Ditch the Excuses and Complaining in Your Life

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

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are exploring ways to stop the most important thing that is likely holding you back – the excuses and complaints your mind thinks up.

Hey, everyone, welcome back to the show.  How are you doing today?  We are well into what some people think of as the busiest time of the year.  For many it is stressful, but I prefer to look at December as a reflective month.  It’s the time when I look back on the past 11 months and reflect on all that I have accomplished and perhaps some goals I haven’t achieved YET.

So, let me give you a moment to reflect on 2022…  What have you done/accomplished/achieved over the course of the 11+ months with your life?

Has it been a beautifully transformative year for you?

Has it presented challenges you have overcome?

Have you made the most of this one precious life you are living?

If you feel like you have fallen short of the mark or short of your expectations for 2022, what happens then?  Do you make excuses, or do you start complaining about your situation? 

I have a hunch the answer is yes for most people.  You see, our brains LOVE to complain and come up with excuses as to why we can’t do things we want to.
Complaining is a huge problem for us.  And, the fact that our brains love to constantly complain doesn’t help the situation for us at all.  Have you ever observed or taken note of how often you complain about things that take place in your everyday life?  I bet you haven’t.
 
Today I am challenging you to take what I have to say to heart and consider flipping the script on your complaining.

Let me first explain how this complaining habit plays our in our heads.  Your brain is always looking for problems because it is a problem solver.  That means, your brain is constantly looking for something to complain about.  We follow our brain’s lead and look at all the things that are going wrong – this is neither useful in the giving circumstance nor a pleasant mindset to have.

So, the first thing we have to do is become really intentional about how you look at things which are going right in your life instead of dwelling or wasting time thinking about all the things that are going wrong.  Trust me, you will immediately feel so much better.  This could also propel you forward to take more action on the things that are going well.

If you tend to complain about everything, that’s when you feel terribly stuck.  That’s when you feel like there is no forward momentum, no moving the needle forward. 

-> You’re not taking the action you know you should or that you want to.
-> You’re not getting up early to get a head start on your day.
-> You’re not eating the right foods that fuel your body and give you the necessary energy.
-> You’re not exercising or finding time for physical activity.
-> You’re not building health relationships the way you intend to.
-> You’re not managing your finances like you know you should be.
-> You’re not showing up as your best possible self to the world around you.
-> YOU ARE STUCK because of your complaining.

Remember, your life is created by the decisions you make on a daily basis.  You truly CAN take control of your life if you simply accept this fact:    EVENT  +  RESPONSE  =  OUTCOME.  It’s as simple as that!

Complaining is normal and we all catch ourselves doing it.  I could find a myriad of things to complain about in my life, but I have made a conscious decision not to.  Instead, I focus on all the good things.  Let me give you some examples:

~ I used to complain about all the pain I was in and that my body just wouldn’t and couldn’t do all the things I wanted from it.  Now, ->  I am grateful that my body carries me through my swim and gym workouts. 

~ I used to complain about how much work I had.  Now, ->  I flip the script and say to myself, “Wow, it’s amazing that you are able to help so many people.  You are able to impact so many lives with your work.”

There’s nothing wrong with us if/when we complain.  It is all part of the human experience.  However, I challenge you to create a slightly better mindset and set of thoughts when you feel a complaint arising in your head.

If we want to improve our lives, we need to get stronger.  If we want to improve ourselves, then we have to start paying attention to our complaining habits – whether they are loud or quiet whispers in our heads.

Pay attention to the complaints.  Start becoming curious about them.  Notice when you voice a complaint and just stop it.  Be aware of this habit and shut it down before you say it next time.

You can train your brain to focus on things within your control each day.  Remain steadfast and focused and aware.  Take it hour-by-hour or day-by-day.  Slowly but surely retrain your brain to stop thinking of all the things that might happen or go wrong.

Switch your thinking to situations you have control over.  Focus on:  things you love doing, things that are going well for you right now, your goals, something you can take action on today, focus on the small wins you have experienced lately.

Food for thought here…

Why complain, when you have the ability to choose?  Living life effectively and on your terms involves personal responsibility.  YOU are responsible for YOU, your choices AND your responses to situations.

So, as of today, right now, immediately, stop the complaining!  Take charge of your thoughts and accept responsibility for your situation.  Only you can alter it. 
I really want you to understand that you may not be able to change the EVENTS in your life, however, you can change your response.  That it something you have control over.

And, remember, it’s not the event itself that controls you, it’s your response to the circumstance.  It’s your choice how you respond to the event.

It’s December and we are undoubtedly going to be around family over the holidays.  This could potentially present some situations where family or friends begin complaining about something.  There seems to be a lot of criticize, tear apart and complain about in the world around us currently.  But here’s the thing, YOU can choose to take part in this conversation OR you can remove yourself from the situation OR you can choose to put a positive spin on the conversation by offering a more pleasant, positive outlook.  Do not let yourself get involved and invested in negative talk.  It’s not useful or helpful for anybody to complain about situations, events, things out of their control.  Be the change that needs to happen and feel darn good about it!

Let’s move on to the sneaky excuses your brain offers you that potentially hold you back from taking action on your goals.

·         I’m too old to do this.
·         I’m too tired, maybe later. 
·         I’m not good enough.
·         I don’t know how.
·         And so on…

Our wonderful brains make up all kinds of excuses on repeat that we are in some ways immune to them.  They are often so subtle, yet they hold us back – this is why we feel so stuck.

The truth is… deep down inside most of us know that we CAN do the thing (whatever that looks like for you – fitness, work or relationship-related goals).  The truth is, we know IF we have 100% and put in 100% effort, in return, we would get 100% back.  And, deep down, most of us know the BIGGEST think keeping us from our goals are the absolute BS excuses our brain comes up with.

It’s time, high time in fact, to take charge and reclaim your power within.

No one is actually making you do anything that you don’t want to do.

You have to realize or become aware that’s a choice you are making OR a story you are choosing to believe.

Excuses such as: having no time, no motivation, no energy, no strategy of how to move forward, or my children keep me too busy, etc.

I’m sure you know exactly what I’m talking about because it happens to ALL of us.  But, we have to be bigger than our excuses.  Don’t allow them to rule you and your decision making.

I’ll give you a real example from my life and this just happened yesterday by the way…

I was ready to leave the house for my lane swimming session.  My husband and I usually go 5 – 6 times a week.  But yesterday I was going alone because my husband was busy.  So, I got ready as usual, put my backpack full of swim equipment into the car and started to back out of the driveway.  Suddenly, excuses started to fill my mind.  Thoughts such as:  stay home with your sick dog (Charlotte was sick, yes, but well enough for me to leave her for one hour), you’re feeling good so no need for swim training today, take a day off – is what my mind was saying.  After shaking off those two excuses, I kept driving.

At the next stop lights, my mind was telling me to turn around and head back home because of so many reasons and ultimately trying to talk me out of going to my swim session.  I continued.  YOU have to be bigger and better than your own excuses! We are faced with these mental challenges every day.

So, I arrived at the pool, got my favourite lane, started to swim and then my mind was telling me to quit after 30 minutes saying, “You’ve done enough for today.”  “Don’t overdo it.”  But, I kept pushing myself. Pushing those sneaky thoughts and excuses away.  Focusing on the activity itself.  Staying true to my goal.  Not letting myself be talked out of finishing my swim session. IF YOU don’t push yourself, no one else will.

In the end, it was the most amazing swim training I have ever had.  I set my personal best in the pool yesterday.  I had never been able to swim more than 1.5 km in an hour.  But yesterday I managed to swim 75 lengths for a total of 1,875 meters.  I was thrilled with my accomplishment. 

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you.  Never allow excuses keep you from reaching this high standard.  Always be bigger than your excuses.”

What excuses are holding you back?  Flip the script and ask yourself, “What can I do to improve?”

Well, let’s just take a good, hard look at the situation…

* No one forces you to drink too much coffee, wine or consume too much sugar.  Start by cutting out that extra cup of java or wine this season.  Cut back on the sugar and perhaps replace it with something healthier.  Take small steps at first and love yourself for doing it.

* Your lack of exercise begins with YOU and nobody else.  Start by taking a simple walk around the neighbour each day and build on that beneficial habit.

* Skipping means and choosing snacks you know you shouldn’t be eating, is your decision.  Take responsibility for your actions and choices, today.  It really doesn’t take much effort to prepare ‘easy-to-take-along’ snacks which are nutritional.  Start by cutting up an apple and adding a few almonds as a snack or pack a hard-boiled egg with a few cherry tomatoes to munch on when your feel hungry.  Put in the effort instead of making excuses!

* Not drinking enough water is nobody else’s fault.  I hate to say it like this, but it’s true.  Start the day by filling a few glasses or water bottles and set them or take them with you for easy access.  Always try to take 10 big gulps from your glass instead of gently sipping.  I like to add cut up cucumber and a bit of lemon to my water for a refreshing taste.

* Poor time management often comes when people spend/waste too much time scrolling on your phone taking a look at everyone else’s life or consuming too much TV.

* Blaming others for the situation you find yourself in is NOT taking responsibility for your life.

The time has come to take a good hard look at yourself and stop blaming, complaining and making excuses about why you can’t get ahead, move forward, reach your goals, improve yourself, show up for yourself.  Be honest about what you need to take responsibility for!  Nobody can change that except YOU and you have to OWN it.

Then it’s time to get excited.  Once you choose to improve and accept the responsibility of your life as your own, you can make a conscious decision to change things and move forward toward the results you want.

Make it your rule or mission from now on:

No more blaming.
No more excuses.
No more complaining.

Your new mantra is:  “I take 100% responsibility for my life.  Where I find myself now is due to my choices, and mine alone.  But, where I will be in the future is also up to me and my choices as well.”

Ultimately, it’s up to you to fix you!

And, that’s a wrap for today, friends.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…
You’re amazing; you’re beautiful and capable.  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,
Xoxo Lisa




 




Crush Your Comfort Zone with a Misogi Challenge

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

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast, I would like to introduce you to the concept of the Misogi challenge Itzler style.

But first, let me ask you a question…

What’s one thing you did in 2022 that was memorable, life-changing perhaps and took you far out of your comfort zone?

Some of you may know Jesse Itzler and some may not.  I have been following him on IG now for a few years and this guy does some amazing things.  He is a prime example of living life to the fullest.  He lives and breathes wellness practices such as:  fruit til noon, sauna sessions followed by cold plunging, Wim Hof breathing, extreme athletic pursuits involving biking, running, and swimming.

Jesse also happens to be Sara Blakley’s husband.  But he doesn’t stand in the shadow of his ultra-successful wife.  He is a serial entrepreneur, highly sought-after speaker, former rapper, author of several books, coach and calendar creator.  You name it, Jesse has undoubtedly done it.

His resume of accomplishments is quite impressive and his vibrant personality is so infectious.  I think the two words – limitless & unstoppable – best describe Jesse’s attitude toward goals, both of a personal and professional nature.

So, I like to see what he is up to on IG from time to time.  A while back, I noticed he was talking about a thing called “the Misogi Challenge”.  I had never heard of this before so I started to look into it.  However, in fine Jesse-style, he adapted the original Japanese version to reflect a personal goal or challenge.

Basically, it goes like this…

If you commit to the Misogi challenge, you choose ONE big event or goal that you would like to achieve in the year.  And, by big, I really mean a big, audacious goal.  Jesse’s version is designed to help us uncover what we’re capable of as individuals and to tap into possibilities we don’t see in the moment.  Once we complete the challenge, it’s a reminder that we are stronger than we believe and that more is possible that we can imagine.

Jesse talks about the challenge as, “The notion around the misogi is you do something so hard one time a year that it has an impact the other 364 days of the year. Put one big thing on the calendar that scares you, that you never thought you could do, and go out and do it.”

In other words, once a year, do something memorable.  Create your own milestone events!

If you do some research on the concept of misogi, you’ll find out that it began as a yearly Japanese purification process for body and mind. However, Jess Itzler’s version is slightly different.  It’s not connected to a spiritual experience. 

Essentially, the Misogi challenge is meant for us to experience life-changing events that provide us with memories and meaning in our lives.  Something to look back on and remember. 

Another concept Jesse talks frequently talks about is the fact that ‘tomorrow’ is not promised.  So, instead of planning out lives 5, 10 or 20 years out from now, we should adopt the mentality that life is short and valuable.  It needs to be lived to the fullest now, not in 10 years down the road.

Personally, I haven’t nailed down my Misogi for 2023 yet, but I have some ideas for sure.  I hope you consider doing the Misogi challenge for yourself and I would like to give you some helpful tips on how to make your decision…

1.        Misogi should push your personal limits.  Your own Misogi goal should be designed for a 50/50 chance of success.  That means it shouldn’t be too easy!  There needs to be a sense of adventure and risk involved.  Keep in mind – you may not succeed.  The whole premise is to stretch yourself to tap into something you didn’t know you were even capable of.

2.       Misogi should scare you a bit.  Your misogi goal should create fear and discomfort for you, and it should rattle your nerves a bit.  A slight feeling of unease and anxiety needs to be present, otherwise you aren’t truly pushing your limits.

3.       Misogi is for YOU, not anyone else. The idea here is to learn something about yourself and your limits. That means it is your challenge, and the experience is very private regardless whether you do it alone or within a group setting.

The Takeaway –

Think back over your past 5 – 10 years.  What memories can you associate with specific years?  Were there moments when you pushed your limits?  Stretching yourself and allowing yourself to be uncomfortable is a great way to grow as a person.  Consider ONE thing you could do in the coming new year that would make it memorable.  Learn a new language, run a marathon, climb a mountain, write a book, start a business… Whatever it is that you choose, get ultra-focused on the goal and start planning the steps to completion. 

Take the risk and crush your comfort zone in 2023.

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

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

You are an amazing human being with so much potential.  I believe in you.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are made of.

Til next time,
 
Xoxo Lisa
 
 
 
 

Mindset of Sprinkles’ Founder Candace Nelson

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast, you’re in for a real treat. Pun intended and you’ll discover why shortly.

I love following and diving into the success stories of remarkable women, who have achieved paramount success in business, life and the field of sports because there are many lessons to be learned from these women. And, something they all have in common and share openly in interviews they give is – mindset.  They wouldn’t be where they are today without a solid mindset that helped them through many tough situations, challenging decisions they had to make, setbacks they experienced, the nay-sayers, their failures along the road, their own self-doubt and self-sabotage.  They all attribute their success to a rock solid mindset that was developed over time.

In previous episodes, I featured the mindset of billionaire and founder of Spanx, Sara Blakley.  This was episode #12 by the way.  She was brought up to have a different view of failure, which helped her immensely in her early years of creating the brand of flattering undergarments for women that we all know and adore, Spanx. 

The other sports icon I have talked about was Serena Williams in episode #8.  This tennis legend had to adopt a “think bigger” attitude to overcome a hurdle in her career.  She was and still is a great example of how to stand tall and show up for yourself as the winner you want to be.

Be sure to check out these two episodes for lots of tangible mindset hacks that you too can implement for more personal growth.

BUT, today we are talking about the female founder of a business everyone thought was completely insane. This amazing woman is Candace Nelson – whose journey into entrepreneurship is an interesting one to say the least. It took an enormous amount of courage and conviction to follow her dream of opening the world’s first ever cupcake bakery in SoCal during the height of the low carb craze. 

Just imagine the journey of going from an investment banker in California to attending pastry school.  It was a complete 180-degree pivot in careers, but this passion and purpose-led woman wanted to fuel her soul by making something tangible people would enjoy.  She soon discovered that cupcakes needed a makeover and she decided that she was the one who was going to do it. 

After many months of developing her recipes, creating her brand, and amassing a social media following, she opened the first ever only cupcake bakery in California.  The success came quickly once word got out about how upscale, aspirational, and unique her cupcakes were. Candace knew she was on to something big when Tyra Banks ordered her signature cupcakes for her birthday bash and when she was invited to appear on the Oprah Winfrey show.

The rest is history for this Netflix star (Sugar Rush and Food Network’s judge on Cupcake Wars are two of the shows she starred in), serial entrepreneur and serial author, who has two books under her belt – the first one entitled “The Sprinkles Baking Book” including 100 cupcake recipes, and the other one entitled “Sweet Success”- a simple recipe to turn your passion into profit. With this book, Candace wants to inspire people to become entrepreneurs while demystifying entrepreneurship and offering a proven roadmap for budding entrepreneurs.

Her and her husband, who both put their hearts and souls into their bakery business “Sprinkles”, went on to scale to 11 locations across the United States.  It was a tough go at first with countless gruelling, exhausting days, sleeping on the bakery floors at night, but she always makes a point of saying that her business was founded with a strong sense of purpose and joy.

If you’ve ever heard Candace Nelson speak about her personal growth, you already know that she is a very charismatic person.  She is open and honest about her journey and offers some refreshingly new takes on the mindset you need to have in order to grow as a person – both in life and business.

In fact, she claims her secret ingredient to the success she has experienced thus far is MINDSET.

So, let’s sprinkle in some of her secret ingredient mindset tips into today’s episode…

1.)    Your mindset muscle can and should be exercised daily.  We are constantly feeding ourselves thoughts which in turn become our reality.  Negative thoughts weigh you down and throughout the course of the day, most people have too many negative thoughts.  So, we have to work on flexing and developing our mindset muscles to shift from negative to positive.  You hear me say all the time – flip the script.  Go from… I can’t -> I will give it my best shot.

2.)    Start thinking in terms of “What if….?” Release yourself from the role you think you should be filling and instead, view the world from a perspective of “What might be…?” and “What if…?” Believe in yourself and your potential more and try new things.  Take chances and make use of opportunities that come your way.

3.)    Craft your identity by pursuing many things.  Be open and willing to pivot and reinvent yourself at any point in life. Don’t remain stuck in one place and wondering what could have been or regretting not taking the chance.

4.)    Have a vision of where you’re going, BUT be nimble with the plan.  It is imperative to keep your focus and not to take your eye off the ball.  Eliminate distractions and don’t fall victim to ‘shiny object syndrome’.

5.)    Bet on your dreams. This one is pretty self explanatory.  Bet on yourself and go after your dreams, because no one else is going to do it for you.  You can’t outsource it, you can’t delegate it, you can’t hire anyone to do this for you. 

6.)    Think of yourself as a multi-faceted person (because you are) and remind yourself constantly, that – I am going to show up in the world the way I want to. Explore all the avenues you would like to go down. 

7.)    Inject joy, fun, surprise and meaning into the everyday.  Look inward and ask yourself what truly lights you up.  Be fuelled by passion and enjoyment – every day of your life.

8.)    Have a cheerleader by your side.  Candace had her husband, who told her that he believed wholeheartedly in her dream of opening a cupcake bakery even though people close to her as well as potential investors told her “This will never work.”  Find that special person who will say support your dreams with these simple words, “I believe in you.”

9.)    Don’t care what anyone else thinks about you or your decisions.  Listen to your gut and release yourself from the opinions of others.

10.) Learn to get back up when there are setbacks.  Dust yourself off and continue moving forward. This is an important part of the mindset piece – becoming resilient and confronting fear of failure.

11.) Don’t fall victim to imposter syndrome.  If you feel like a fraud or that you don’t belong ‘in the room’, this is what people refer to as ‘imposter syndrome’ and it holds many women back from going after what they truly want in life and business.  I believe we all suffer from it, and it doesn’t really go away, but we need to know how to deal with it when it arises.  Two things to keep in mind when you feel like an imposter:

-> Remember you are not alone in feeling this way.
-> Feel the fear and do it anyway.

These are two essential building blocks to confidence. When you are scared of something but go after it and achieve it, you build up your confidence situation by situation.
 
A quote be Candace Nelson, “Mindset is key and really is the jumping-off point to any sort of big goal.” And,  I couldn’t agree more.

I will end today’s show as I always do…
In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first one to tell you…

You are an amazing human being with so much potential.  I believe in you wholeheartedly.  Now, go out and show the world what you are made of.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Xoxo Lisa
 
 

Reframing Limiting Beliefs Around Health & Exercise

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

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

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast, I am talking about some common limiting beliefs around making health and fitness changes and how we can powerfully reframe them.  I am also opening up on how fitness has given me new life.

This past weekend was my birthday and I was very lucky to celebrate it with friends on their catamaran near the island of Grenada.  It was epic and will go down as one of the more memorable ones, for sure.
 
But, I got thinking about my birthday and all that I am grateful for and a very strong message came through to me.  One that I would like to talk about today and hopefully inspire you to make some changes like the ones I did.

I would like to preface this personal story by saying that I have always led a very active lifestyle:  hiking, biking, dressage riding and competing, I love going to the gym, skiing in Austria, power walking, etc.  I thrived and kept myself in good physical condition through sports of all kinds.  However…

Things in my life started to go downhill about 6 or 7 years ago.  While our businesses – mine and my husband’s – were thriving and growing by leaps and bounds, my health was suffering.  I found myself in a downward spiral and couldn’t seem to get my act together.
 
Then one day when I was on a power walk with some ladies, I experienced the most excruciating pain on my left side, in my groin and down my leg.  Initially, I thought I had pulled something but after some rest, the situation got worse.  During the next few months, my left leg started giving out on me – suddenly and with no warning signs or sharp painful sensations.  I didn’t feel comfortable carry around breakables anymore for fear of crumbling to the ground and shattering things.

After a visit to my doctor and months waiting to have an MRI, he told me a needed a new hip.  I was speechless, not expecting this diagnosis at the age of 50.  He added that an operation wouldn’t even be considered until I turned 60.  So, I asked him what I was supposed to do in the meantime.  I received the standard answer from doctors in Canada – do whatever feels good and take pain meds to get through the painful times.  What?  That’s all you’ve got for me.  I very quickly realized that I had to do my research and find ways of helping myself to endure the next 10 years.

I made some significant changes to my nutrition, trying to eat more plant-based meals and to stay away from inflammation-inducing foods.  I threw away all my shoes and replaced them with footwear that offered suitable support.  I tried to stay active – by that I mean walking my dog and hiking on weekends but walking on paved roads aggravated my situation a lot.  My husband was the one to give me a really good tip – take smaller strides.  This proved to be very helpful and allowed me to enjoy my dog walks a bit more.

The years progressed and I made mild attempts at starting a workout routine but every time I did, my body rebelled in the most ferocious way. My mind was willing to work out, but my body wasn’t. Pain was a condition I learned to live with.  I started to gain weight because of my lack of exercise, and I started to indulge a bit too much in comfort food to cheer me up and dampen my depressive feelings.  I could barely move, I couldn’t exercise or remain active, I could only work in my office, at my desk and enjoy food.  The downward spiral just became worse.

Then, during Covid, my body deteriorated even more.  Now, I had pain generating from my lower back and it was so bad I couldn’t find any position that was comfortable.  Even sleeping eluded me and this made me very irritable. 

The painful sensations from my back started to affect my ‘good’ side.  Within months, I couldn’t get dressed by myself, lost my balance because my right side was numb and I was slipping more and more into a very depressive state.  I hated my body.  The only way I could make it through the day was with painkillers and the only way I could sleep was with sleeping pills.  This situation unsettled me a lot as I am not one to rely on medication to simply get through the day.

I was very concerned and asked my doctor for diagnostics.  Xrays showed that I needed both hips replaced and that there were some issues affecting my lower back, but nothing definite was established.  The only treatment I was suggested was:  more medication and physio therapy.  By now, my stomach was rebelling due to all the various meds I had to take. 

Needless to say, I was a mess – both mentally and physically – because I felt like I was living in someone else’s body.  Surely mine wouldn’t be so full of pain and immobility.  It was very hard to accept that I couldn’t participate in all the activities I had once enjoyed so much.

Finally, after insisting on an MRI, I found out the there were serious issues in my lower back that would likely require surgery if physio hadn’t helped so far.  I also met with an orthopedic surgeon who told me both hips should be replaced as soon as possible. 

I couldn’t believe it.  I was looking at 3 surgeries if I wanted to have any relief and get back to a normal, mildly active lifestyle again.  This really took the wind out of my sails.

In the meantime, my husband and I had gone through some pretty significant changes in our lives.  We decided to sell our home and move into a smaller house closer to the hospital for me and my pending surgeries.  We both left our jobs – my husband retired and I sold my business.

At this time, I found myself faced with two choices – stay sedentary on the couch in pain OR be active in pain.  I chose the later and I am so happy I did.
I had reached such a low point and the surgeon told me – do whatever you want, your hips can’t get any worse than they are now.  So, that’s exactly what I did.

Having moved to a new town full of fitness possibilities, I started swimming and attending aquafit classes.  I also took out a gym membership and began exercising. My bike and I got out to explore our new area and I even signed up for a 30 km bike race.  It was painful at first, but I did everything with caution and modifications.  Soon I started to feel less pain and I found my mobility to be a bit better.

I had seen my orthopedic surgeon in April, then again in July and the last visit was in October.  At the initial visit I could barely walk into his office.  By October’s visit, I could almost run the hallways of the hospital and at that visit I convinced him to let me wait indefinitely on scheduling the surgeries for my hips.  He was astonished at how well  I could move and the fact that I didn’t need any medication to get me through the day any longer.

What did I do to help myself?  I advocated for myself and no longer listened to what health professionals were telling me to do, namely avoid pain and get through with pain meds.

I started to exercise religiously, concentrated on shredded a few pounds and adapted my nutrition to be even healthier than it was before.

Exercising gave me back my life.

I feel born again with a completely new body.

I see this as the greatest birthday gift ever, and this is the message that came through to me as a podcast episode.
Give yourself the gift of exercise.

I want to make it very clear and add a disclaimer that I am by no means giving medical advice here.  If you find yourself in a similar situation, be sure to consult your medical professional.

So, today I feel better than ever; I go swimming every day; I attend spin classes; I lift weights at the gym 5 – 6 times each week; I follow a simple nutrition plan that I put together myself, which has helped me lose 10 + kilos to date; I have eliminated alcohol, sugar, white flour, fried and processed foods from my diet.
But the real needle-mover for me was undoubtedly – exercising.

Movement is medicine.

So, you’ve heard my story of going from pain and immobility to thriving and enjoying life more-or-less pain free.  Exercise done consistently made all the difference; it restored my health and helped me love my body again.

I really want to drive the point home here that exercising should be part of everybody’s day.  It should be a non-negotiable.  But far too often, I hear women express their limiting beliefs around getting fit and working out.

I’d like to address these limiting beliefs and help your reframe them.

The first and probably most common belief regarding making fitness and health-related changes is …

“I don’t have the time to meal-prep and stick to an exercise routine.”

Here’s a powerful reframe: You have to see fitness and health as core components of routine self-maintenance, like putting gas in your car.  Then the game changes.  Your car cannot run without gas, can it?  So, think of health and fitness as something that increases your brainpower, energy levels and creativity.  Then they become a priority!  Own the change you want to make and lock it in as a non-negotiable to your day’s schedule.

The R.O.I. (return on investment) from exercising is immense.  Look at my example – it gave my life back and enabled me to have an active lifestyle again.  That’s priceless, if you ask me.

Maintaining and improving your health and fitness level must become a priority.  Use it or lose it.

How to find time?  Track how much time is spent on the various activities throughout your day.  Then evaluate which tasks can be re-ordered, batched, eliminated, or delegated.  Schedule in your fitness and health-related tasks as me-time tiger-time and fiercely adhere to your plan.  See it like a meeting with yourself.

You have to view health and fitness as high-ranking priorities that help you in all other areas of your life.  By reframing how you look at these things, it will become a consistent item on your schedule no matter how busy your days get.

The second limiting belief is that because your previous efforts at a healthy, fit lifestyle did not work there is no use even trying again.

Your powerful reframe:  All my past experiences and attempts were merely opportunities to collect data and these will make me more powerful at devising my new health and fitness strategy going forward.  You could say to yourself, “I use past experiences to guide me, but they don’t define me.”

Having tried approaches and workouts that didn’t work in the past does not reflect on your worthiness or your ability to try a new approach.  It is likely the case that methods used in the past were not adapted to your needs and that a brand new approach (after the limiting beliefs are addressed) may work much better. 

Keep in mind…a one-size-fits-all approach to fitness and health generally doesn’t work for most people. 

The third and final limiting belief that I am going to address today is that people don’t know where to start.

Your reframe here is:  When you actually begin, later or not at all, will not offer any solutions to the problem of not knowing where to start.  The internet and bookstores have tons of fitness plans, workouts, diets and approaches to choose from.  Your new line of thought could be, “There are abundant options out there to choose from; however, I can find a way that resonates with me and my dietary needs.”

Before starting a diet, you should consult your medical professional and seek guidance from a nutritionist.  I don’t want to recommend any specific diet plan or workout.

I know what works for me, but…

Everyone’s physical condition is different, everyone’s goals are different.  Your best bet is to do your research well and rely on qualified professionals to advise you best.

Any long-term and lasting changes you want to implement and maintain around health and fitness will only work or truly stick after your limiting beliefs are addressed and when you have the right strategies in place to support diet and exercise routines.

I truly hope to have inspired you to get your health back by exercising regularly. 

It can start by just putting on your running shoes and going for a walk each day.  Just do it!

Thanks for tuning in and getting inspired.

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

You are amazing, capable and so full of potential.  I believe in you.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are made of.  

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Developing Self-Awareness

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

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

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I am going to talk about creating more self-awareness, an important skill that we can cultivate to help us progress on our personal development journey, and we could all use a little more of it sometimes.

This will be a slightly shorter episode but actionable and insightful as always, I hope.

Adam Grant, a leading authority on self-awareness, TED X speaker, NYT best-selling author or well-regarded psychologist wrote, “It’s a sign of wisdom to avoid believing every thought that enters your mind.  It’s a mark of emotional intelligence to avoid internalizing every feeling that enters your heart.”

Self-awareness is a rather abstract concept but yet everyone who hears the term would likely think is means to be aware … of yourself.

But what does it actually mean?

Self-awareness is a skill that all of us should work on and learn – not just children, but adults too.  It is the ability to tune in to your own feelings, thoughts and actions.  When people are self-aware, they understand their strengths as well as challenges, and they know what helps them thrive.

For many though, there is quite a bit of fear around becoming self-aware because they are afraid of being vulnerable.  They worry that others will judge or even reject them, which keeps them from exploring their feelings, thoughts and behaviours.

People can learn to practice more self-awareness by objectively observing their feelings, senses, desires and actions.  When negative emotions arise from the depths, notice them and learn from them, but don’t dwell on them.

Grant tweeted:  “To become more self-aware, don’t ask why you are the way you are because that often leads to rumination.  Instead, ask yourself what situations bring out the best and worst in you, and what you can do to improve.”

I love this way of looking at self-awareness because it has a strong element of growth mentality embedded in it.

So, ask yourself, what brings out the best and worst in you, and then think of ways to improve on those.

But going back to his quote, there are multiple lessons we can take from it.

1.        Wisdom = not believing every thought that enters your mind.
 
Every day, you are going to have a lot of thoughts (some studies suggest 6,000 plus)
 
BUT DID YOU KNOW…just because you think it, it doesn’t mean it has to be true?  Or that you have to act on it?
 
You might have heard me say this before in other episodes:  thoughts can just be thoughts.
 
A great way to start working on your self-awareness is to acknowledge your thoughts and understand where they come from (and why), but don’t let them run your life.
 
For example, you might think to yourself, “Ugh, why am I so bad at staying consistent with the gym and my workouts?”
 
A self-awareness PRO would recognize that this thought comes from a place of frustration and recent life stressors, validate the feelings, but also realize that thought doesn’t need to be true.  Then, work towards developing a more accurate depiction of that thought.
 
2.       Emotional Intelligence = avoiding the internalization of every feeling

Similar to your thoughts, just because you feel something, doesn’t mean it’s something to hold onto for the rest of your day (or life).

It’s okay to experience a feeling or emotional reaction without letting it bleed into everything else.

Self-awareness is the ability to monitor our inner and external world.  Our thoughts and feelings arise as signals.  Developing self-awareness allows us to keep from being swept away by those signals, and instead objectively and thoughtfully respond to them.

With some self-awareness superpower, you can feel it.  Sit with it. Unpack it. Then move on.

In my effort to keep each and every episode actionable, I’d like to end today’s talk with 3 ways to ramp up your self-awareness.

3 Pathways to becoming more self-aware:

a.       Start a ‘thought journal’ – increase your self-awareness by keeping track of thoughts that pop up in the form of an automatic reaction.  Make note of when it occurred, why or the underlying reasons and how it made you feel.  A common thread might be noticeable after a certain period of tracking.

b.       Start a mindfulness practice –  there are a variety of activities you can begin with, but be sure to choose ones you feel inspired by such as:  meditation or yoga.  When you practice mindfulness, you will see that your behaviour becomes more intentional and there will be an increase in self-awareness.

c.       Ask a good friend to clarify your strengths and weaknesses – having an outside perspective is helpful in gaining a clearer understanding of external self-awareness.
 
I hope consider putting some of these methods of gaining more self-awareness into practice. And, I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo
 
 
 
 

Are You Ready to Love Yourself?

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/boIp4v6Pvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I want to give you a reminder that you are loved, worthy and can your power back.
 
 
Have you ever wondered WHY some people can’t or won’t see your value?
 
Have you ever felt unseen or unheard in a relationship?
 
Or worried if you put your work out there other people won’t see your value either?
 
The pain and struggle in relationships happens as a reflection of the pain we avoid sitting with inside ourselves. 
 
We live in a reflectionary universe, which means the universe is your mirror. And one of the biggest illusions our minds play on us is that it tells us we are separate from everything else in the world.  That we are alone, that no one else is like us or could understand us. That there is something wrong with us. That we are not good enough.  BUT, none of these statements have much truth to them.  The truth is, you, me and everything out there in the universe are interconnected and acting together as one.
 
 
So the biggest most impactful work you can do is INSIDE with yourself and then watch that reflect outside for you. It’s not in the trying to coerce other people to love you or see your value. 
 
You are loved. Period. The end.
There’s nothing you have to do or prove or perform in order to be loved. You just are.
 
Your worth and inherent value has nothing to do with anyone outside of you validating or invalidating you.
The question is are YOU validating you?
 
Worthiness… it’s at the core wound of all the attachment work out there.
 
We look for it in other people to tell us we are worthy, ready, and deserving of ______ fill in the blank,… love, money, respect.
 
But that’s NOT how it works.
 
Time to take your power back now friends and discover how to LOVE yourself … it’s just a decision.
 
And you’re worth it.
You can continue giving your power away out there for someone to love you, or see you or value you. Or you can claim it and do the work yourself and then watch your reflections show up as this wholeness you seek outside yourself. 
 
I’m talking about this today in relation to your purpose because your purpose fulfilled will depend on your relationship with yourself.
 
Your confidence, your worth, how you FEEL about yourself and your work is all dependent on this.
 
That’s why I am always saying “bet on yourself, you are the lottery ticket”.
 
You can learn new skills, you can do hard things, and you can create transformation in any area of your life that YOU decide.
 
It all starts with a decision to take a radically honest look inside at the thoughts, stories, feelings being triggered, and then the willingness to take radical responsibility for what we find and finally have enough radical self love to do something different.
 
So, DSD – do something different.
 
I’m going to finish off today’s short episode with some wise words to live by:
 
·         Let it go – never ruin a good day by thinking about a bad yesterday.
·         Ignore them – don’t listen to other people, live a life that is empowering to you.
·         Give it time – time heals everything.  Remember that!
·         Don’t compare – the only person you should try to beat is the person you were yesterday.
·         Stay calm – it’s okay not to have everything figured out, just know that in time you’ll get there.
·         It’s on YOU – only YOU are in charge of your happiness and life
·         Smile – life is short! Enjoy it, embrace it and live it to the fullest while you have it.
·         Be kinder to yourself – give yourself grace in all situations.
·         Love yourself – start a love affair with yourself and begin to see what a wonderful, amazing person you really are. 

Once the internal shift happens, the rest of your world will notice too.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo
 

The 1% Improvement Mindset

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/TBOL76EPvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I invite you to join the 1% Club.  What’s that?  I am so glad you asked. 

Do you know what does not get stressed enough these days?  Tiny, incremental 1% improvements.

It must be because they are so small and mundane.  But I challenge you to rethink progress and shift your mindset from:  I don’t see any change -> I am 1% better than yesterday.

Gaining confidence won’t come overnight.  Success in anything we attempt doesn’t happen overnight.  Building a well-toned body certainly doesn’t happen overnight. 

Don’t be fooled by the 1%.  Just because the number seems small, doesn’t mean it is insignificant.

This paradigm shift will allow you to think bigger, feel more capable and be more consistent in whatever it is you choose to go after.

Let me outline the life cycle of change:

People want to change.  Then they hear an idea, tip or trick that resonates with them and will help them change.  Motivation is felt.  In the beginning, motivation leads to action.  This action is not leading to immediate change.  Due to lack of immediate change, the person quits.

Can you relate?  Hands up! 

This life cycle is evident in any field.

We live in a non-linear world.  In many things we do, massive changes are not guaranteed in the initial stages even though we are putting in a lot of effort yet not seeing much if any improvement.

But the real beauty of non-linear work is that over time… small efforts lead to exponential wins and gains.

So, how can we be consistent enough to experience the bright sides of non-linear effects?

Strive for 1% progress each day.

With 1% changes, you will not shock your subconscious mind.  It wants change, but it hates abrupt twists or pivots.

In the beginning, 1% changes are perfect for easing the subconscious mind into a new mode of being.

What’s a 1% change you can make in your day?

Let’s say you are trying to become a better writer.  Rather than writing a book all at once… try writing a paragraph.

Focus on the micro rather than the macro.

Let’s take changing your daily eating habits to reflect the new, healthy lifestyle you’d like to implement.

Rather than committing to a strict diet or intermittent fasting – as seen on TikTok, choose one small improvement such as increasing your water intake.

Your subconscious mind feels very scared of major adaptations to your life, but it will feel much better with tiny things you start to introduce.

Is 1% improvement fixed?

The 1% mentality gets the ball rolling.  I’d like you to picture a small snowball at the top of a snow-covered mountain.

Once you have the snowball rolling and momentum on your side, you can expand from there.

One thing leads to another, and you feel happy, pleased and proud of yourself.  Things take on a dimension of their own.  Why?

Because the brain has this think called the “Law of Closure” which means the brain loves to close gaps.  It pushes you to do more when action has been initiated.

With a 1% improvement mindset, you’re capable of getting the ball rolling and momentum on your side working for you.

Turn snowballs into avalanches!

Don’t underestimate the 1% improvement promise.  Tiny changes add up over time. And the 1% mentality can be applied to any field, whether it’s your personal life or professional life.

1% improvements lead to colossal changes.  They allow the easily rattled subconscious mind not to be rattled.

So, have I convinced you that even the smallest 1% changes and improvements over yesterday are game-changing for your success in whatever you are striving to achieve?

I truly hope so, and I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo
 
 
 

Take Your Power Back by Doing ‘The Work’

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/BJJ16epPvwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast we are going to get down to business and do the ‘work’. 

You might be asking what work are you talking about.  The ‘work’ I am referring to today is actually one of the most empowering, personal and revelatory experiences you can commit to doing.

By simply doing ‘the work’ for a few minutes each day, you’ll become a more powerful human being than you could have ever imagined.  Have I piqued your interest yet?  I sure hope so.

Do this and you’ll start to operate on a higher level, playing a much bigger game in life.

You’re just 7 steps away from achieving this.  If you take action on what I’m about to share, you’ll feel a monumental shift inside yourself.
So, in no particular order, I strongly encourage you to…

1.        Write a list of all the most important things you have been procrastinating and do them, ONE BY ONE. Break through your fears.
2.       Write a lit of all the things you have not been saying that you want to say.  Go say them.  Reclaim your power.
3.       Turn off the TV, phone and all other distractions, sit in silence and listen to the wisdom within every single day for at least 10 – 15 minutes (music is optional). Tune into your higher self.
4.       Write a list of all the people, things and circumstances you have been blaming, resenting or resisting, and let it all go.  If you need to be in communication about any of these to anyone, go and do that.  Discover who you really are.
5.       Write a list of all the things, people and circumstances you have been tolerating and speak your truth instead to yourself and to any others as is appropriate.  Wake yourself up.
6.       Write a list of all your attachments and begin a process of letting them go.  ALL OF THEM.  Trust your intuition.
7.       Contemplate the idea that you are exactly where you need to be; everything is perfect and unfolding exactly as it is meant to for your growth and evolution.
  The universe is conspiring in your favour whether you realize it or not.

These steps are not for everyone.  Nor are they a “one-and-done” exercise.

Think of it more like a checklist for a lifetime of evolution.

The more you refer back to it, the greater your results will be.

Committing to ‘the work’ takes immense courage, eternal patience, an open heart and trust.

Your reward, as I said before, is unlocking your full power, both internally and externally.

The magic is truly in doing ‘the work’.

But, regardless if you do these things or not…

Whether you’re ready or not, willing or not…

See yourself as capable or not…

Just know this:  Simply by reading/listening to this podcast, your world has already begun to shift.

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Never Quit on Yourself Again

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

LISTEN TO PODCAST EPISODE HERE-> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/TV4UsH0Ovwb

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2Grow podcast I am going to change your mind about quitting.

People who quit too soon are abundant.  They quit before even giving themselves the chance to be great.

Greatness does not come to quitters.  It’s high time to change your mindset so you can learn how to stop being a quitter!

Why do people quit?  There is a myriad of reasons, but let me boil it down to 5 basic reasons:

They experience a lack of desire, they have a results vs. process-based mindset, they set unrealistic deadlines or unattainable goals, or they listen and place too much value on other people’s opinions.

Quitting leads to temporary satisfaction (i.e. giving up on your diet plan) in exchange for long term pain.

So, the why is clear and now we’re going to do something to help you see your goals and intentions through without quitting on yourself again.

1.     Have a strong desire for your goal
 
Desire for the task will make or break you.  A person without desire will constantly need motivation and encouragement.

But a person driven by desire…
Desire serves as the bridge between your idea & manifestation.  So, you need to spark desire.

How?  You find your WHY.

You’ve heard me talk about this in previous episodes.  Never jump into the ‘what’ of you goal without defining your ‘why’.

If you don’t narrow down why you are doing it, the ‘it’ will feel too much like work.  As humans, we don’t respond well to things that we perceive as work, unfortunately.

Finding your ‘why’ allows you to view ‘work’ as ‘play’.  This hack allows you to think of the big picture and engage your emotions in the process.

So, from the very beginning, sharpen your ‘why’ and be able to express it in one sentence.  You can always revisit it and tweak and refine it later on.  But do your best to narrow it down.
 
2.    Focus on the process, not results
 
We were and are (still) brought up to focus on the results over the process thanks to our school system.  We were only rewarded for the marks we got, as opposed to the studying and effort we put into an exam.

We really need to change our mindset in this regard.

Focusing on the end result causes you to rush toward the finish line and not relish the in-between (moments of small wins and joy).  Keep results in the back of your mind.

Instead, focus on the NOW, be present and place your focus on improving.  Your journey will be that much more fulfilling.
 
3.    Break your goals down
 
A brick wall is made by adding one brick at a time. 

In life, we have big goals and micro goals along the way. If you focus on the big goal (the wall in my analogy), then you’ll feel terribly overwhelmed.

But…if you focus on the micro goals (the bricks), then you’ll feel confident.

I encourage you to learn how to break your goals down into micro goals and aim to accomplish the larger task one brick at a time. 
 
4.    Track your results

What gets tracked, gets improved.

It’s interesting that people just skip over this step and then wonder why they aren’t improving.  It’s difficult to learn how to stop being a quitter and end that cycle once and for all, when you lack any tangible metrics.

Execution is awesome and that’ what we want to see.  However, tracking allows you to work with purpose every time you begin working toward a goal.

And the more you track, the more your subconscious mind makes adjustments to bring you the results that you desire.

So, be sure to set up a tracking system.  It needn’t be complicated or elaborate, something simple will suffice.

5.    Set deadlines

Deadlines bring a sense of urgency into your world. 

And keep this in mind, ALWAYS have a scarcity mindset towards time.  One second lost is one second that will never be returned to you again.  This is the reason why it’s imperative for you to start taking your time much more seriously.

Setting deadlines allows you to value your time and make the most out of every second.  In addition, you feel more accountable in the process.

6.    Learn to rest, not quit

This is a skill you have to learn on it own and a major key in the entire process because a lot of people quit due to feeling burnt out from working non-stop, relentlessly toward their goal.

They view resting as something ludicrous, ridiculous and not what they need…until their body refuses to comply with their demands.

This is why resting is absolutely crucial.

Earn your rest by putting in the necessary work (on your goal), then unwind and do so without regret.

7.    Become tone deaf to other people’s opinions

There will be people along the way that try to hold you back from chasing your goals and dreams.

People, perhaps relatives or close friends, might try to distract you from focusing on your goals.  They might say you’re crazy to dedicate so much time to the thing you’re going after.
 
Stick to your guns.  Follow your desired path.  Revisit your why when you feel tempted.  Whatever you do, stay focused on your goal.

Other people may not approve of your level-up journey, but who cares?  You certainly don’t live your life to please them.

This may be hard, but, if necessary, cut ties with the people who don’t support your efforts and goals.  And this brings me right into the next point…

8.     Surround yourself with winners

When you surround yourself with goal-getters like yourself, winners and people who are hungry to chase down their dreams, quitting is not even a thought.  Their moves and behaviours will undoubtedly rub off on you.  You will be much more focused and determined, almost through osmosis.

These people you choose to be around will have a huge influence on your future.
 
“You are the sum of the 5 people you spend time with.”

So, avoid spending time with those who are staying stagnant in their life, the ones with no goals or ambitions and find winners to spend more time with.

                Life changes when you stop quitting

Every success both personally and professionally that I have experienced in my life was due to me working hard on my goals.

Luck finds people who are moving forward, working with purpose and showing up for themselves, putting in the necessary work EVERY.DAMN.DAY.

If you apply these tips 1 – 8, then quitting will become a joke to you. 

You will finally understand that goal chasing is one of the most fulfilling acts out there and available to you right now.

Shift and fix your mindset regarding quitting and levelling up becomes much easier and accessible for you. Remember this… your goals is waiting to be reached once you have mastered how to stop being a quitter.
 
I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo

Closing the Gap & Taking Massive Action

by Lisa OberbichlerConfidence, Goals, Habits, MindsetPosted on No Comments

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

Close the Gap From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Today I’d like to provide you with 4 major action steps to create a kind of ‘Success Code’ to help you reach your next level and bust through some limiting beliefs which are holding you back from achieving great things.

I am obsessed with gaps -> getting from point A to point B, reducing the distance between my goals, enjoying the process and rejoicing in the progress along the way.  And I constantly look for these gaps in my life and I hope you do too.

For example, the gap between having to retire early and starting my new life coaching business which I absolutely love.  The gap between wanting to get my message out into the world and actually becoming a podcaster with listeners from around the world.  The gap between poor health due to years of neglect and losing 10 + kilos (that’s only the beginning of my weight loss journey), regaining my mobility and significantly reducing my pain and daily amount of medication.
The gaps look different for everybody.  But we all have them to some degree.

Today’s 4 Step Success Code will help you go from your current situation to where you want to be, but…

Implementation is the key.  If you are not going to make an effort to change your situation by implementing the steps I am providing you with, then shut off this podcast right now.  You will only be wasting your time.  My aim is to help people go from ‘just getting by’ to awesome and thriving and that’s only going to happen if you sincerely take the time, put in the effort and follow these actionable items.  So, what are we waiting for?  Let’s dive right in.

Action Step #1 – Gain Clarity

I can’t stress enough how important it is to have absolute clarity on what you want.  It doesn’t have to be perfect, and it can evolve over time. So, get clear on WHAT you really want and WHERE you really are.  We all have a gap we want to close, maybe in our personal lives or a professional goal you want to achieve. 

Clarity is power! The clearer you are about what you want, the more rapidly you can achieve things. Think of ONE thing you’d like to achieve either as a personal goal or a professional goal. Be very specific when jotting this down.  This should be something you are committed to doing but have pushed aside and made up excuses why the time wasn’t right.  Focus on what it is you want and why you want to achieve this goal.  Of course, it should be one that is achievable AND will totally excite you once accomplished.

Is there perhaps a goal in your emotional life you’d like to reach?  For example, it might be waking up early and priming yourself to crush the day.

To help you gain the clarity, here are some questions you will have to ponder and write about:

1.       What precisely are you going to achieve?
2.       Why would it excite you?
3.       What would it mean to you?
4.       Why are you going to achieve it?
5.       When are you going to achieve it?
6.       How would it change the quality of your life and others?

Pro tip from a Mindset and Life Coach:  You need to establish a very strong set of why’s.  This will be your north star and you will refer back to it constantly.  These why’s should get you up and hit the ground running in the morning and keep you up at night – that’s how intense your why’s need to be.
 
Action Step #2 – Destroy and Replace any Story of Limitation

It is going to take some work to identify where the belief came from and developing strategies to counteract this belief and replace it with another.  Identifying and destroying beliefs is high level personal development, and can catapult you lightyears ahead in your own confidence and feelings of self-worth.

Now, I would like you to write down the limiting beliefs that might hinder you in achieving your goals.
 
I am going to give you five questions to help you do just this.  Be as honest as you can. 

1.       What are some stories that got in the way of achieving your goals?
2.       What is the new story you are telling yourself now?
3.       What is the old belief that got in the way?
4.       What is the new belief you need to adopt? 
5.       What is the old lie that held you back?

Own your truth.  Repeat your new belief 4 times.  Celebrate it like you just achieved it. Remember, whatever you repeat with enough intensity, you will believe.
There is a philosophy of stretching which goes like this:  If you can’t, you must!  I believe this is a quote/concept from Jim Rohn, which means if you say you can’t do something, then you must do it and without hesitancy.  Train yourself when limiting beliefs arise to just do the hard things.  Become a no-limit person.

For reference, I talked about crushing limiting beliefs in previous podcasts:

Episode #5 – Shift Your Mindset for Growth
Episode #6 – 8 Questions to Crush Limiting Beliefs
Episode #15 – Taking Charge of Your Belief System

I strongly suggest listening to these because they offer more suggestions, tips and tactics of how to overcome your limitations.

Action Step #3 – Monitor and Shift Your Language of Self-Talk
 
Whether you are conscious of it or not, we all have a rather sneaky inner voice that constantly comments on what we are doing.  Psychologists refer to this as self-talk.  This inner dialogue directs us and tells us what to do in certain situations.  Some examples when your self-talk actually supports you are when it says, “Look both ways before crossing the street” or “Stand up for yourself”.  This type of self-talk helps us succeed and keeps us safe.

On the flip side, negative self-talk can be very destructive. You might not even be aware that much of this negative self-talk consists of beliefs which were programmed into us in our childhood.  We heard them repeatedly and now we believe them and tell them to ourselves each time the same situation or event arises.

The problem comes when we accept this negative self-talk as the truth about us and our life.

·         I never have enough time.
·         There’s no use.  I won’t be able to do it.
·         I know it won’t work.
·         I’m not good enough.

While this programming happened to you in your younger years, there’s still a chance for you to change your programming.  And, you may discover hidden strengths where you previously had problems/struggles.  The bottom line is that you are not doomed to live with this negative self-talk forever.

So, I have a few exercises I’d like you to try.  Grab a notebook and start consciously paying attention to your self-talk.  Write down some of the attitudes expressed during self-talk.  What situation do you find yourself in? This is merely for more self-awareness.

According to the National Science Foundation the average person has about 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day.  Of those, 80% are negative and 95% are exactly the same repetitive thoughts as the day before and about 80% negative.

Gentle reminder:  Observe your inner voice and take note of exactly what you are whispering to yourself.  Then turn around and ask yourself, “Is this something I would say to a friend?”  If the answer is no, then be kinder to yourself. 

We are so harsh on ourselves most of the time.  We really need to stop, turn on the ‘positivity and love program’ in our heads and start showing up for ourselves in an encouraging way, a supportive way, a loving way and most importantly, in a positive light.  Release all self-judgement and embrace more self love.

There’s a little trick I heard about, and I thought it was pretty cool.  You can go ahead and try it if you like.  Place an elastic band on your left wrist (not one that will cut off your circulation!!) and when your sneaky inner voice says something negative to you.  Switch the elastic band to the other wrist on your right arm, snap it and reframe the negative thought to a positive one.

For example, if I am in a situation where I think, “I am so bad at technology.  I just can’t figure this out.” I would transfer the band to my other wrist, snap it and reframe my thought by stating, “Okay, I don’t know how to do it at the moment, but I am going to figure it out. I’ve got what it takes.”

Essentially, we are overwriting the negative program or thought and replacing it with a new program – to use a computer analogy.  It may sound easy, but, believe me that it does take a lot of hard work and conscious effort.

Moving forward, I want you to remember that the words you attach to your experience, become your experience.

This leads me to the second exercise I’d like you to try to break the patterns of negative self-talk.

For this assignment, make a list of some of the words you use when you’re really angry, emotional, sad, depressed.  Now, come up with 2 – 3 other words that will be humorous or will help break the pattern.

Be open to humor and give yourself permission to smile, chuckle or laugh during trying times.  Look for humor in everyday happenings too.  The minute your facial mimic changes to a smile and you can laugh at life, stress is released from your body.

Practicing any of these 3 activities should help break your state or pattern of negative emotion or self-talk.  Our aim is to re-wire it, replace it and be able to crush it when the problem arises again.  So, you’ve got some simple tools in your toolkit.

Action Step #4 – Take Massive Action Immediately

Taking massive action is the cure all!  Taking massive action is the cure all!  Taking massive action is the cure all to achieving your goals, closing the gap between where you find yourself now and where you actually want to be.  People who have succeeded at the highest levels, have taken massive action.

Sitting on your couch, thinking and dreaming about the life you want will get you no closer to your goals.

Mindlessly scrolling social media and comparing your life to those influencers or highly success people will get you no closer to your goals.

Making up excuses why you can’t move forward will get you no closer.

Nor will dwelling on your limiting beliefs and negative self-talk. 

The ultimate cure for all of these ‘states’ you may find yourself stuck in, is taking action.  Getting off the couch, shutting down social media, ditching the excuses and looking for ways to tackle the next step and by flipping the script on your limiting beliefs and shutting down or reframing your sneaky inner voice.

So, if you’re serious about closing the gap, I want you to take action NOW, lock it in your schedule. 

Write down 2 action steps that will lead you to your goals.  What are they going to be?  Get excited, get jazzed about them, get hyped up and ready to move!

What are TWO ACTIONS you can take today to commit and follow through with to kick-start the progress cycle?

Hard truth:  unless you have that sense of urgency, you will never succeed.  Don’t lose the momentum by putting off taking action until “some day”. 
The time is now, it’s time to press “go”.

Remember, it isn’t confidence or motivation that come first or get you started; it’s taking action that actually cultivates momentum so you can reap the benefits of: self-confidence and motivation.
 
I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa
xoxo