health and fitness – Inspiration2grow

Shift Your Fitness Mindset from Fixed to Growth

by Lisa OberbichlerGoals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset February 24, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO EPISODE 84 HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/Ky7Q8w5cGxb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow I am talking about mindset in terms of fitness. Would you say your mindset is one of growth or is it fixed when it comes to your fitness goals? Perhaps you’ve never thought about it this way before. Well, get ready to be inspired and shift your thinking on fitness.

Your mindset affects your behaviour in all areas of your life, including your fitness and health. While researching mindset, behaviour, motivation and success, Carol Dweck came up with the terms fixed mindset and growth mindset.

These two mindsets are pretty much what they sound like. In a fixed mindset, you believe that things are pre-determined. Whereas, in a growth mindset, you believe there is always room to improve.

Fixed mindset:

–          Your abilities are set and unchangeable. No amount of effort will make any difference.
–          You avoid failure or any situation where the outcome is unknown.
–          Obstacles only get in your way or are a sign to quit or give up.
–          Success comes from what you’re born with or pure luck. Results are pre-determined.

In terms of your fitness, a fixed mindset puts you in a mental place where you can’t see any opportunity to improve. Maybe you hated gym class as a child. So as an adult, you assume that you’ll hate joining a gym, too. Or perhaps you tell yourself that you aren’t a runner, you won’t ever be good at it, so you avoid any and all workouts that include running.

Fitness isn’t fixed, but your mindset could be. While you may not feel strong, coordinated, or “in shape” now, your current fitness level isn’t etched in stone for the rest of your life.

Fixed and growth mindsets set on opposite ends of a mindset scale. When you start taking ownership of developing skills and abilities, not only do you become more coachable, but it also shows that you have adopted more of a growth mindset.

Growth mindset:

–          You believe that it’s possible to improve your skills over time.
–          Obstacles and challenges are an opportunity to learn and get better.
–          Failure is also a learning experience.
–          Your starting point doesn’t matter.

Here are a few ways that you can develop a fitness mindset that’s focused on growth:

1.       Don’t expect perfection.
There is a difference between striving for big goals and striving to be perfect. Be ambitious, but also be willing to make mistakes. If you’re new to CrossFit, remember that it’s okay to be a beginner. If you’ve been training for a while, it’s okay if every lift isn’t a new PR.

2.       Expect setbacks.
Having a growth mindset means that you not only see challenges as an opportunity to grow, but you also expect setbacks to happen. You’ll miss a workout because a meeting went too long, or you got stuck in traffic. You’ll eat the whole sleeve of Girl Scout cookies. You’ll sleep through your alarm and miss your morning workout. These things will happen, but when you expect setbacks, then you’re more likely to take them in stride and bounce back.

3.       Celebrate successes.
Chalking up even the smallest successes to luck implies that you’re not responsible for your own achievements. But when you acknowledge your accomplishments, then it’s a sign you have a growth mindset. There is no such thing as a ‘lucky lift’. You earn all of your PRs; they come from hard work and dedication. When you run your fastest mile, don’t give the credit to the downhill. Own and celebrate your success.

Remember:

-> See challenges as opportunities. If we avoided obstacles, would we ever grow?
You and I, basically everyone, will experience challenges in life, at work, on our fitness and health journey, in relationships,… but the key to overcoming them and growing from these challenges is to view them as chances, opportunities. Whatever you do, don’t let them stop you and keep you from continuing or progressing on your journey.

-> Focus on your positive actions, rather than traits.
Remind yourself of all the positive steps you are taking to achieve your goal and move forward. Your focus should be placed on these initiatives, not anything else. As long as you are doing what needs to get done in order to make progress, then you’re honouring your commitment to yourself and that’s all that counts.

-> Recognize failure, then move on better.
Use any failed attempts as a means of learning. Realize and recognize your mistake or why you failed and then move on but in a better way. I always like to see mistakes are way points of our path of learning. If we can take something away from the failure or mistake, then we have learned from it. And that’s the most important thing when it comes to failure. Personally, I don’t like to use the word ‘failure’ at all. Maybe this should be one of those words we replace with ‘minor shortcoming’.

I like to think of it this way…

Failure is an opportunity. It’s a chance to reevaluate and come back stronger with better reasoning. Failure is not fatal. No matter how hard it may be, just know that failure simply means you get another shot to try it all again.

-> Remember growth is a process, not a destination.

Growing to reach your potential doesn’t happen automatically. Unlike your physical growth from the time you were born until you’re a young adult, you are in a constant state of growing physically, which is entirely out of your control. Unfortunately, your personal and professional growth doesn’t work the same way. You have to be intentional and disciplined about it.

If you view growth as a constant, changing, wonderful adventure you are on, it takes on a different meaning for you. We are not on this growth journey as a kind of race to cross the finish line or reach a final destination, but rather it is like one very long road trip, which can take us to places we have never been before. So pack your bags, buckle up and hit the never-ending road of adventure on your personal growth journey.

I hope you enjoyed today’s message about developing a growth mentality when it comes to your fitness goals.

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 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 Number 1 Way to Gain More Confidence

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self Care January 12, 2023No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/SDW4KK2oxwb

Hey, friends! Welcome back to the Inspiration2grow podcast and, the 51^st episode. I can’t believe that we’ve made it this far AND covered so many interesting and important topics. And, the great news… I have only just begun! I have some exciting things as well as guests lined up for 2023, so be sure to stay tuned.

I just wanted to share some feedback that I received in email form today from one of my avid listeners. She wrote, “Congratulations, today’s episode was the best one EVER. You can be very proud of yourself. I’m impressed how you can find such interesting topics EVERY DAY! It’s a pity they are only in English because most people in Europe haven’t ever thought of these topics here and don’t talk about them.”

First off, thanks so much for sending me your feedback, Brigitte. I really appreciate it. Secondly, I am very happy to say that my podcast is going to become even more international because very soon it will be available for listening in German as well.

I lived and studied in Austria, Europe for 25 years and I have received so many requests to translate the podcast episodes. When my husband was home visiting his family near Innsbruck during the Christmas holidays, he, too, was told -> this podcast needs to be in German because the message needs to be heard by more women, who don’t necessarily understand English that well to follow the content.

What started as a passion project, a labour of love in hopes of inspiring other women and encourage them to open their mind up to new possibilities is turning into a worldwide movement, which I am so very proud of.

A considerable amount of work and preparation goes into each episode but if I can only touch one person’s life with my message, I am the happiest person alive.

Recently I read a comment (and this is not an isolated incident by any means) from a woman who wrote she has been lacking confidence her whole life. She has never been fully able to stand tall and proud of her accomplishments, her appearance, her body in particular, her whole self really. That broke my heart!

There are numerous ways to increase confidence, with more positive self talk, improved self-care including setting strict boundaries, working on your levels of self-love and feelings of self-worth. I mean this is a loaded topic any way you look at it.

But, for me, doing something you really want to accomplish, showing up for yourself in small ways each day, ditching the thoughts of , “Hopefully they will like me” and instead thinking, “The most important thing is that I like and accept myself,” are the keys to building a foundation of confidence.

Today, though, I am talking about one way in particular that you can infuse loads of confidence into your life. It’s also about showing up for the most important person in your life -> YOU.

This episode is going to be about increasing your confidence levels massively. Now, you might not expect to hear the simple solution I am going to provide you with today in order to gain more confidence. But once you hear what it is, it will make total sense to you, I’m sure.

Let me ask you this…what if all those hard burned calories weren’t for a lower number on the scale, but rather for increased confidence?

Studies have shown that regular exercise not only provides all of us with health advantages, but is also is a huge confidence booster too. Showing up for yourself and your body elevates your self-esteem so that you’re better equipped to meet your goals and be successful in many other areas of life: at work, in your relationships, to name a few.

Taking a more pro-active approach to life as opposed to a passive approach, will help you stay more focused and support you when life presents you with challenges now and again. And a fitness routine provides the perfect structure for this active approach.

Everyone wants to feel good about themselves, right? When we are confident, we are much better equipped both emotionally as well as mentally to deal with everyday life. Our quality of life improves dramatically when we feel a sense of high self-esteem.

Boosting our self-confidence is always a good thing.

One of the very best, and easiest ways to increase your self-confidence is by exercising regularly.

Showing up for yourself daily will enhance your self-assurance and trust in yourself to follow through with what you set your mind to.
Showing up for yourself through exercise will grow your own self respect.
Showing up for yourself by sticking to a regular fitness routine will increase your own integrity.

Whether you were anticipating exercise to be the #1 confidence booster or not, I am going to CONVINCE you in today’s show that this is exactly what you need to improve your self-confidence.

1.       Exercise is beneficial for your mind and body.
You will feel so much better overall by exercising. It can be as simple as going for a walk for a certain amount of time each day. It could be swimming, biking or an at-home workout. Anything that gets your heart and your body moving can help you ditch bad habits such as poor diet choices, overeating and being sedentary. Feeling better physically means you will feel better mentally too.

You will also gain back some of that lost energy. If we don’t have the necessary energy to deal with our daily chores, then we start to feel bad about ourselves. Regular exercise helps the whole body work more efficiently. And, once you begin to feel better about yourself (and your choices), you can take on challenges and overcome life’s hurdles with ease.

2.       Your self-image will improve.
Quite often women’s self-confidence issues are closely linked to their perception of their own body. By exercising you will build the necessary confidence to feel good about your body. Ultimately, you will strengthen and tone your body meaning that the fruits of your labour will be noticeable. Seeing results will definitely boost your self-esteem and getting compliments for others, well, that’s just the icing on the cake.

There’s absolutely no doubt that working out takes: work, hard work at times, dedication, commitment and an elevated level of self-care than we are perhaps used to. And, all of this results in an enormous feeling of confidence.

3.       Your brain power will increase.
Research has indicated that by feeding your brain with essential, valuable nutrients AND oxygen when doing aerobic exercise, our cognitive function improves. So, basically, exercise makes you smarter. Have you ever noticed that after exercising you feel more focused, alert and capable of getting tasks done far more efficiently.

I certainly do. In fact, after I come home from my swim sessions, I am able to write and work with a much clearer mind and inevitably I achieve more.

4.       You will feel stronger.
It’s certainly not a news flash when I say that exercise reduces your risk of high blood pressure and chronic disease, is it? We’ve heard this for some time now from doctors and health care professionals. But, it bears repeating -> regular exercise makes you stronger on many levels.

The mental strength you gain from exercising should not be overlooked as one of the major benefits. Exercise can, and has been proven to, reduce stress levels, as well as depression and anxiety.

5.       You will feel a sense of accomplishment.
A huge part of exercising is creating a new habit, setting and achieving goals. If you stick with your routine or program, this provides you with a strong sense of achievement. You gain what we call emotional stamina by following an exercise routine and seeing it through to the end. This creates intrinsic motivation which allows you to take on your personal goals so confidently that you feel unstoppable in all the things you want to do.

6.       Your mood will drastically improve.
There is nothing quite like a good workout for your emotional state. But, this doesn’t necessarily mean a hard gym session. This could also be a brisk walk outdoors, or a jog, or a bike ride. Any activity that makes your body and heart work harder constitutes a workout. This stimulates brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin, which provide an overall feeling of well-being. In turn, this reduces stress and anxiety.

7.       Your heart and joints will thank you.
It’s quite logical though, isn’t it. If exercise is effective in decreasing our weight, then this means that our hearts have to work less. Subsequently, our hearts are happier and healthier. By lowering the amount of weight, you carry around, this puts less pressure on your joints and other areas of your body.
This is the number 1 reason for my weight loss journey currently. My joints feel so much better, the more weight I lose.

Generally, I think it gives us a great feeling that we are looking after ourselves, taking responsibility for our health and doing something so beneficial for our bodies when we exercise. This alone boosts our confidence.

8.       You are in control of your weight.
Taking control over your situation in and of itself gives your confidence, doesn’t it? Being overweight can destroy one’s confidence. But, by exercising and eating clean and healthy you are taking the first steps to regain control of your situation. The better shape you are in, the better you will feel.

I am going to mention here too that getting in shape is closely connected to controlling your weight. Being in shape means having a well-toned body and better posture, which are aspects of having self confidence.

But, I don’t want anyone to get their knickers in a know about this. I am not saying that in order to gain confidence you must lose weight. Not at all!

I believe everyone needs to look after their bodies and minds as best they can, and exercise is a great way of doing this. You’ve already heard about 8 ways your body and mind will reap the benefits of regular exercise.

Beauty and confidence come from the inside. That’s the most important point here.

Showing up for yourself is a confidence enhancer.

9.       Your sleep will improve.
Oh, wait -> you say!! How is sleep related to confidence? So glad you asked. How do you feel after getting through a really terrible night of tossing and turning? Not so great, right? Then you drag your body into the bathroom and look in the mirror. Horror strikes. Dark circles under your eyes, blood shot eyes, you know what I mean.

Would anyone feel good about themselves or even confident looking and feeling like this? Probably not. So, by exercising regularly, you will improve the quality of your sleep. Hitting the 7 – 8 hours of sleep is crucial for feeling well rested and good about our selves.

And, I have experienced this first hand myself. I have also talked about it in previous podcast episodes. Exercise has helped me in getting in 7 – 8 hours of sound slumber each night.

Just don’t exercise too close to your bed time.

10.   You will have something to look forward to.
I am all about living life to the fullest and adding enjoyable activities to our every day life. Once you develop a reasonable exercise schedule or routine that works well for you, you will begin to crave it. Or better said, your body and mood will look forward to it. The inner momentum will build after you start seeing the results of your hard work. Your desire to keep going will have been ignited. Ultimately, you will feel so much better about yourself and your efforts. Like I stated before – you will feel unstoppable!

So, if exercise helps you look great, feel stronger and have a much more positive attitude and outlook on life, why NOT add it into your self-care routine?
You have literally nothing to lose (apart from a bit of weight maybe) AND everything to gain, including self-confidence.

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

10 Empowering Messages You Need to Hear

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self Care December 24, 2022No 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 1^st. 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

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

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, Mindset, Self Care December 24, 2022No 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