It's all in your head

At a conference in Chicago last week, I learned a strategy to pick myself up in those times when I'm feeling especially unmotivated. Our thoughts have so much power over us and the great thing is that we can control our thoughts. It takes practice and mindfulness, but it can be done.

It simply means taking a negative thought and switching it around to a positive one. Susan Sly shared this strategy and I found it so helpful that I had to share with you all.

The Concept

• Circumstance: This is an irrefutable truth.

• Thoughts: Anything you can change.

• Feelings: Our thoughts are catalysts for our feelings.

• Activities: Our feelings are dictated by our activities.

• Results: The outcome.

The Application

Here is an example of how this works. You begin with how you are currently feeling & thinking. This is an example of how I was thinking and feeling this morning.

Circumstance: I'm overweight and out of shape which takes a toll on me emotionally. I've recently found my mojo again and am doing well. I woke up tired and moody not wanting to work out.

Thoughts: I'm tired and I want to keep sleeping. I'm going to fall back into bad habits and never become the person that I want to be. I always fail.

Feelings: I feel guilty for not wanting to get up and work out. I begin to feel discouraged and disappointed in myself that I can't seem to stay motivated.

Activities: I sit in bed and scroll through social media.

Results: I end up feeling discouraged, moody, and disappointed in myself.

Shift Your Paradigm

For the second part of this activity, you will switch your thought pattern to change your results.

Circumstance: I'm overweight and out of shape which takes a toll on me emotionally. I've recently found my mojo again and am doing well. I woke up tired and moody not wanting to work out. (remember this is an irrefutable truth so it does not change.)

Thoughts: If I'm going to change and become the person that I want to be, I have to be consistent in my efforts even when I don't feel like it. I'm not going to be super motivated and excited every day, that's just the way it is. Change is possible.

Feelings: I begin to feel motivated and hopeful. Maybe I can do this after all. I know I'll feel better after working out.

Activities: I get out of bed and go to the gym to workout.

Results: After a couple of minutes on the treadmill I'm feeling much more inspired. I actually get in a longer workout than usual. I took the time to get a massage on the Hydro Massage Bed just so I could be good to myself. 

As you can see, the results are so much better because I took action and changed my thoughts. I am going to try to use this strategy whenever I feel like quitting, bingeing, or going off track.


What thought processes can you change around?