Marianne Williamson

All too often, clients will come in and express frustration that their newly acquired healthy mindset and motivation are slipping away. I understand that motivation can be fleeting. I sometimes experience frustration myself; with my own journey to wellness and even here, as I must come up with new and what I hope, is engaging content for you each month. The mindset to stay on target can be burdensome at times.

As you’ve heard me say, “How we do one thing is how we do everything”… So, if you are putting off starting or resuming healthier eating habits, putting off what may be an uncomfortable conversation, resisting letting go of long held beliefs, or simply tackling a task, you may relate to some of these key tips that I go back to in an effort to support my practice of cultivating and maintaining a fully nourished life.

1. It’s not the feelings about the journey that weigh you down, it is how you navigate the journey. Use the frustration and discomfort to propel you to healthier behaviors. Positivity fosters a lightness of being. BE the change you want to see.

2. Acknowledge the ambivalence when it comes to letting go of familiar behaviors. Psychologist Cynthia Bulik likens it to driving a car with one foot on the gas and the other on the brake; part of you wants to embark on the journey going forward but the other part won’t relinquish control. There is validity in questioning who you will be without reliance on repeated behaviors.

3. You always have a choice. Explore the discrepancy of where you are now and how you desire your life to be. What is the value in moving forward as it compares to the consequences of not?

4. Know that fear is simply False Evidence Appearing Real. Worrying is like praying for what you don’t want to happen. Leaving fear behind allows for mindfulness and gratitude to fill you with the deepest and fullest sense of yourself.

5. Effort is never wasted, even when it leads to disappointing results. Every relapse in action or thought makes you stronger, wiser and more experienced. Just because you are struggling does not mean you’ve failed. Practice patience. Know patience is not about waiting – it is the ability to keep positive and grateful while moving toward the goal. Waiting to declare success when you see all as “perfect”? Remember, “Perfect” is the enemy of great.

6. Ask for support. Making change is difficult in a vacuum. Enlist the help of family and friends who are on the same page. Invest in a coach, someone who meets you where you are and can help you to navigate the journey and encourage you to explore and move through resistance.