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
 
 
 
 
 
 

Focus on Your Strengths NOT Your Weaknesses

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

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast we are tackling a very interesting topic – how to place more focus on your strengths versus getting bogged down about your shortcomings or your weaknesses.

“Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses.” ~ Marilyn vos Savant

Nowadays, we live in a “fix it” world.

A world in which we are quick to notice what’s wrong or broken about our lives, and we are the last to notice what’s going well.

Can you relate to this?

We, as humans, are inherently bias to negativity because we tend to focus are too much and far too often on the ‘bad’.
 
Of course, back in the days of earliest survival, back in the days of cavemen and women, this was quite helpful when running from a sabretooth tiger and avoiding poisonous berries.

You see, focusing on the bad is or better said, WAS a survival technique.

But now, quite the opposite is helpful.  Most of the time, this tendency to negativity only leaves us in a perpetual state of “not enoughness”.

And, this leads to us spending a vast majority of our time trying to fix the broken parts of us – namely our weaknesses.

Now, I’ll be the first to tell you in order to grow your mindset and skillset, you have to lean into the uncomfortable as well as put in the effort to develop new skills in areas which you want to improve.

However, throughout the improvement process, it is not at all super helpful to focus too much on the areas you aren’t good at.  This only leads to becoming de-motivated or discouraged or worse.

Instead, I want to encourage you to look for your strengths and the things that are going well – researchers call these “bright spots”.

Spend more time on replicating the times that went well and figuring out why and how they went so well, analyzing the positive moments and your strength during those moments. Don’t spend your precious time and brain power on trying to eliminate weaknesses or fix problems.

You’ll feel much more empowered by figuring out your strengths and drawing power from those experiences.

It seems to be in our DNA to concentrate on our areas of weakness and then focus attention on trying to overcome these, rather than giving ourselves credit for and becoming self-aware of our strengths.  It is simply a waste of time and energy to focus on the negative.  Placing your focus on your weaknesses will drain you. 
 
I came across a great quote by Marcus Buckingham that goes like this, “You should focus on your strengths and build on them.  It is a myth that our greatest potential for growth is your areas of weakness.  Focusing on them will demotivate you while focusing on your strengths will help you feel more positive and so give you energy.”

But he goes on to warn us not to confuse strengths with things we consider ourselves good at.  There’s a difference.  Just because you are good at something, doesn’t necessarily mean that you enjoy it. Doing something well, but not enjoying it will also drain you.  So, he advises people to consider what you are good at and find enjoyment it and do more of that.
 
Most of my podcast talks are geared toward the individual but the importance of focusing on strengths over weaknesses could apply to teams, work cultures, groups, leaders as well as individuals of any age.  Research has shown that we have a better chance at winning by focusing on our strengths – either in a group scenario or as an individual – than if we focus on improving our deficiencies.  So, it’s imperative that we capitalize on our capabilities to feel empowered and successful on our own or as part of a team.

What kind of frame of mind will you be in if you put more thought into what you do well?  This makes you feel accomplished and capable as opposed to dwelling on what went wrong yesterday.

Just imagine the power of a positive mindset for a child leaving for his/her school day and a scheduled math test.  If you help your child to focus on past tests that were well done, received a good grade and uplifting remarks from the teacher, that child’s outlook and attitude could possibly shift from an anxious, nervous, ‘not going to do well’ mindset -> to a positive, “I got this” mindset.

Focus on strengths rather than weaknesses to shift your mindset from a negative state to a positive outlook.  You can achieve this by recalling past events, situations or experiences where things went well for you.  Focus on how you did it, what went right, how you felt and how you can replicate the moment.
Having said that, this brings us to the slightly uncomfortable part of today’s show.

Most of us can list several things we simply don’t like about ourselves.

And, you’ve probably received feedback on “areas you could improve on” from others that usually just feels like outright criticism, sometimes solicited but more times their feedback comes unsolicited.

What happens then? Well, we become self-conscious.  We try to overcompensate. We usually try to overcome our weaknesses instead of playing to our strengths.

But, I am here to challenge this pattern that you and I have been following most of our lives.

Let’s reverse the pattern by acknowledging our strengths.

Sometimes it’s not so easy to identify our strengths.  On the other hand, our weaknesses are far too obvious.  We are constantly reminded of times when we fell short of the mark or couldn’t produce our best work or felt extremely uncomfortable dealing with a situation.  This happens because weaknesses often carry clear, vivid reminders of some past suffering we experienced. 

In order to realize our strengths, we will have to dig deeper.  You might have received unexpected praise for something you didn’t put much effort into – that could be a sign.  If people talk your ear off, you could be a good listener.  Maybe people constantly seek out your advice, you might be a great leader or problem-solver.
Every day life has a way of showing you what your strengths are IF you pay attention.

Another way to identify strengths is by figuring out what energizes you.  Strengths make us feel strong whereas weaknesses leave us feeling weak.  So, think of activities in terms of how they make you feel. 

Normally, I would ask you to put pen to paper and make a list of strengths versus weaknesses, but I would like to approach this self-analysis exercise on your strengths by posing some questions to you.

1.        What are you a natural at?  What comes easily to you that others find difficult and may struggle   with?  ->  Find and leverage that ability.
2.       What does reflection tell you about yourself? -> Spend some time reflecting, the create a list of 5 things you consistently receive awesome feedback on.
3.       What makes you feel good? ->  Remember that working on things we need to improve, drains you of energy.  But working from a place of strength, brings us joy and makes us happy.  Think about things you do that make you happy.
4.       What should you focus on? -> You can reach your highest potential by focusing on what you do best.  So, start building on what you already are, not what you are not.
 
If you want to improve your life, you will have to learn what your strengths are and align yourself with them.  When we play to our best self, the results are positive, productive and empowering.

It is important to play to your own individual strengths because our strengths are gifts that were meant to be used and shared with the world. 

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.

That’s my message for today, friends.

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.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa
 

Should You Share Your Goals With Others?

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

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast we are looking at both sides of the argument whether it is a good idea to share your goals with others or keep them to yourself. I will present points for both sides, however, you’ll soon find out which side I favour.

Since this is the time of the year when most people look forward to a fresh start into the new year, a clean slate to fill with all the goals and things they would like to achieve, I thought it would be helpful to discuss the pros and cons of this hot topic.

I just want to say that the case for one side of the argument is far stronger, in my opinion, than in support of the other and you’re about to hear why.

So, there are two very distinct sides of this argument:  Should you openly share your goals with others?

On the one hand, you have the group that says, “Yes, of course share your goals.”  And, they are of the opinion that by sharing your goals, you hold yourself accountable.

But, on the other hand, you have the opposing group that says, “No, just don’t share them.” They are the ones who prefer to work in silence and let their success make all the noise.

For me, there is only ONE advantage to sharing your goals with anyone, and that is to have accountability.  Some people feel that by sharing your goals, whether big or small ones, your overall involvement in the goal becomes higher and with that, the likelihood of success increases.

Those who argue this accountability point think that friends or family who know about your goals will help to keep you on track by eventually ‘calling you out’ on things if you should get off track. 

But here’s what I struggle with – nobody likes to be publicly shamed for having a donut or a muffin at a family get-together if your goal is to lose weight, for example.  It’s embarrassing to say the least.

Therefore, if you do choose to share your weight lose goal or ANY goal for that matter with someone, make sure it’s the right person.  I would be open with them about how they should hold you to your word.  This person should also be someone you hold in high regard or look up to.  Maybe this person has even gone through what you are trying to achieve, so they could take on a mentoring role for you.

I will give you an example that recently happened to me. 

My husband and I met with another couple who we knew from our local gym.  We were laughing and talking about our efforts to keep fit and I mentioned that I would be doing a triathlon next summer.  I declared it as a goal which I had set for myself.  Normally, I only discuss my wild and crazy goals with my husband, so this kind of surprised me once I had said it.

Instantly, my new friend, Victoria, said she wanted to get involved and do it with me.  But, she said that swimming just wasn’t her thing.  I was excited that she had shown so much enthusiasm and I thought it would be so much fun to do it together with a like-minded person.  We decided to make it a water, road, trail triathlon meaning the first stretch would be done in a kayak, then we would bike a certain distance and the last leg would be on a hiking path.

At the gym the other week, Victoria mentioned that she had been thinking about our plan and she wanted to know when we would start training for it.  I was delighted to think she was as keen on completing this as I was.  So, this goes to show that by sharing your goals with the right people, you will gain the proper support and accountability.

For many of us, a spouse or significant other are the most obvious choices.  But that’s not to say that other people can’t work well as accountability partners too.
Find the right person.  Set up parameters around how they can/should help to keep you on track. And, go after that goal.

But, here’s the flip side of the questions, “Should we share our goals with others?” and the arguments against doing this.

First of all, people can be very judgemental when it comes to your goals. They may not react the way you expect them to and your self-esteem may take a hit.
In the past, I’ve even had people try to talk me out of going after what I wanted to achieve.  That’s probably the point at which I stopped sharing my goals.

And, I have to make it clear that when people judge you, it has more to do with how they feel about themselves than how they feel about you.
When people judge others, they are defining themselves; they are not defining you.

Goal setting is best done in solitude, at least at the beginning.  Actualizing your goal and the things you want to achieve will be easier if you go it alone but after you gain some momentum and confidence in what you are going after, then it is ‘safer’ to talk about your goals with others.  There is less likelihood of you getting off track or throwing in the towel.

And, there’s another really compelling reason NOT to tell others what you want to achieve…

By communicating your goal to others, this tricks your brain into thinking you’ve already achieved it.  You are less likely then to put in the necessary work.  By telling others, it creates a premature sense of completion because you experience a sense of pride in sharing, however that pride will not motivate you at all or create any sort of forward momentum.

Instead, my tip would be to strive to impress YOURSELF first and your results will improve by leaps and bounds.  It’s not important what other people think of you, but it is very important what you think about yourself and how you are showing up for yourself.

Try to impress yourself first and foremost to gain confidence and momentum in moving forward toward your goals.

The other thing that can happen when we openly declare our goals to others is that the admiration we get from them gives us a dopamine rush.  Quite often, you get congratulated on your goals without having achieved them yet. This might feel great at the time but the less likely we will be in executing on the necessary actions to reach our future goals. 

Instead, my tip would be to share only the small wins along your path rather than the big picture.  Allow friends and family to celebrate your small successes and who knows, you might find just the right supporter or accountability partner to reach the final destination with.

A further argument for not divulging your goals to others is that situations may change.  Your plans may change.  Resources may change.  So many things could happen.  If you have a big goal ahead of you, you really need to be flexible. By keeping it to yourself, you allow for more flexibility, and you can stay nimble riding the punches along the way.  Big, complex goals are best kept a secret.

Personally, I only tell my husband about my goals.  Depending on the scope of your goals, sometimes it is necessary to.

As always with things of this nature, there’s a caveat.  We are all individuals; we are all different in so many ways.  If you already have a good system in place that is working for you, great, stick with it.  But, otherwise, I hope some of the points and tips presented today were helpful.

One thing is perfectly clear, and we can definitely agree on this 100% – goals are achieved by sticking to a process consistently.  The biggest and juiciest tip would be to work out your process first, then tell your friends about it.  That will set you up for the most success and best chances of reaching your desired outcome or goal.

A few closing thoughts on goals…

You know, setting goals allows you to paint a vision of what you want your future to be.  And, here’s a different way to look at goals – consider your goals to be visions and dreams with work clothes on (quote by Dave Ramsey).  It makes so much sense because you will have to put in the work to achieve your goals which stem from the dreams you have for your life and the vision you have created (yesterday’s episode on Creating Your Life Vision Episode 39).

And, do you remember the Episode 34 featured Robin Arzon – she said her goals and dreams for her life are so exciting and invigorating that they help her to hit the ground running early each morning providing her with energy, enthusiasm and purpose for the day ahead. 

I want that for you too!

“If you don’t get chills when you set your goals, you’re not setting big enough goals.” ~Bob Proctor

Set goals that are exciting and send chills up and down your spine, ones that energize you and fill you with anticipation as well as purpose each and every day.


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.

That’s my message for today, friends.

I would 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.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa  xoxo

P.S.  If you are interested in hearing more about going after your goals, becoming more consistent and confident in your efforts, here are 3 past episodes you might like to read here on the blog:

Episode #4 – “10 Ways to Stay Committed and Consistent”
Episode #9 – The Domino Effect
Episode #22 – 1% Improvement Mindset
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Create Your Life Vision (Part 1)

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

In today’s episode of the Inspiration2grow podcast we are going to talk about taking a look at where you are in life currently and considering your life’s aspirations or values.  Everyone has different priorities as well as milestones which they want to achieve.  We refer to these goals as our ‘pillars of life’.

Pillars of life can be thought of as foundations that both guide us and provide stability while giving us balance at the same time. In today’s show, I hope to help you identify your pillars and gain clarity around what you really, truly want within each area.  That is the essential first part of creating your life vision.

Imagine you’re going to meet your friends at an amazing Hawaiian resort.  Sounds beautiful, right?

You land safely at the airport, grab your luggage and jump into a rental car.  Then you type in the address into the car’s GPS.
You know exactly where you are going, so getting there is easy.
However, if you didn’t know the address (or at least the name of the resort), it would be a completely different story, because there are a LOT of resorts in Hawaii that you could potentially end up at.

Well, it’s the very same thing when it comes to reaching your big, audacious goals and dreams.
You need to know WHERE you’re going if you ever want to end up there.

How?  By creating a life vision for everything you want to achieve.  This doesn’t have to be complicated…

In fact, I’ll help you get started today with Part 1 of how to create a life vision.

Once you have yours in place, success will come faster and easier for you.  Why?  Because “wrong turns” will be a thing of the past and your internal GPS will know exactly where to lead you even if the journey doesn’t go as planned.

So, let’s dive right into the practical part of creating your life vision…

The biggest thing that prevents people from taking action on their future dreams and goals is not having clarity around what that future actually looks like for them.  When you have extreme clarity, whatever fears, obstacles or distractions arise on the journey, it will be hard for you NOT to keep moving in the right, desired direction.  It is this CLARITY that will help your overcome fears and obstacles, be your guiding North Star and provide the necessary strength and conviction to stay the course.

Clarity itself is one of the most powerful tools you can use to accomplish the life you want, the goals you desire to reach and the big accomplishments you set your mind to.

Part 1 on this process is by no means complex or complicated but it does require some thought and deeper consideration.

This exercise can be done at the onset of a new year, or even every six months or perhaps quarterly just to assess whether you are on track or not.  Your course might need a few adjustments and that’s perfectly okay.  You will need to revisit and tweak accordingly.

So, I want you to imagine 5 tall, strong pillars holding up the roof of a building.  I came across the exact structure I always imagine when I do this exercise on a trip to Puerto Rico.  It was an open structure in the middle of a grassy area surrounded by tall palm trees, with the most beautiful marble inlay floor, no doors, no windows, no walls – just the white pillars and the roof.

In this exercise, each of these pillars are going to represent an important area of your life.  And to be clear, everybody can decide on the number of pillars they will have – some will outline 4, others perhaps 7, but there is not right or wrong number of pillars for your life vision.

Here are some common pillars people what to focus on:  love, happiness, health/wellness/exercise & nutrition fall into this category as well, wealth/financial, relationships, personal development, career/business, spiritual, charitable/volunteering and giving back pillars.

Time to time, you might need to shift your focus to some areas more than others to maintain balance, but essentially, all the categories or pillars you choose will receive the necessary attention and work they need to stay on course.

Which ones are yours?  Which ones do YOU want to improve on, set goals for, make huge achievements in?

I know one person who chooses 5 pillars:  financial, career/business, relationships, health/wellness and personal development.  For him, it is like 5 spokes of a wheel.  And he maintains that all 5 spokes need to be moving forward (meaning: being worked on and improved) for the wheel to keep turning and to prevent a bumpy ride.  If all of his 5 areas are balanced, then the ride is smooth.

Another person I know well has only 4 categories or pillars:  love, happiness, health and wealth.

So, as you see, this is very individual, and YOU, only you can decide on which areas are most important for your ‘ideal’ life and vision.  You are on a unique journey, so remember that your pillars might look totally different from those of a good friend.

In order to create your life vision, the intentions and goals you have for each area, I need you to picture or imagine your IDEAL life.  The key word here is ideal.  We are not making a 5-, 10- or 20-year plan with this exercise, we are zeroing in on one year and more specifically, one ideal year.

At this point it is time to become curious, deeply curious about what you want in each area and how you want things to be.  You are going to dig deep and be extremely detailed with each pillar.  Write down 3 – 5 bullet points or boxes to be checked off once accomplished for each pillar.  Get specific and curious in terms of how you’d like your ideal life to look in each pillar. 

Let’s look at a few examples to show you what I mean:

Some bullet points under the pillar of health might be –

1.       Limit alcohol intake
2.       Never sacrifice sleep
3.       Drink tons of water
4.       Avoid sugar
5.       Only eat when hungry

Bullet points under the pillar of wealth could be –

1.       Invest in the long term
2.       Have an emergency fund
3.       Live below your means for an extended period of time
4.       Start and set a budget

Bullet point ideas for the pillar of love are:

1.       Love unconditionally
2.       Practice gratitude daily
3.       Love yourself before loving someone else
4.       Spend plenty of time with close friends and family who lift you up
5.       Learn to forgive and accept forgiveness

Bullet points for the category of happiness could be:

1.       Exercise
2.       Never stop learning
3.       Have an open mind
4.       Complete fulfilling tasks
5.       Avoid all sources of negativity
6.       Choose progress over perfection
7.       Protect your mental health at all costs

Bullet points for the pillar personal development could be:

1.       Read non-fiction books
2.       Journal daily
3.       Begin breathwork as a form of meditation
4.       Try new things each day or week or month
5.       View failure as a learning experience not a setback
6.       Become strong from the inside out

Remember, don’t be vague when listing 3 – 5 bullet points under your pillars.  For example, if you want to drink lots of water, then get specific such as:  I will drink 4 full water bottles each day.  Or, if you intend on expanding yourself and your horizon through personal development, you might list “never stop learning’.  Well, that is not detailed enough to follow through on or even keep track of your progress.  You should be listing something like:  I intend on reading one new book on mindset or personal development each month.  See, that’s something you can keep record of. 

The points mentioned are mere examples to get your own creative juices flowing and to, perhaps, spark an idea of how you could level up your life.  You and I both know that there are endless ideas, but you have to choose what is right for you, aligned with your life’s vision and things that will light you up inside creating the best version of YOU.

There’s one pillar I believe EVERYONE should include, and that is the Fun/Enthusiasm pillar.  Life is too short to live a mundane, boring, unfulfilled life.  So, I strongly encourage you to add in this category to your life vision to increase the fun-factor, inject some adventure, ramp up the excitement levels and simply enjoy life to the fullest.

The pillars of our life’s vision help us to achieve balance by providing us with anchors to grasp on to when the waves of life rock our boat.  These pillars can and should be continuously developed and solidified.  A roof cannot be held up and supported properly if one pillar falls short or crumbles or isn’t as tall as the others.
Our goal is to create sturdy pillars and a solid foundation for our life’s vision.

As mentioned earlier, your pillars will evolve as your circumstances change and that’s okay. It may even take a lifetime to perfect your pillars, but the act of creating a path you deeply desire will give you the necessary clarity and confidence to keep moving forward and stay the course.

Just a few closing thoughts on your vision because, I bet many of you haven’t really taken the time to consider what your vision is or laid out a strategic plan of how to fulfill this vision.

Your vision of where or what you want to be is the greatest asset you have.  This vision I keep referring to is the ability to see your purpose, your dreams, your desire and your tomorrow.   And, I will leave your with two quotes:

“Vision with action makes a powerful reality.” ~Ron Kaufman

“Make your vision so clear that your fears become irrelevant.” ~Kerwin Rae

Keep in mind – this is only part 1 or 3 in the exercises of creating your life vision. By the end of the pillar exercise in Part 1 you should have complete clarity on what your ideal life vision looks like, with your chosen pillars including 3 – 5 detailed and very specific bullet points under each of these pillars.

Parts 2 and 3 will be coming to my podcast soon.

I would 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.

I hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,
Lisa
 
 
 
 
 






10 Empowering Messages You Need to Hear

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10.   About motivation…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I truly hope to have inspired you to grow.

Til next time,

Lisa xoxo