That Silly Stinkin’ Mental Road Block

               Be Prepared To Stop?

So, someone asked me last night how do you get over the mental hurdles we face? How do you break the mental strongholds that hold you back?  How do you stop that on-going video tape playing over and over telling you lies, playing a movie that never happened or predicting a scenario that will never be.

Because, when it comes down to it, half of this fitness and weight loss battle is mental.  Seriously, for some people, it’s more than half.  You’ve got to get out of your own head and get out of your own way.  You’ve got to stop playing tapes of ancient history and stop imagining impossible scenarios and envisioning gossiping gym gazelles and just move forward.

My first thought when she asked me “how do you get over the mental part” was to respond … ‘heck, I don’t know”.  But honestly, I decided that the only way to answer her (or anyone) is with truth.  The only way I have ever won any battle is with truth.  And to answer with truth, you must start with the lies.

Say the lies out loud.  You heard me. Whatever lies are going on over and over in your head, say them out loud.  If you need accountability, say them out loud in front of someone.  It doesn’t matter how ridiculous they sound or how absurd they are; say them out loud anyway.  Sometimes just hearing them out loud is enough for you to realize they are LIES. You can also WRITE them down.  After you write them down, read them out loud, tear them up, burn them up, toss them out. You get the idea.  Face your truth by facing your lies.  What lies do you tell yourself?  What lies do you believe?  What lies have you been told that you just simply accepted as facts?

Now separate your facts from your stories.  Dig through the stories and memories in your head.  Pick out the facts.  They should be non-negotiable, not up for debate.  These are the facts ma’am.  Now how you interpret those facts or what you do about them is your story.  You can’t change history; obviously … but you most definitely can change the future.

And remember that perception is everything.  If you perceive that you are fat, then that is how you will portray yourself. If you think that you are ugly, then that is what you will see in the mirror. Try to focus on this: Fat is suppose to be a noun.  It is something you have on your body, or something you eat.  Everybody does.  You also have muscle on your body.  Everybody does. But you don’t hear women say ‘oh woe is me, I’m so muscle’…nope nope nope, you hear … ‘oh look at me, I’m so fat‘. Stop that nonsense.   Some folks may have more fat on their body than they prefer, but that does not define their entire worth.

I read a quote once a while back that really resonated with me:  “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right“.  I really loved that.  If you let that sink in for a minute, you’ll love it too.

So as you are winding down 2014; making goals for 2015 … thinking about resolutions or joining gyms or starting diets or reinventing your identity… don’t let yourself get caught up in analysis paralysis where you research and research yourself into oblivion and end up doing nothing. Or; you think you can change your entire life on Jan. 1st and burn yourself out in a week’s time from exhaustion and pain. Brace yourself, pace yourself and be good to yourself.  Remember that your well being includes mental as well as physical … and those mental road blocks will bite you in the butt if you don’t address them head on.  Prepare yourself for battle; and to prepare, speak your truth.  Whatever your truth may be.

Um, so are you ready?

As always, make champion choices,
The Healthy Habit Lady