The obstacles you have are only obstacles if you see them as that. How can you turn your obstacles like not enough time or lack of motivation into opportunities? Opportunities to stretch and grow and think of new solutions you might not have thought of that will support you during all the ups and downs of life. Obstacles are what is going to reconnect you with your why. Because without your deeper why your goals have no substance.
If you can first claim what your obstacles are (write them down) like a busy schedule, lack of motivation, unsupportive family, lack of time….then you can start brainstorming solutions and strategies to overcome them.
Don’t be afraid to get creative and think outside the box!
5 Obstacles To A Healthy Lifestyle And How To Overcome Them…
- Motivation.
- Determine if your motivation is external or internal. Intrinsic motivation is when you engage in a behavior because you find it rewarding. It’s for your own sake rather than from the desire for some external reward. Extrinsic motivation is engaging in a behavior because you expect to get something in return or avoid something unpleasant.
- Set your expectations of yourself and make them realistic. This could be something like setting up your “will and won’t” list. What you will do or what you will accept from yourself and what you won’t accept or what you won’t do.
- Constantly reevaluate your reasons to stay motivated. Just like seasons change, so do your reasons for why you do what you do. Don’t be afraid to shift and change.
2. Time/Busy Schedule.
- You have time for what you make a priority. If taking care of yourself isn’t a priority you will make excuses for other things that are more “important”.
- One reason healthy living isn’t so much of a priority is our own negative experiences with it — either we don’t want to eat healthy food, we’re scared of failing again or we don’t know which advice to follow.
- Remember that time is a created thing and you are in control of your time whether you think so or not.
- Start small like 5 minutes for meditation or 20 minutes to prepare healthy snacks and make these habits non-negotiables. You can also try habit-stacking where you add a small habit onto a habit you already do (example: after you turn off your alarm in the morning, drink a glass of water).
3. Overwhelm and Stress.
- Remove all the excess noise or clutter from your life that isn’t serving you. It helps to make a list of what you do value and what you don’t value. For example, I value my mornings alone before everyone wakes up. I don’t value scrolling on Instagram in bed.
- The wellness industry puts out trends constantly (it’s a billion-dollar industry) and it’s up to you to take your power back when it comes to what works for you. Tuning into your body’s messages is about turning inward rather than outward.
- Look for the overlapping information that is consistent like eating more greens, moving more, and eliminating stress.
4. All or Nothing Mentality.
- You’ve likely heard this a million times but remember…progress over perfection.
- You don’t need to get it right all the time. You’re learning and growing and that has its ebbs and flows.
- Make a mental note that you are going to have off days and not let small hiccups throw you off course.
5. Lack of awareness.
- The key is to be aware of our actions, thoughts, and habits. A great book to read is “The Slight Edge”. It’s helped me so much when it comes to shaping each of these behaviors and thought patterns.
- As a society we focus on diet, exercise, and weight which are nutritional and physical aspects of health. We forget that there are also environmental, emotional, and spiritual factors that play a strong role. Connection is also a contributing factor. How we connect to ourselves and our bodies. The messages we give ourselves.
I hope you enjoyed these. Let me know below if you have any to add or if you have any questions! I look forward to hearing from you!
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