Developing Habits That Stick Like Glue

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/kO5UGPIGywb

In today’s podcast of the Inspiration2grow show we are discussing the common theme which happens every year in January or February at the latest – the New Year’s Drop Off Rate.  We’ll talk about a better way to start a new habit, one that offers more sticking power.

This phenomenon happens EVERY year all around the world regardless of age or gender.  I am talking about the great exodus of people who make New Year’s resolutions to upgrade their level of fitness and health. Then, in a frenzy they join a gym, sign up for classes of every kind, dive into the pool for exercise, purchase all sorts of shiny, new equipment, scurry to order diet products online before they sell out, you get the picture.  I am sure you noticed all the heavy marketing campaigns targeted toward making 2023 the best year ever, slogans like NEW YEAR, NEW YOU, this will be YOUR year and make this year count. 

Have YOU been part of this New Year’s craziness?  I certainly have.  It’s been years ago now but I, too, committed to prioritizing my fitness routine and was dedicated to eating cleaner with the hopes of shedding a few unwanted pounds.

I’ve experienced this type of new year’s commitment both at my local gym as well as at the pool where I go for my laps, almost every day.  It’s actually difficult to get a lane to swim in without having to share with at least 2 or 3 other people now.  And, at the gym, well, it can be challenging to work though your exercise routine efficiently moving from machine to machine, because, well, so many other people are there too.  Even the spin classes are completely full – waiting list only for those who don’t reserve your bike early enough.

My husband commented just the other day while we were leaving the gym, things will look a lot different in here come February.  I knew he was spot on. 
Things will have calmed down considerably – come the end of February and March.  Why the huge drop off rate at gyms and fitness facilities? 

There are several reasons but, I think, people jump into these new habits and intentions of regaining their health and upleveling their fitness on a whim without enough mental preparation.  By this, I mean, shifting your mindset around the new habit is essential in order to set yourself up for success.

One of the most important decisions we make is which habit we want to build.

But, the question arises… how should we choose a habit that will stick?

If we choose the right habit, progress will be easy and feel almost effortless.  However, if we commit to the wrong habit, our life will feel like a struggle.

Therefore, it becomes crucial to work on the ‘right’ habit.  This means identifying with this habit, having the proper reasons why you want to achieve it, setting the intention behind it.

And, everyone has to realize…there will be work involved, sometimes hard work. 

When thinking about new habits we want to form, we naturally begin by considering the OUTCOMES that we want to achieve.

* I want to lose weight.
* I want to stop smoking.
* I want to learn a new language.
* I want to write a book.

These are all great habits to form, but if we don’t first identify who we desire to become as opposed to what we want to achieve, you will likely not be able to develop the sticking power required to achieve this goal or incorporate this new habit into your life.

You see, anyone can convince themselves to hit the pool for a swim once or twice a week, attend a spin class once a week or even workout once or twice a week.

I’ve talked a lot about starting a new morning routine, journalling, breathwork techniques, even meditation in previous podcast episodes as possible new habits you could consider implementing.  But if you don’t shift your belief behind the behaviour, then it becomes very hard to stick with the new habit to see long-term changes.

Improvements are only temporary until they become part of who you are.
·         The goal is not to lose weight; the goal is to be the person who NEVER misses a workout.
·         The goal is not to practice yoga every day; the goal is to become more mindful of the mind-body connection and learn to relax.
·         The goal for children and teens isn’t to get straight A’s at school, but rather to become the student who studies every day.
·         The goal is not to become a writer or seller of books; the goal should be to get your message out into the world and impact other’s lives.
·         The goal is not to tone your body; the goal is to equip your body with stability and the proper balance it needs to prevent injury.  And, the goal should be to show up for yourself and your ability to move your body.

The ultimate form of intrinsic motivation is when a habit becomes part of your identity.

So, we have to shift our thinking from, “I’m the type of person who WANTS this.”
And start saying, “I’m the type of person who IS this.”

Your identity (or perceived identity) plays a pivotal role in your behaviour.  How we see ourselves determines how we behave and show up for ourselves.

And, our identity comes from our habits.  The more you repeat a habit, the more you reinforce the identity connected with that behaviour.  Of course, the more you reinforce the identity, the more natural it becomes and is easy to repeat as a behaviour.

If you start to exercise and see yourself as someone who values movement and shows up for yourself to become a healthier person, you will start to believe you are this type of person.  This identity shift will motivate you to show up more and more, and more easily, I might add.

Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.

Act like the type of person who believes in yourself.  And, each habit will suggest, “Yeah, this is WHO I am.” 

No single action will transform your belief.  But as repetitions of your habit build up over time, so does the proof of your new identity.  If you align your behaviour with your identity, you no longer are pursuing behaviour change.  You are merely acting like the type of person you believe yourself to be.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “The things you do often create the things you believe.”

So, if you believe yourself to be the type of person who moves her body regularly and shows up for herself, you will be that person.

Ask yourself, “Who is the type of person that could get the outcome I want?”

What would a healthy person do?
What would a productive person do?
What would a fit person do?

Create an identity that you work toward and define the habits that support this particular identity.  This will help you know which habit to adopt.  Then you can start taking small steps to reinforce your desired identity.

Here a few examples of linking your habits to your desired identity:

·         If you want to become an artist, you should focus on becoming the type of person who paints every day.
·         If you want to learn a new language, you should focus on becoming the type of person who studies every day.
·         If you want to become lean and toned, then you should focus on becoming the type of person who exercises every day.

Don’t focus on the outcome.  Focus on the type of person and the daily habits this person needs to do to achieve the goal.

Far too many people spend a lot of time and energy focusing on the result when they should be putting that energy into taking the small, daily steps in BECOMING the person.

Your daily habits reshape your perception of yourself in a very gradual way.  This change is quite slow and nearly impossible to see.  We have a difficult time noticing any difference between who we are today and who we were yesterday.  But, you do notice the actions you take.

With each action, you are voting for yourself and the new identity you are slowly, but surely forming.

There is an internal shift that happens.  This will help you stick with your habits more than anything else.

The very first step is to focus on WHO you want to become, not WHAT you want to achieve.

This is so very empowering. Trust 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 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
 
 
 
 
 

Don’t Let Your Age Hold You Back, Ever

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 aging gracefully and on your terms but also stressing the fact that age should never hold us back from the things we want to do as women.

Recently I experienced a situation where I was doubting myself, my ability and thinking perhaps I was too old for a sport I have always loved participating in. This got me thinking that maybe other women out there are excluding themselves too just because of their age.  I want to change that!

Just a few days ago my husband and I returned from a skiing holiday in Mt. Tremblant, Quebec.  It was an amazing time spent out in the fresh air, on the slopes high above the village overlooking beautiful scenery.  However, I came very close to throwing in the towel and not even trying to ski again after about 20 years.  Why?  Because I felt my body and my mobility limitations wouldn’t respond well to the physical nature of skiing.  It really felt like a mental and physical impossibility to push past my fear and anxiety when I put my skis back on again that first day.  So many thoughts and worries were going through my head.  Am I too old for this?  Should I even put my body through this?

I was convinced that my body would somehow rebel against the physical exertion, flexibility and movement required to ski for even an hour each day, as it has done over the past 4 years now.  Every time I have made attempts at picking up a sport I love again, my body wouldn’t cooperate, and I’d be left in severe pain, not being able to move for a few days.

Long story made short, I was able to keep up with all the people in my group:  the teenage snowboarders, the other skiers and my husband, who was born in Austria and grew up on skis. So, he is kind of like a world cup slalom racer if he wants to be and not so easy to keep up with.

All in all, I was amazed at how well my body responded to this type of exercise and exertion.  But, if I hadn’t been in fairly good condition from my months at the gym – strength training, attending spin classes as well as swimming most days, I am sure my body would not have made it through 4 days on the slopes. 

And so, here is my plug for strength training – it really does make a huge difference.  Without my strength in my quads and hamstrings, abs, arms and shoulders, I would never have been able to overcome my other mobility issues. There is so much value in building muscle, ladies.  I just can’t say it enough.  I am truly a testament to the power of weight lifting.

Sorry, but I digressed slightly.  You know every chance I get I will advocate for women to take up strength training.

Let’s get back to the topic of aging but still living life to the fullest…

But here’s the thing…I don’t want to age to hold me back from doing things I want to do.  Nor do I want fear of failure to keep me from taking risks or pushing myself outside of my comfort zone.

How we age is a decision we make for ourselves.  What we think aging means is what we tend to believe based on our actions, thoughts, and habits.  What I mean by this is…if we assume you are washed up at say 50 or 60, then you will believe this to be true.  If you think you and other women in their 50’s and 60’s are old, done, life is over, wrinkles are showing up everywhere, all the pains and injuries come out. 

If you believe all of this, you will start to model your life after this.

However, if you believe that it’s just the beginning.  If you believe you’re going to navigate it differently and you’re going to thrive.  If you trust that you will find work arounds when the going gets tough AND if you believe that your best years are yet to come, you’ll start taking the actions and form the habits that represent these thoughts.

It comes down to mindset.  Your expectations will strongly impact what you think you can do.

Are you going to sit back and coast through life aimlessly just because you’ve reached 40, 50, 60 or beyond?

I hope not!

I really want to change the conversation around aging.  I want women to see the vast possibilities and potential within themselves at any age.

I want women to redefine themselves and, in the process, rebrand themselves.

How do you see yourself?  What labels or descriptors do you use when talking about yourself?

Chances are good that you don’t even consider yourself: beautiful, capable, sexy, vibrant, amazing, sensuous, empowered, energetic, tenacious, a force to be reckoned with.

Sure, there might be a few more wrinkles, sagging skin here and there and a few grey hairs that are visible. But these don’t and shouldn’t define us.

I’ll tell you a short story… some years ago now my family had gathered at our home for Easter and all the women were in the kitchen getting the meal ready when we were all approached by someone who was offering us Botox injections. We were all taken back and stunned by this.  I think we were all a bit self conscious at that moment wondering if we looked like we truly needed some smoothing out on our faces.

My sister-in-law had the best comeback when she said, “Why would I want to get rid of or hide my experience/life lines?  After all, they show that I have lived life to the fullest and what I’ve been through.” BEST REPLY EVER!

Recently I saw an IG post and caption from the former super model, Paulina Porizkov, who is fully embracing her grey hair and effortless look without any makeup these days.  She posed nude and wrote,  “I’m finally comfortable in my own skin.  I don’t need armor when I’m already armed with my experiences and the wisdom they’ve brought.  All the really good stuff is crammed into this body and invisible on the outside.  That doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.  It’s what keeps me standing tall and proud – even when undressed.”

 Your face and body reflect the full experience and character of your life.  Should we be ashamed of it? Absolutely not.

Just remember… you are so much more than your appearance AND there is nothing wrong with wanting to look your best at any age.

Aging is not a disease.  It should be celebrated for what it is -> a time of growth and change.

What are you telling yourself about who you are, what you are capable of and what you really want?

What story are you telling yourself? 

I’ve learned something very important in my 50’s and that’s not to blindly accept what may look like a hopeless situation when it comes to your health.  I’ve learned to challenge that and say, well yes, that might be true for some people, but it’s not going to be true for me.  I changed my story, my narrative around my health, my mobility, my attitude toward pain.

If you don’t learn to advocate for yourself and your health, no one else will. 
If you give in to your own excuses, you will forever remain stuck and possibly declining or regressing.
If you don’t look for work arounds when the going gets tough, you will admit defeat.
If you consider your age an impossible hurdle, you will miss out on so much in life.
If you constantly fall into the “woe is me” trap, you’ll never make progress and always feel like a victim.
You hold all the cards in your hand.  You are in control.  You are 100% responsible for your health. 

Don’t let age be an excuse for not taking action on your goals and dreams.

Ask yourself, what is it that you really, truly want?  And now think like this, if I’m going to be that person, who is fit, toned, running after her grandchildren, confident, living her best life, feeling vibrant and amazing, then what actions, habits and thoughts will I have or take in order to BE this person?

Define who you want to be regardless of your age.  Start showing up each and every day as this person.

One very important thing I want you to stop doing NOW -> and that is comparing yourself to anyone else.  Whether it’s on TV, on the news, on social media, in magazines, on billboards.  Stop comparing your life and your looks to their highlight reel. 

Oh, look at her.  She’s so much more beautiful.  She has accomplished so much more.  She has more likes, more comments on her posts.  She is so much MORE than I am or will ever be.

We get sucked into this comparison of how we are supposed to look, act, and be based on what society thinks or expects.  It is so detrimental.

My tip for you is to take control of how you start your morning.  You will show up differently to the world and feel better about yourself if you stop being influenced by others – on TV, on social media, or elsewhere first thing in the morning.  Instead of scrolling your phone or turning on the TV, do something positive like meditating, journalling, listening to a podcast, doing a craft or your hobby, exercising is my favourite.  This will help you stop feeling “less than”.

Wow, I feel like I covered a lot in today’s show.  But let me bring the message home by saying, you are never too old to start a new chapter in life.  You are never too old to start something completely new.

I’d like women to embrace their age more and not allow it to hold them back.  Stop saying, “I’m too old.”

You don’t have to ‘accept’ your situation.  You are in charge and can pivot or adjust the course of your journey at any time.

Imagine the person you want to become and start taking action to become and embody this person.

Age gracefully but on your terms.  Your age is simply a number not a definition of who you should be or how you should act.

Our bodies are amazing and we should not give up on them just because we are 40, 50, 60 or beyond.

Love yourself, love the stage of life in which you find yourself, love your body for all it does for you, love your looks, love your uniqueness, love being YOU.

Remember this:  You are much more than your appearance; you have a special purpose in life and a true gift to be shared; you are an example to others, so be sure to be a good one.

 And if that wasn’t enough of a pep talk, ladies, I’d like to leave you with a quote from Caroline Caldwell that I thought was so fitting…

“In a society that profits from your self doubt, liking yourself is a rebellious act.”
So, let’s all be rebels.
 
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

10 Things Nobody Tells Us About Exercising

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 the 10 things nobody tells you about exercising.  Whether you are a newbie to exercise or maybe you are returning after a longer break, there are a few things you should be aware of before diving in.  Number 8 & 10 are my personal favourites, so be sure to listen until the very end.

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating, so I’ll say it again…

Everybody starts at ground zero by learning the bare basics, stumbling along through successes as well as mistakes, setbacks and having to overcome hurdles but eventually coming out on top.  It’s normal and it’s part of the process.

Even peak performers and top-notch athletes, runners, cyclists, swimmers, gymnasts, figure skaters, tennis players – all were once upon a time true beginners at their sports.  Just like you and me, they started from the beginning having to learn the fundamentals.

Keep this in mind as you push forward toward your fitness goals.  Rome wasn’t built in a day.  All good things take time.

So, for those starting out for the first time with a brand new exercise routine or the seasoned few who have been there, done that – but a long time ago, here are 10 things you need to know.
 
1.       Gyms are fantastic, but you don’t need one to be successful in your fitness journey.
There are countless reasons why people, and women in particular, don’t like the thought of going to the gym.  Sometimes they feel intimidated and terribly uncomfortable doing a workout whilst surrounded by sweaty folk or the noises some gym rats make when lifting heavy weights.  Oftentimes the machines themselves cause uncertainty – how to use them, how to adjust them, the gym etiquette.  Other times, people find gym memberships expensive.  All valid reasons, I will admit.  But you don’t need to set foot in a gym or even leave your home to get a killer full body workout.  All you need is your own bodyweight, dumbbells or resistance bands plus sneakers.

Do some research online to find YouTube videos made by women who show you the exercises, demonstrate and explain the do’s and don’ts of the various exercises and find what you enjoy most.

2.       Don’t stress about devising a workout for different areas of your body aka body part split.
Beginners are best advised to start with a total body workout.  These programs include compound movements, i.e. ones that exercise multiple muscle groups at the same time such as: squats, dips, push-ups and lunges.  They will build your body evenly while torching lots of calories.  An added bonus:  if you do these movements in quick succession (that means without lots of rest time in between them), the workout also becomes cardiovascular, giving your heart a workout at the same time.

3.       Create a concise cardio session.
Many people believe that cardio is the way to go for better, increased levels of fitness.  Don’t get me wrong… I’m not saying you shouldn’t do cardio.  There is definitely a place for long, slow and steady cardio workouts especially if you’re a marathoner OR have medical issues.  But if neither of those scenarios apply to you, keep your cardio sessions to under 30 minutes per session and go at it hard.

Research shows that higher-intensity workouts burn more total calories, while improving endurance and maximal oxygen consumption.  At this higher intensity level, fat is burned in half the time it would take with lower intensity cardio.

This is one of the many reasons why I love spin classes so much.  It gets my heart pumping, mega amounts of calories are burned, my leg muscles become more toned and it only takes less than 30 minutes.

There is a definite bonus to high-intensity workouts -> they boost the production of muscle-making and fat-burning compounds such as growth hormone, keeping you feeling and looking younger inside and out.
 
4.       Save static stretching for the end!
Many people don’t realize this but static stretching, which means you assume a stretch and hold it, should NOT be done at the beginning of your workout.  This has been my husband’s big beef for years.  Far too many times, you see fitness instructors have the class warm up with static stretches, which could potentially cause damage.

Instead, dynamic stretching should be done at the start of your workout to loosen your limbs with active range-of-motion movements.  Examples of these would be leg swings and arm circles – performed pre-workout. 

Save the static stretches for afterward when you are warm and want to relax and lengthen your muscles.

5.       Your hunger levels will increase.
Truth be told, you might become ravenous but don’t worry.  This is a good thing.  It means your body is changing in ways you want it to ->  growing muscle and shedding fat <- and in order to do that, it needs FUEL.  So, be sure you feeding your body (or machine) with lean protein such as grilled chicken and fish, complex carbs like oatmeal and brown rice as well as plenty of fruits and vegetables.

6.       You might gain weight in the process.
Don’t panic or get discouraged if the scale doesn’t tip in your favour all the time while exercising.  In reality, muscle weights MORE than fat but, here’s the great news…muscle takes up less space than fat.  Consider that weight is only a measure of how hard gravity is pulling you toward the Earth’s center.  It doesn’t take into account your percentage of fat versus muscle, your height, the time of the month for women or any other factors that could very well affect your physical weight from day to day.  A much better way to measure progress is how your clothes fit.  If things are getting looser, even if the scale gives you a heavier reading, you’re on the right track.

The message here is not to let the number of the scale dictate your success and be your only marker of progress.
 
7.       The “Golden Rule” is 80/20
We all need our comfort foods now and again.  Perhaps a chocolate bar, or plate of cheesy nachos.  For me it is a bag of salt & vinegar chips.  But if you eat healthy and clean 80 % of the time, you can be a regular human during the remaining 20%.  Allow yourself an indulgence from time to time.  This will definitely make eating clean and sticking to your program easier, and ultimately will get you the results you want.

Let’s put this into perspective though.  This doesn’t mean indulging every day.  The way I interpret or practice this rule is eating clean and healthy for 4 days and allowing for a small treat on the fifth day.  I don’t let this little treat sidetrack everything though.

8.       Exercising is a great way to boost your confidence.
Many times self-esteem issues are closely linked to body perception.  Exercising regularly helps build your confidence by improving your body image.  You’ll gain strength and tone your body bit by bit, and seeing these results can help you feel better about your appearance and give you a much-needed boost of confidence.

Additionally, the fact that you are showing up for yourself and making genuine efforts to improve will fuel your inner feelings of self-esteem.  Sticking with a program provides a sense of achievement and creates intrinsic motivation and momentum to keep going.

Not to mention the compliments and positive feedback you will get from family, friends, and colleagues ->  that will most definitely boost your confidence.

9.        Some days you will be weak.
Whether it’s from a lack of sleep the night before, being dehydrated, feeling stressed, boredom or one of a hundred other reasons why your workout went poorly, it happens to all of us.  Just know it’s not a reflection of anything deeper.

Some days you will feel super strong and on top of the world, whereas other days, you’re dragging your body around not sure who you are going to get through your workout.  It’s normal and everybody experiences it at some point.

Listen to your body and maybe decide on a lighter workout on such days.  Sometimes after a bit of a warm-up, things turn around for the better and you feel more energized.  Don’t push extra hard on the days when you feel weak.

10.   Commit to the long-term when it comes to exercising.
Most people who begin an exercise program only think of short-term goals and focus on achieving those. But I challenge every one of you to start looking a health differently…

If your goal is to lose 25 pounds over the next 12 weeks.  Shift your thinking to -> I want to regain my health for the rest of my life. 

How much more powerful does that sound?

Instead of wanting to lift heavier and heavier weights at your workouts. Shift your thinking to -> My goal is to be the gal who NEVER misses a workout. 

Now, that’s something worth striving for indefinitely.

Maybe you have set your sights on being the fastest in next month’s race.  But let’s shift your goal and focus on being faster next year than you are today.  And faster in two years that the year before.

Ignore the short-term results.  Learn to embrace and love the process of becoming healthier, stronger and fitter. 

Shift your thinking completely about living a healthy life and stop acting like it is a big deal.  Exercising shouldn’t be a sacrifice; it shouldn’t be an obligation.  It should be normal for you. 

You should celebrate your body and all that it can do for you.  Honour your body and pledge to do everything in your power to keep it well oiled, moving, fuelled properly and working at peak performance.
 
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

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
 
 
 

Reframe Your Mindset On Fitness

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, MindsetPosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast we are going to reframe some long-standing mindsets you might have about fitness, weight loss, working out and getting healthy.

Picture this…

There is a large glass jar in front of you with some fresh, moist soil in the bottom, about 4 -5 inches deep.  You place a seed in the middle and gently push it into the soil with your finger in hopes that it will thrive and grow. 

What does it take for this seed to prosper?  Some watering every now and then plus sunlight.  So, you place your glass jar strategically on the nearest window ledge.

After some weeks, you start to the meagre beginnings of fresh growth poking out of the soil.  A plant has sprouted.
 
By watering it consistently and providing it with necessary sunlight, you are giving it the best environment and chances to grow.

I like to think of this as having a growth mindset -> blossoming, thriving, expanding, growing.

However, when our thoughts turn to a fixed mindset such as “I can’t”, “I’m not good enough”, “I’m too old” or “I can’t find the time”  — it’s like you smother the plant.  You no longer give it the things it needs to thrive.  You rob it of its growing environment.

What happens to the plant?  It eventually dies. 

So do your goals, dreams and visions if you don’t learn how to flip the script on your negative, fixed mindset.

It is so important to know when and how to reframe your negative thoughts and attitudes towards doing something you KNOW will benefit you.

We always, always have two choices in life: #1. keep coming up with excuses and barriers that will hold us back from where we want to go and keep us stuck in the same place   OR 
 #2. Reframe our thoughts to allow us to try new things without fear of failure and view fresh attempts as learning, thriving experiences.  This is the difference between a fixed and growth mentality.

It takes awareness and conscious effort to do this but with some practice you can manage it.

Waking up every morning motivated, isn’t a talent.  It’s a mindset and lifestyle.

So, today we are going to look at a few fixed mindsets around the topic of fitness and we are going to shift them toward a growth mindset.
 
I think we can all agree that mindset shifts are crucial if you’re pursuing improved fitness levels at any age, really, but when starting a fitness program at a more advanced stage in life, you have already been influenced and conditioned to thinking a certain way for many years.

You have quite possibly buried yourself between then (life back in your 20’s or 30’s) and now under the ‘business of life’.  You might have been busy in your career or profession, or growing and looking after your family, not eating all that well, not finding the time for exercise and not feeling you even needed it. 

Buying into exercise as a lifestyle looks and feels a lot different that when you were a young adult. 

Women over 40 have to take care to balance their hormones, and deal with slowing metabolisms that threaten our energy levels.  We can’t adopt an “exercise more, consume fewer calories” approach any more.  We need to fuel our bodies properly while getting in the right types of workouts to prevent muscle loss.  Over time we lose strength and stability but we gain weight.  I am here to help you understand that by doing some regular exercises with weights, it will stop your muscle mass from decreasing and help rebuild it.

It might take some mindset shifts and work to rid ourselves of those decade-old thoughts surrounding fitness.

So, let’s dive in…

The first mindset I sometimes encounter is the “STATUS QUO” mindset:

People with a fixed mindset say, “I’m bad at that”

This could apply to anything like running, cycling or even following a diet plan.  But here is the shift I’d like you to think about.

Instead of saying “I’m bad at that”  adopt a growth mindset and say, “I don’t know whether I’m good or bad; I’ve never really put in much effort at doing it.  But I know women who didn’t start running (or weight lifting) until they were 50 or doing triathlons until they were 60. So, if they can do it, so can I.”

I always find that when you say things like “I’m bad at this” – whatever it is, fitness or non-fitness related – you are closing off all possibilities.  It’s like the thought about yourself, “I’m bad at it” is a thought in a glass jar and by saying the words and thinking the thoughts, you are putting a lid on it, kind of smothering the idea completely.
 
The next is what I refer to as the “NATURAL” mindset:

A person with a fixed mindset says, “I used to be good at that.  I don’t know what happened.”

But a person with a growth mindset would say, “I really just had a certain level of success naturally and never had to put in any work to get better.  I think it’s time to try again.”

Do you feel how you open up entirely by saying these words as opposed to shutting down your potential with a fixed mindset?
 
Then we have the “PERFECT TIME” mindset:

This could be the #1 mindset of people who want to start a fitness program but say, “I just don’t have time to do this right now.  It’s too much to add to my already full plate.”

Does this sound like you?  Chances are it does because I think we have all used time as an excuse for not doing something before.

Instead, I would encourage you to shift your mindset to this, “I am busy for sure. And because of it, I really need this more than ever.  I’m going to reach down deep and find something else to give up or say NO to so that I have time to take this step.”

Wow, how powerful it that!  Go from a fixed mindset -> I don’t have time for this right now… to -> I’m going to find a way to make this happen.
 
There is also the “WEIGHT” mindset which plagues a lot of women:

People who have a fixed mindset will say, “If I don’t lose weight, this will be yet another failure.”

Let’s flip the script to that of a growth mindset and say instead, “No matter if I lose weight or not, I know learning the right way to do this will make me happier and healthier right now.”

So, so good!  I love how empowering this feels when you say it.  No matter if I win or lose, I am learning how to live a healthier lifestyle and how to show up for myself in the right way.

Lastly, we have the “AGE RELATED” mindset:

A fixed mindset says, “I’m getting older; it makes sense that I’m slowing down and gaining weight. So why should I try to work against this.  It’s impossible.”

Here’s a powerful shift toward a growth mentality -> “I don’t have to be a victim of age unless I choose to.  I am capable of working out in a way that my body will respond to and eat smarter to feel better from the inside out.”

The same voice that says “give up” can also be trained to say “keep going”.
 
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
 
 

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

Pursuing Goals Without Barriers

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, Health & Fitness, MindsetPosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast we are talking about removing those barriers our minds create for us.  You might be familiar with the situation of really wanting to chase down a goal you’ve been thinking about for some time now, but your mind starts getting in your way.  I hope to offer you encouragement and inspiration to break down these barriers and take action today.

How often do we want to pursue something yet allow our minds to set up barriers or conditions?  And, how often do we use this as an excuse for not moving forward?

If this doesn’t make much sense, stick with me.  I will explain what I am getting at here.

It is quite normal to get hyped up about setting goals at this time of year.  And to be honest, this week’s podcasts have a lot to do with goals.  Episode 39 was all about the first steps in creating your life vision which means gaining clarity about the areas or pillars that make up your foundation.  Under each pillar you will need to establish goals as benchmarks to determine whether you’re on the right track toward your ideal life vision or not.

In episode 40 I talked about the arguments for and against sharing your goals with others.  I think I presented a fairly strong case for one side of the argument.  Be sure to go back and have a listen if you haven’t already. 

So, a bit of theme has been set for this week. Not surprising because most emails, social media posts and short segments of our daily news broadcasts are talking about goals.  You can hear everything from: types of goals to set, how to lay out your goal plan, the concept of SMART goals (in case you haven’t heard this acronym before -> S means specific, M means measurable, A means achievable, R stands for relevant and T stands for the time frame or time period in which you will reach this goal).

Truth be told, we are completely inundated by this topic.  So, it’s no wonder this theme is front and center in my mind. 

When I speak to people about their goals, in particular their fitness goals, I often here these phrases:

·         Well, I would like to get fit, but I don’t know where to start.
·         Sure, I want to lose weight, but I haven’t found the right diet for me.
·         I want to begin strength training, but I know nothing about it.

Many people put up barriers in their minds before they even give themselves a chance to take the first initial steps toward their goals. 

They feel defeated before even starting.

In a way, they have validated to themselves that this idea or goal is doomed to fail.

Does this resonate with you?

This is by no means helpful thinking, and if you want to achieve anything in life, you’re going to have to change your outlook now.

I guess, in a sense, by saying things like this, you are waiting for someone to swoop in and solve your problems of ‘not knowing’.

Believe me, I have been there.  Many years ago, you could catch me saying things like this too.  Mine went something like this…

·         I really want to write a book, but I just don’t know where to start.
·         I want to improve my level of fitness, but I don’t have the time.

Have you ever said something along these lines to yourself?

“I want to do X, but I need Y.”

If so, you’re either postponing your goal or trying to find a reason to NOT pursue it or you’re self-sabotaging yourself right from the word go.

Referring back to my original question:

How often do you pursue (or want to pursue) something but there is something ‘standing’ in your way?

·         I want to write a book, but I need a degree in creative writing.
·         I want to learn Spanish, but I need…
·         I want to start working out, but I need…
·         I want to make more money, but I need…
·         I want to teach yoga, but I need to be certified.

These are just some examples that came to mind, but you get the idea.  The goal is the first part of the sentence and the means is the second part.

Can I share a secret with you?  These are merely excuses.  Unless you want to change professions or your desired goal is regulated, YOU REALLY DON’T NEED ANYTHING TO GO AFTER YOUR GOAL.

Too often we have certain conditions in our minds.  We conjure up reasons or obstacles that are holding us back.  We think we need to have certain credentials or things like time or money, otherwise, we simply can’t do the ‘thing’ we want.

When I started my first business in Austria straight out of university, I was 27.  I could tell that people in my environment didn’t take me entirely seriously.  They thought I was too young to open a private language school, I didn’t have enough experience, I didn’t know how to run a business profitably, and so on.

However, 15 years after embarking on that scary, but exhilarating entrepreneurial journey, I had built up a wildly successful private school for both children and adults, local companies and their teams, CEOS, business owners, hotel managers and their staff.

But, here’s the point.

If I had let myself be held back by the thought:

I want to start my own private school, but I need to be certified…

I would NEVER have taken the leap I did to open my school, run it the way I wanted to, scaled it each year and sold it for a fair profit before moving back to Canada.

Did I have training as a business owner?  Did I study marketing?  Did I have a title in front of my name?

No. No. and No.

I simply had a dream which morphed into an audacious goal.  Did I have to conquer fear? Absolutely.  But my resolve to be successful outweighed my fear of failing.

I applied myself.  I focused on what I wanted to accomplish.  I went after my goal so fiercely that failure really wasn’t an option.  I preserved through good and also bad times.  I made mistakes but I learned from them. 

So,
What’s your end goal?

I want you to think about the things YOU want to achieve.  What’s holding you back?  And after today’s talk, I hope you say -> nothing really. 

Get over your excuses.

Get over those lingering thoughts that are holding you back.

Become curious about the HOW.  How can you make it happen? And find a way.

Become extremely focused and unwavering in your will to succeed.

Take the first steps.  Try those on for size.  Then take the next step.  Feel good about yourself for each and every step.

Give yourself permission to succeed.

The key is… you want to make it so easy for yourself to do that ‘thing’ that you will actually do it.

When you think “I need (blank) to do (blank)” you create friction, and your mind sets conditions about what is standing between YOU and YOUR GOAL.

My goal and work revolve around helping people become less rigid in their thinking patterns.  What matters is that you think things through, all the way to the end and reverse engineer how you will get to your end goal.

Remember that we can never get back time spent.  We have to make the days count and ensure every significant endeavor we start is worth it.

You don’t have to feel ‘ready’ or ‘worthy’ to start on a new goal adventure.

You are good enough to start.  You are good enough no matter what.  Never forget that!

We can’t always be sure that the goals we pursue will work out.  I hope most of them do.  But, in reality, I reach about 80% of my goals and I am happy with that.

Just know…you do not need any validation before you start.  Ditch the excuses that are getting in your way.  Take one step at a time toward your goal and be pleased with yourself for doing so.
 
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.

So, 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