near and dear to us.

But my husband and I have started living a calmer, more mindful life and I’ve been taking a very different approach to the holidays.  I focus more on small, intimate get-togethers with close friends.  Planning and creating adventure and experiences with loved ones is my priority over the material side of Christmas, the gift giving.

I believe that people will remember the time spent with them rather than the money spent on them in the long run.  So, it’s experiences over gifts from here on in.
Along the lines of being more mindful, I like to look ahead into the new year quickly approaching and do some planning. Maybe you could call it an assessment asking myself some questions, journalling about it and finally, committing to the ones I feel align with who I want to be in the new year.

I’m not talking about New Year’s resolutions because this ‘assessment’ could be done at any time during the year.  I’m referring to potential changes, habits and goals I want to be my absolute focus for the next 12 months.  I have 5 pillars:  health, fitness, career, creativity, charitable. 
  
So, I ask myself:

How do you want to improve your health and nutrition over the next 12 months?
What can you do or implement to increase your level of fitness?
How do you want to show up in your business and further your career?
How can you flex your creativity muscle?  Are there any new creative hobbies you want to try?
How can you be more charitable?  What organizations do you want to support and how?
 
If you’re listening to this episode in February or March, you could begin then.  There is no perfectly magical time to make changes in your life.

One thing I think people miss out on is BEING PRESENT.  This takes work and intention to always be present and live for the moment.  It took me years to work myself in a position to do this.  But now, I am fully present and focused on enjoying life. 

For the new year, I have suggested to my husband that we plan an event of sorts every 6 weeks to have something new, exciting and totally different to look forward to.  I wanted to inject some fun into our every day.  This might mean booking tickets to a symphony concert, going on a road trip for one day not knowing exactly where we are going to end up – like a mystery tour, trying a new sport like kite surfing.

Every year you have the chance to start with a clean slate.  You can hit the reset button and do things differently than in the past.  It doesn’t matter if you had a great year or a less-than-stellar year.

Celebrate.  Cry.  Laugh.  Enjoy.  Live fully.  Show up.  Be present.

But never forget that life moves forward.

-> What do you want to focus on in the new year? Or the next 12 months?
-> What do you want to do to improve your career, yourself and your relationships?
-> What will you do when things don’t go according to plan?  (Never think that everything will go well, as planned.  Be prepared for setbacks.)

For instance, I have focused on reading more over the past few years.  While I haven’t quite met my goal of reading one book (fiction or non-fiction) each week, I came pretty close.

Another focus of mine has been improving my nutrition and exercise routine.  I didn’t keep strict track of how many days I worked out or how many swim sessions I made it to, but I think my goal will be to get in at least 300+ workouts over the course of 12 months.

When I plan my year, I only focus on setting targets that I can directly influence.  I am never vague about my benchmarks.  So, you’ll never catch me saying things like, “I want to improve my fitness level by doing some strength training.”  That’s not specific enough and allows all kinds of room for non-execution and losing control over the situation due to external circumstances.

I choose to be detailed and maintain a certain amount of control.

So, instead I would lay out the plan by saying, “I will get in one hour of exercise each day, a swim session, a spinning class, a gym workout comprised of warm-up, 10 – 12 specific total body exercises, and cool down. And on my rest day, I will go for a one-hour hike.”  At the beginning of each week, I will plan in the exact workout for each day depending on my schedule.

While the time frame of 12 months allows us to make a lot of things happen, we tend to overestimate AND underestimate what we can achieve in a year.

In the fast-paced world we live in today, people want instant results and lack the patience as well as the necessary perseverance to stick with the plan over the long-term.

But, on the flip side, people also underestimate what they can achieve if they remain focused and make consistent efforts – big or small – toward their end goal every single day.
 
So, I want to encourage you to chase down your dreams and never quit too early.  Keep grinding away every day.  Be flexible and know when to pivot if your plan requires adjusting. 

Develop self-awareness which is a skill in and of itself.  Just know that life is full of paradoxes. 

There’s never one truth or ‘right’ path to follow.
The only path that’s right if YOUR path.

Let’s start thinking about the new year, full of possibilities and opportunities for you.  But don’t forget to be in the moment during the final days of this year.  Have a good time and enjoy the company of others.

And when January 1st rolls around… wake up, get to work on yourself and your goals and keeping looking forward.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa xoxo
 

 

The Powerful Practice of Journalling

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast I am talking about the habit that changes everything – journalling – and how to set a powerful intention for your day through the practice of journalling.

By putting pen to paper each day through a daily journalling practice you can truly revolutionize the way you think, the way you feel, you can increase your emotional awareness and it can help you be more self-aware in general.  It is an outlet for your thoughts and a means to keep track of experiences you may want to revisit later in life.

Journalling is the single most effective tool to bring about change in your life.  This practice helps keep your brain in tip-top shape.  It is shown to boost your memory as well as your mood.  Win – win if you ask me.

Statistics tell us that approximately half of us have written in a journal of some kind during our lives, and now about 1 out of 6 people are active journalers.
You might think I’m exaggerating, but until you try it, you won’t know the full power of journalling.  And trust me when I say, if there’s one new habit you’d like to incorporate into your daily schedule, why not consider journalling.

The great news is… it is completely free and there is absolutely no right or wrong way of doing it.  Journalling will make a huge impact on your life and it’s never too late to start.

Journalling needn’t be all too time-consuming either.  Simple aim for 2 – 5 minutes when you get started.  After a while, you might find such enjoyment in this practice that you lengthen your journalling sessions.

One more added bonus, people who journal report overall better mental wellness and wellbeing. So, it offers benefits when it comes to your mindset, managing your thoughts and becoming a more courageous, confident person.

Some objections I hear people say about journalling are:  I don’t really know when to find the time to journal  OR  I never know what to write about.

To those of you who think like this, I want to stress that if you have time to brush your teeth, you can also find the same amount of time to journal.  Regarding what to write about…

Here’s my tip:

SLOW DOWN to get to know yourself and understand yourself.  Ask yourself what it is that you truly want in life and attempt to establish a deeper connection with yourself.  Start to reframe your thoughts, overcome any toxic things or people in your life, then begin to live your life on the next level of YOU, whilst pursuing and chasing your dreams.  Remind yourself of the beliefs you have, the decisions you’ve made and the standards you have set for yourself. Use journalling as a way to reaffirm that you are indeed capable of achieving what you set your mind to.  Journalling can also be used as a means of tracking your wins, to encourage ourselves and self-validation showing ourselves that we are on the making massive progress.

Journalling needn’t be elaborate, nor pretty.  There is no one style to follow.  The best method is the one that works for you.

A few things worth noting about this practice:

-> Journalling improves learning and memory performance
-> It helps you set goals and achieve them.
-> It helps you manage stress and process emotions.
-> The likelihood of meeting your goals increases by 42% when you journal on it and write it down.
-> People who journal report that they stay more focused on goals because they write about them.
-> 77% say it helps them with self discovery.
-> Deeper self understanding and clarity result from journalling.
-> Journalling can also support creative inspiration.  Great ideas come through journalling.

Your values, beliefs, feelings about life, your thoughts, emotions, what you want out of life, who you are and what makes you you come through when you practice journalling.

It legitimately improves your life and boosts your confidence levels too.  You have better mindset management and the probability of reaching your intended goals is higher.  It deepens your gratitude and appreciation of life.  After journalling for a while, you can look back and see the growth and transformation you have undergone.

Let’s face it… our days can be quite hectic at times and humans crave entertainment in one form or another. 

But I want you to think of journalling as a blessing, a means to slow down and have time to think.  Allow your brain to wonder and give it the job of staring at the blank piece of paper.  Allow your thoughts to flow freely and write down whatever comes to mind.

There are many, many styles, or themes for journalling, so I will just outline a few of them and then tell you how I journal.  This might give you some inspiration to start with.

The first theme I really enjoy is called the “Brain Dump” or “Thought Downloads” method.  It’s journalling time when I let my brain write freely about something specific, for example, ideas for my business or podcast episodes, or what I want to write my book on, or how I want my days to look like in order to optimize my healthy habits and fitness routine.  A thought download might be, “I’m feeling overwhelmed about …” Give yourself a designated amount of time to write down everything pertaining to this feeling.  Be general or specific about these feelings.

You’ll be amazed how much it feels like a tremendous breath of fresh air when you are done. 

Journalling is like brushing your brain, cleansing it every day.  It can also be viewed as a way to warm your brain up for the day ahead OR cooling it down at night to prepare it for restful sleep.

Another type of journalling I engage in is: “Thought Reframing”  It’s a great mindset tool to use in order to flip the script on some not-so-helpful thoughts that are taking up too much space in your mind.

You could begin each day by asking yourself, “What is the thought that is bothering me today?  And, what’s a more helpful way of thinking about it?

Another journalling prompt along these lines could be, “What is the most toxic or cluttering thought that I have that’s blocking me from absolute joy and peace?  How do I reframe this?”

In keeping with the mindset theme, a further type of journalling is called the “Belief Exploration” where you write down answers to the following questions, “What is my current belief?” Followed by “What is the belief that I would like to have?  What do I want to believe I am capable of? How do I get myself to believe I am champion of…….. (fill in the blank)

As to my personal practice of journalling…

Well, I do it first thing in the morning in order to prep my mind for the day.

I ask and write about two key aspects of how I want the day to go.  The first question I journal about is:

“What are today’s top 3 tasks/priorities that will make me feel successful at the end of the day?”

These can be a combination of business-related tasks, fitness-oriented activities or things I want to prioritize for my health.  I take my time to outline them with specificity reminding myself why they are important and how I will feel about getting them done.

The next question is:  “How do I want to show up for myself today?”  With this journal prompt I try to outline my self-care items for the day.

If I have a bit more time and feel like I’m on a roll, I will list 3 things I am grateful for and why.  I also jot down my thoughts on how I will be 1% better over yesterday.

To get you started, I will give you a few questions to journal about:

1.        How do I feel about…  – myself, my body, my partner, my job, my health, etc.
2.       What do I need most today?
3.       What am I grateful for and why?  List 3 – 5 things and get as granular as you like.
4.       What has been my biggest achievement this week/month/year?
5.       What do I feel happy about today?
6.       What am I excited about today?
7.       What am I looking forward to?
8.       What changes do I need to feel healthier, happier and more fulfilled?
9.       What have I learned over the past week/month/year?
10.   My word for 2023 is… In your journalling explain why you chose this word, what it really means and how are you going to show up for this.

Remember that you are learning to have conversations with yourself through the practice of journalling.  You are also learning how to be a good friend to yourself.
 
So, grab a coffee or cup of tea and go deep within.  Get curious and enjoy the process of journalling.  The more you awaken your curiosity, the more you stay alive.  It can provide deep pleasure and opens doors if you allow it to.

I truly hope I have inspired you to take up journalling as a daily practice.

Til next time,

Lisa xoxo
 
 

2 Essential Tools You Need – Breath Work & Mental Imagery

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast I am giving you a glimpse into how you can use breath work and visualization as methods of focus, meditation and relaxation in times of stress, anxiety and overwhelm or just because. 

It’s Tangible Tuesday so I want to provide you with some tools and tactics today that will help you in any number of situations.  In fact, the breath work I am going to walk you through today was very beneficial for the children and teenagers I used to work with.  Many of them told me they would implement the breathing technique right before starting a test to gain focus or in instances they felt a highly anxious at school and playing their sport.  They’re simple, yet highly effective.

How often are you breathing?  I mean, consciously breathing by taking deep, mindful, belly breaths that really oxygenate your entire body and mind.

Many of us go about our busy days and never take the time to truly BREATHE deeply and with intention.

Once you practice breathing techniques and truly harness the power of your breath, the results can be refreshingly awakening.

So, breathwork can best be described as an active breathing technique that focuses on our breathing patterns and creates a mind body connection that will improve our health on many levels – physically, emotionally as well as spiritually.

You’ll gain clarity and feel empowered. During breathwork you don’t need anything externally, so there is a feeling of inner empowerment that comes or arises from within.  It sounds a bit woowoo, but until you actually give it a try, you won’t understand what I mean here.  Your own breath can become a source of answers to questions, offer insights to challenges you are facing, provide a sense of freedom from feeling stuck and also gives you a glimpse of what’s next for your life and your work in the world.

Breathwork helps you put the brakes on an acute stress response and diverts the health problems associated with chronic stress, which we all know is quite detrimental to our health.  By activating the body’s relaxation response, deep abdominal breathing helps decrease blood pressure.

If I had to guess, I would wager a bet that many of you have never practiced breathwork before OR even considered it as a means of becoming mentally stronger.  But I am sure that you have heard the saying, “Take a deep breath,” when you found yourself in a stressful situation.
 
Feelings come and go like clouds on a windy day, but conscious breathing remains my anchor.  Conscious breathing is the best antidote to overcome moments of: overwhelm, anxiety, stress and feelings of being out of control.

Okay, let’s dive into the two breathwork techniques you can use anytime, anywhere.

The first technique is called the ‘6-2-8 Breath Triangle’.

This breathwork exercise is done with your eyes closed and the triangle part of it means you are going to focus on your nose leading to one edge of your mouth to the other edge and back to your nose.  So, let’s begin by closing our eyes and simply focusing on this triangle right below your eyes.

Good, now we are ready to add in the breathing component.  The 6-2-8 method means we will take a deep breath in for 6 seconds, hold it for 2 followed by a long, deep exhale for 8 seconds.  Let’s try it a few times.

Eyes closed focused on your triangle.  Start by breathing in for 6 seconds, hold for 2 seconds, then release a long exhale for 8 seconds.  And again.
And once again.

If you become distracted by anything (maybe a smell or sound), always bring it back to the triangle and focus on the invisible line connecting your nose to mouth to other edge of your gorgeous mouth and back up to your nose. 

You can do this exercise for as long as you want.  You should feel your belly moving in and out  – this means your breaths are deep and slow.  You find yourself relaxing and letting stress, worry and anxiety leaving your body.  Your shoulders start to drop with even more relaxation.  Your mind focuses better and better with each breath.

Breathwork helps you regain control of yourself and is a powerful tool to have in your arsenal.

The second breathing technique I will teach you today is called the ‘5 by 5 Box’.

So, begin by picturing a box with your eyes closed of course.  Our breathing and focus will be in line with this box.  Essentially, what we do is inhale for 5 seconds, hold it for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds, and hold again for 5 seconds.  So, we have 4 breath actions and each takes place along one side of the box.

Let’s give it a shot… Inhale for 5 seconds and let your mind imagine moving up one side of the box.  Hold this breath for 5 seconds while moving along the next side of the box.  Now, exhale for 5 seconds and again, move your mind along the third side.  Hold in the exhaled state for 5 seconds and you should be back to the beginning.  Once again,…

Remember, the #1 way to get in control of yourself is by breathing!  You can practice either of these techniques in an easy environment OR you can add stimulus in order to improve your focus.

If you have children or teens who could use a bit of focus or relief of tension and anxiety in their lives, introduce them to these methods.  You will be surprised at how well they work for people of any age.

Now, I am going to move onto visualization or mental imagery as a second tool to have in your tool box.

Whether you’re aware of it or not, the mental images you create and carry around, positive or negative, have a direct impact on our physical and mental performance.  When you begin to train your skills of mental imagery and meditation (this could be through breathwork), you will notice that you are better able to stay calm under pressure and you will experience improved focus on doing one task at a time.  You will be present in the moment rather than getting caught up in the past or future.

An added bonus … you will develop one of the best tools to increase your confidence.  This particular tool I am talking about is referred to with the acronym B.A.L.L. which is a 4-step mental imagery drill you can start implementing today.

B – stands for BREATHE using the 6-2-8 Breath Triangle Technique (we went through it earlier)
A – stands for AFFIRMATION.  Using self-talk training you say things to yourself with a strong, committed internal voice. 
L – stands for LOOK BACK at your previous success.  Remind yourself that you are a success and draw on these examples from previous experiences.
L – stands for LOOK FORWARD to your new day.  Get excited about what the new day has in store for you.  It’s loaded with opportunities to show up as your best, most confident self.

I want you to understand this…

-> Anxiety comes with an obsession over the future.
-> Depression comes from an obsession over the past that you can’t do anything about.  You can’t go back and re-write your history or change anything about it; you can only learn from it.)

Living your daily life optimally comes from being obsessed with the present – here and now.

Today’s the biggest day of your life.  Why?  Because you are living it!

So, make a conscious effort to be present TODAY.  Show up as you were meant to and make yourself so darn proud.

When your head hits the pillow each night, in your mind – replay all the positives that happened during the day. Replay your performance of the day.  Let go of any negative moments and reinforce the positive.  Tomorrow is a new day to shine.

If you’re wondering who even used mental imagery, let me provide a few examples…

The first time I saw it being implemented was in top athletes who use imagery extensively to build on their strengths and help eliminate their weaknesses.  It is a critical tool for them to compete more effectively.  You might have seen athletes before major sporting events with their headphones on, eyes closed, fully concentrated, tuning out everything else around them – they call it ‘getting in the zone’.  Imagery not only helps athletes regulate the levels of anxiety they are experiencing at that moment before or during competitions, but it also helps athletes remain calm, confident, focused and mentally tough.  In fact, research has shown that athletes are able to improve both physical as well as psychological reactions in certain situations with visualization.

Some practical examples:

* Emily Cook, of the USA freestyle ski team, visualizes each aerial jump as part of her training for the Olympic Games.  She broke it down and recorded her visualization technique as a script to go over again and again and it goes something like this:
‘I am standing on the top of the hill.  I can feel the wind on the back of my neck. I can hear the crowd. I turn down the in-run. I stand up. I engage my core. I look at the top of the jump.” She went through every step of how she wanted her jump to turn out.
 
* Billie Jean King, top seeded tennis player, was already using mental imagery to win matches back in the 1960’s.

* If you’ve ever watched an alpine ski race, you’ll often see the starters visualizing the run right before the buzzer rings and they are heading down the slope.  Skiers including Lindsey Vonn of the United States, would use their hands to simulate the path of her skis.

* Olympic swimmers such as Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky attribute part of their success in the pool to getting mentally prepared through visualization.
 
Visualization can also be coined “strategic daydreaming”.  It is like a dress rehearsal of what lies ahead.  It offers mental preparedness for the day.

So, for those of you who intend of using visualization in your every day life, here are some helpful tips:

The skill of visualization is fairly simple and straightforward in theory:  You find yourself a quiet, calm spot, then close your eyes, and roll the scene (as if a movie is playing out before your eyes) of your ideal day or you overcoming adversity of some kind or yourself at your next workout.

The goal, here, is to give yourself a series of WINS.  This provides you with a sense of “been there, done that.”  It gives you a ‘dry-run’ of the day so that when it happens for real, you won’t be overwhelmed or become buried by the pressure and the unexpected.

Mentally imagining the day or a particular scenario helps to decrease your overthinking which many of us get so caught up in that we can’t move forward at times.  Overthinking means you are thinking about what others are thinking, worrying about disappointing people, obsessing over things outside of your control and over-analyzing every little thing you are doing.  What visualization does is it helps keep you focused on the things that matter most.

Both breathwork AND visualization could become part of your morning routine setting you up for a successful day. Who doesn’t enjoy starting the day off in a relaxed state of mind feeling prepared for whatever the day may bring?

I sincerely hope you give these methods a try. 

Remember that daily practice will yield the best results and you will become fair more comfortable and train and tweak these skills to work best for your situation. 

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow with these ideas and methods of relaxation and focusing.

Til next time,

Lisa xoxo
 
 
 
 
 

Mindset of a Real Life ‘Superhero’ feat. Robin Arzon

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self CarePosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I will be featuring the mindset and personal story of an extraordinary woman, Robin Arzon, who was recently featured on the cover of Women’s Health magazine in the November issue.  She is a huge proponent of using movement and fitness to transform your life.  She is the real deal and I would love to share some of her tips and ideas on how to embrace your true self, advocate for yourself and ignite your own superwoman strength.

If you have been following my podcast, you’ll know that I have fallen head-over-heals in love with spinning classes.  And when I ran into Robin’s picture on the internet as a head trainer for Peloton and VP of Fitness Programming for the company, I knew instantly that she would be a great feature for my show. She is well known for her mental strength, which she gained through her fitness journey.

“I really used movement as a tool to unlock and empower, and that is how I became a wellness leader,” Robin Arzon.

Her accomplishments are quite wide-ranging – beginning with a successful career as a corporate litigator in New York, to a marathon runner whose passion for running, movement, health and fitness morphed into a full-blown pivot from working in the field of law to getting involved with Peloton as a full-time career.  As one of the head instructors at Peloton she has worked hard and is very proud of the huge community she has created bringing people from around the world together in the name of fitness. More feathers in her cap include being a NYTimes best selling author with her book entitled “Shut Up and Run”. Her passion for running has seen her complete many different races over many different distances, even a 100-mile race.   She is also head ambassador for the clothing line GSTQ.

A typical day for her begins with her own personal workout and includes – strength training.  But other essentials elements of her morning routine are: meditating for 20 minutes after getting a solid 9 hours of sleep AND fuelling her body with the proper nutrients.  For her, a smoothie packed with vitamins and plant-based fuel is her go-to.  Not only does she emphasize the need to fuel our bodies with right foods, she also stresses the fact that we all need to hydrate our bodies for optimal performance.

“My life is a workout, but my own personal workout is critical, and that will usually involve something related to strength training.  I’m always, always staying hydrated – you cannot hustle without the proper hydration, and in my opinion, with plain ole’ water, as optimally.” ~Robin Arzon

Another critical component of Robin’s ideal day and something we can all consider implementing in our lives is to nourish our souls by educating and diving into things we want to know more about.  This could be through classes or reading, but for her, it creates mental grit in her every day. 

“I want to go to bed prouder each night than when I woke up.  I think our legacy is comprised of small decisions.” ~RA

She claims there is no such thing as work-life balance, but there are priorities as well as a strong work ethic that will get you there. Everyone needs a North Star, which is to do epic things in this world.  We should listen to what our gut tells us, identify a standard for greatness that is both aspirational and achievable. Joy comes from finding what is valuable for you and your life and what can be achieved in this regard. It is worth getting uncomfortable and digging deep to achieve this.
 
One piece of advice Robin gives people who want to begin a fitness journey is to ‘trust the struggle’.  You have to be brave enough to own your journey and it will require struggle.  It’s great to have a mentor or to follow and admire someone else’s fitness path, but ultimately you will have to go it yourself.  There is something unique and special about the journey you embark on.  Trusting your struggle is incredibly important, according to Robin, just as being brave enough to actually have experiences where you fail.  You will gain confidence, flex your bravery muscle, discover resilience you never knew you had, grow strong from the inside out.

I recently heard Robin’s response to the question:  What’s the coolest thing you have ever done?  And I want to share her answer with you…

Robin answered, “It’s not a day or an achievement; it’s a way of life.  One of the coolest things I’ve ever done is learned how to become resilient and trust my hustle.  I think that is everything from knowing that my bag is stocked with ROAR and I’m staying hydrated, but also trusting that I know how to prepare for small and big victories.  I think that the iterative process to success is going to be challenging, but it’s knowing that you have the backbone and the processes and the things in your superhero toolkit to rise.”

The ‘Superhero Toolkit’ Robin is referring to here includes:
 
-> Daily movement
-> Visualization and creating/tweaking a visual board every 3 – 4 months
-> Breath work
-> Journalling
 
From the beginning her mission has been to “redefine, reform and rethink possibility through movement.”  Believe it or not, Robin grew up in a family setting that didn’t place much emphasis on playing sports or being active.  In fact, she thought physical activity and movement were rather scary as a young girl.  She would tell herself things like, “I can’t throw a ball” or “I can’t get fit” and her message to everyone is:
 
We become the stories we tell ourselves. So, it’s crucial that we are aware of these stories running through our minds all the time AND the stories we are telling our children.  Once we label ourselves or are labelled by others, we adopt a kind of identity around it. 
 
For her, she told herself, “I’m not a runner” or “I’m not athletic” and so, she thought there was no way she could ever hit the streets for a jog or a run.  Remember, back in the introduction …. Robin went on to become an ultramarathoner. 
 
When it comes to movement and strength training, she encourages everyone to step out of any old identities which are holding you back, and adopt new ones along the lines of, “I can be a fit, strong woman” or “I am capable of lifting weights to tone my body”. In her words, get curious and uncomfortable about movement and exercise.  Use movement as medicine for your body and mind.  Find the courage to step out and do something different.  Try to develop a stickiness to the habit of movement and fitness by starting small with just a 5- or 10-minute commitment.  The hardest conversation always starts within yourself. 
 
And, regarding the talks we have with ourselves, she emphasizes that we should prioritize these conversations to know your boundaries.  We cannot set standards for ourselves or anyone else if we don’t know what are boundaries actually are.  This goes back to the self-care in episode 30. 
Establishing boundaries creates higher standards and holding ourselves to higher standards brings us more success. 
 
It all goes back to basics and simplicity.  Create consistent, non-negotiable everyday habits with yourself which are important to uphold.  Eating and fuelling your body with healthy food, getting enough sleep, hydrating adequately every day, filling your own cup.  The energy you gain from these actions is ultimately your currency.
 
For Robin, self-care is a prevention strategy.  It is not something you turn to when you are already at your whit’s end.  An analogy is; self-care is like an escape valve which allows that built-up pressure within to be released bit by bit before it explodes.
 
Nothing gets done well or intentionally if we don’t take care of ourselves.  That applies to both the small, mundane every day things but also the larger aspects of our life.  When we find ourselves in moment of crisis, it’s hard for us to make the right choices.  That’s why we have to have our healthy, daily habits so dialed in that we are not setting ourselves up for failure or poor choices.
 
In regards to self-care, ask yourself, “How can I move my body to make me feel more powerful?” 
 
Realizing she could be her own inner advocate was a very empowering moment for Robin.  She came to know that she was the director of her life, which was terrifying and exciting at the same time.  She began running as a means to deal with trauma but soon found out that it provided her with so much more.  Fitness became one of those non-negotiables.
 
“When you go beyond your limits during workouts, it boosts your confidence.  And the workout is so much more than the 20, 30 or 60 minutes you put into the workout  —  it’s how you are going to remember who you are in the other 23 hours in the day.”
 
Although Robin only found movement and fitness as a young adult after a very traumatic event in her life, dreaming big has accompanied her throughout her life.  I’m a huge proponent of dreaming big and setting huge, scary goals for ourselves.  So, her thoughts on dreams resonated with me so much.
 
Her favourite quote is:  “Dream so big that it makes small minds uncomfortable.”  And she continues by saying, “My dreams wake me up before my alarm clock goes off.  I’m ready and so intoxicated by my dreams and the moment I don’t feel or think like this, then I know I have to dream bigger.”
 
I could go on forever about this amazing human. For Robin, leaving a good law career for a job in the wellness industry was a huge pivot but she knew and openly admits that “success wouldn’t be easy but I always wanted it more than I feared it.” This is the mindset of a wildly successful individual.
 
So, after so much inspiration from the perspective of Robin Arzon, I will close off today’s show with Robin’s top 5 tips on how to stay focused and motivated for your workouts:
 
1.        Be realistic with your goals:  Always write them down to get a clear picture of your workout and set the right routine.
2.       Visualize your goals:  Try to imagine the end-game result, and keep that vision to remain focused and make progress.
3.       Meditation for the win: Take to meditating daily to calm yourself and ensure a great start to your day.
4.       Fuel your body for success: Your body requires energy for your workouts, so consume the right foods to guarantee your body can perform optimally not only during the workout but throughout the entire day.
5.       Allow enough time to rest:  Pay attention to sleep and rest times so your body can recharge after each session
 
If you are ever short of motivation, let’s recharge your energy with some of Robin’s inspiring quotes:
 
Inspiration quotes by Robin Arzon:
 
1.       Don’t dim your light.
2.       Sweat transforms lives.
3.       Survive or thrive.
4.       You didn’t get up today to be mediocre.
5.       Take your life and make it the best story in the world.
6.       Are you giving yourself permission to win?
7.       Limiting beliefs are loud.  Make your hustle louder.
8.       You are the director of your life and you don’t need any external validation EVER.
9.       Don’t allow yourself to create negative ‘labels’ for yourself and your abilities.
10.   Know the value and the standards you want to set and uphold for yourself.
11.   We can either be a victim to the circumstance or be victorious no matter what the circumstance is.
12.   Your dreams should wake you up before your alarm goes off each day.
13.   I always believe that I wake up with an invisible crown on my head that says, “Chin up, crown on ALWAYS.”
14.   Willpower is a muscle that fatigues, but it can also get stronger.  If you’ve fallen off your game – in any area of life – the simplest way to get back on it is to surround yourself with inspiration.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa xoxo