Do Your Habits Sabotage You?
Updated: May 19, 2020
It's June in New England. And so resumes my quest for finding the BEST lobster roll around! This has become somewhat of a game my husband and I play each summer, so that we don't always end up at the same couple of places. It's important that I give a chance to the other 'wannabe' best lobster rolls, even if I don't want to. Here's the play by play in my head:
"What's wrong with the lobster roll I always get? It's excellent and it's tried and true. Why should I even consider something else? I like things the way they are."
I fight with myself over this, because I am a creature of HABIT. (And that is to say that I'm a human.) But what if I didn't fight to stay stagnant? What if I opened up to the possibility that there may be additional awesome lobster rolls out there to be experienced? And then, what if I discovered I liked this other lobster roll just as much or more than the same one I always get, and it was better for me? Wouldn't that just increase my capacity for health, happiness and well being?
Ok, so maybe that was an over simplistic example (I'm hungry and craving a lobster roll at the moment), but my point is that we tend to do the same things over and over because:
1. It's what we've always done
2. It's easier than creating a new habit
3. We deep down don't like change - it provokes fear and anxiety
It's the same thing for health and wellness.
Go ahead and think about whatever your less than desirable health & wellness habits are. Maybe it's the habit of skipping breakfast. Maybe it's the habit of over scheduling yourself and eating on the run. Maybe it's the habit of too much caffeine and not enough water. Maybe it's the habit of staying up too late binge watching some program that feels good at the time (but doesn't necessarily add value to your life!) and then you stumble into work or whatever you're doing the next day, exhausted.
When you look at the habits that aren't serving you, individually and collectively, please consider how they are affecting your whole life (and they do... because how you do one thing is how you do everything...). Human nature being what it is, it's much more comfortable to turn a blind eye on your self-sabotaging little ways. It's easier to stay there, in your comfy little bubble, and bob along like the feather at the end of the Forrest Gump movie.
I'm here to encourage you to CUT THAT CRAP OUT. I did all of the above and more for quite a long time. Until I was diagnosed with cancer.
I believe that we have the power to create conditions in our bodies that either foster illness or repel it. I spent a decade in “fostering” and my cancer diagnosis brought about a profound lesson learned. The emotions I stuffed, the stress I was under, and little to no time to be still and rejuvenate are now fortunately in the past, but I can’t help but think that had I been taking better care of myself all along, my body would have had optimal resources and reserves. And perhaps cancer would have never resulted.
I got my wake up call, and now I wanna wake you up too.
Today is National Cancer Survivors Day. Part of me is like "YEAH!" and fist pumping the air... and part of me is shaking my head that there exists such a thing, because for it to exist, a shit ton of people had to get cancer. And I'd much rather focus on and talk about prevention. It's a huge part of what compelled me to become a Health Coach! I did the work I needed to do to bring my body and habits back into balance, and I can help you do the same.
As a Health Coach, I lead and empower you in habit change, which is as essential as the A-B-C's, to be able to attain, sustain and exceed the health and life goals that you have - you know what I'm talking about, right?
The little nagging ones....
The big audacious ones...
and everything in between.
I'm posting this today, to honor all Cancer Survivors, and just as importantly, to be a call to action for all of you who have never been diagnosed and who need to make some changes in your way of taking care of yourself. And remember, you don't have to do this alone! Contact me today for a free Discovery Call, and let's get you sorted!
With love and inspired wellness,
Laura
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