EVERYONE has doubts, fears, times of insecurity. We all need reassurance at points. Feel down about our progress. 

We all have a better and worse.

I know it can seem like someone else has all of the answers, never has a moment’s doubt about themselves. But I’m sorry. 

We’re human.

Pobody’s Nerfect.

I was musing over this the other day when one of my coaching clients was talking about feeling down about her recent progress. Talking about how she still sees the areas she really wants to change.

And I said I totally get it.

Cause we were on a zoom call I could see her fascial expression of, “Uh huh.”

You will always want to improve something. It’s human nature.

Even if you reach the goal you think will make all the difference, even if you really like your results, you’re still going to have better and worse days. You’re still going to have times you wish you could change or improve something.

You’re still emotionally human and have those insecurities.

Being happy all of the time. Feeling perfect? It just doesn’t exist.

I mean we have flaws, some of which make us both amazing and really difficult human beings at the same time. You can just ask Ryan!

I think we just have to remember that when we get a bit down about how things are going and start the comparing game.

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Social media only shows one angle. It’s the scrapbook often.

There is always hard work and struggles going on behind the scenes. 

Here are 3 tips to help you embrace the process of change, loving your journey but always wanting more:

# 1. Just being AWARE. I think admitting to our fears and doubts is key. Recognizing that they are THERE and real. We also need to recognize that with any positive quality comes a dark side. The more you want to strive to improve? The more you’ll get out of life BUT also the more you’ll have to quiet the internal doubts. The internal hater so to speak. 

#2: Results will never happen fast enough nor be linear. You’re always going to be tempted to focus on the things that “still aren’t there yet.” You’re always going to feel like someone else got there faster. 

#3: Don’t be afraid to admit your own insecurities. Too often we try to hide or bury negative emotions instead of dealing with them. I think sometimes admitting to the doubts and fears helps you face them and work through them. It even helps you change your thought processes behind them.

And then remember that sometimes you need to ACT AS IF.

Confidence comes from knowing you’re doing what you can. Taking the right actions. Not from being perfect. 

And the more you start doing the habits of the person you want to be? The more you FEEL like that person and become that person!

Movement is medicine.

Now I’m not saying that if you have an injury to just keep pushing through, but too often we simply do NOTHING.

Then after some time off, we jump right back into what we were doing and wonder why we end up injured again. Why nothing changed.

And it’s because we never addressed what lead to the injury in the first place. We never addressed postural distortions, compensations and imbalances that lead to overload. We never addressed the mobility restrictions and muscle weakness.

If we want to move and feel better? We need to train our bodies to know how to move well. And that means returning to basics and focusing on that prehab work.

If we want to see a change? We have to make a change.

And simply resting changes nothing.
So if you’re injured what can you do to help prevent future issues and even get to still train?

1. Address the rehab work you need. Seeing someone is good if this isn’t just a minor ache or pain. But even with those, you need to include the proper prehab work. Like if your wrists hurt with push ups. Do the mobility work needed so you don’t just have to deal with that annoying pain any time you have floor work. You need to foam roll to relax overactive muscles, stretch to lengthen shortened muscles and mobilize your joints and then activate those underactive muscles so that weaker muscles not meant to handle the load don’t have to. We do this work to establish proper recruitment patterns to help make them automatic during compound, faster paced movements. 

2. And as you address the underlying causes? Modify around the pain. While we don’t want to avoid moves forever if possible, we do often need to work around as we correct the problem.

3. And then we need to REBUILD. We need to retrain those movements with tweaks to help us load the correct muscles. It may be using different cues, or slightly different variations. Or even just adjustments to form. Slow things down and focus first on what you feel working over just mimicking proper form. We want to learn how to control as many movement patterns as possible so we then don’t get injured twisting or turning in everyday life!

While we want to work toward a new and improved version of ourselves, we have to remember…

IT’S STILL US.

Same flaws. Same struggles. Same reactions to things like restriction.

So we need to remember who and want we are to address our needs and goals as we work to create changes. 

We can’t go in thinking all of the sudden everything is just going to change because it is a new year.

I actually think this is often why our resolutions fail.

We aren’t basing how we do things off our “old” self.

So I wanted to share some tips to help you create a realistic program for yourself to start moving forward toward that new and improved you.

1. Assess thy self. Are you really an all or nothing person or does the slightest sign of restriction send you running for that food you now can’t have. If you KNOW YOURSELF, you can design a plan around this. You may be that person that cuts out everything at once. Or you may be that person that needs to make changes slowly. Don’t force a plan that doesn’t fit who you are.

2. Celebrate habit changes. You want a new you? You have to create a new mindset. One of VICTORY. You have to try to ACT AS IF you are the thing you want to be. And that means ingraining those habits. To build that momentum, it means seeing each habit you complete as a win vs just focusing only on those long terms goals. So if you set a goal of 10lbs to lose this year? Also really break down those action steps you need to take to get there and make those habit goals something you celebrate.

3. LEARN about what you’re implementing. When we understand the WHY behind things? We are more likely to trust the process, especially when results don’t add up as quickly as we’d like…because, let’s face it, they never do.

4. Don’t expect perfection. Focus on doing something. I know it can feel stupid to do something that’s half-assed or just 5 minutes. But often it is more the fact that we stayed in the routine, that we actually took action that matters more than exactly what we did. It just keeps us in the habit. It mentally makes you feel more successful. And 5 minutes is still more than no minutes. It’s what honestly keeps the ball rolling and gaining momentum even though you won’t see or feel instant dramatic results!

This year was definitely….interesting. And there is a lot we can learn from the challenges to help us move forward and get even better results in 2021!

Here are some key takeaways and tips to help you rock your goals and learn from the past.

1. You can’t control what you can’t control
2. Something is better than nothing
3. Don’t delay, start today! 
4. There will be ups and downs, but our goal is to make the lows less low.
5. Don’t try to go it alone.

What are the biggest lessons you learned in 2020? Comment below!

With any goal comes sacrifice.

Plain and simple.

And the more “elite” the level you want to reach? The more sacrifices you’ll probably have to make.

Especially if you want results faster.

While of course we can’t out work time to some extent, the more we want results…well…now…the more sacrifices we will have to make.

Versus the longer we are willing to commit to the process?

Well the less “perfect” you often need to be because you are willing to be in it for the long haul.

And consistency goes a long way when we give it time.

However, while we may not have to be as “perfect,” we then do need to sacrifice more “time.”

There is always a “catch.” 😉

But, anyway, I bring this up because I think too often we set ourselves up for failure when it comes to reaching our goals because we aren’t willing to endure the sacrifices.

We don’t face them before getting started.

Instead we look for a magic pill. A quick and easy fix.

And the second we hit that difficult situation, that sacrifice? We give up.

But sorry…there really is no magic pill. That’s not really how life works haha

So the more we can go in with our eyes wide open about the “cost” of reaching our goals?

The better off we will be.

It’s not being negative. It’s being realistic.

It’s about facing the “worst” and knowing whether the cost is worth the reward to us.

It’s also about realizing that “sacrifices” aren’t really sacrifices if you want something that much.

Is the goal WORTH IT to you?

We have to remember that with every decision we make, we are “missing out” on something else. 

We also have to recognize that what we see as a means to reaching our goals, others may call OBSESSION.

But sometimes we have to risk being a little “obsessed” to reach our goals. We have to go that extra mile that others aren’t willing to go.

It really comes down to…what do you value most?
There is no right or wrong choice or goal.

Life is about pursuing what matters to us.

It’s just always key we understand there is a cost to every decision we make.

That we are always sacrificing something in favor of something else.