I’ve said it before, but it really bears repeating….
The biggest challenge you will ever face when deciding to make lifestyle changes (lose weight, get in shape)….
Is you.
You are your own biggest asset and your own biggest liability.
Your strengths…..
Are also your weaknesses.
When people come to me for help, they’re usually really fed up with their own efforts and lack of progress.
They are often times angry –exasperated –tired –at their wit’s end –just fed up with the battle….the battle to lose weight and get in shape
They tend to have similar attitudes and they tend to say very similar things to me.
The most common phrase or phrases I hear are….
“This needs to be livable…”
“I need to be able to maintain this lifestyle…”
“If I don’t enjoy it …I just won’t maintain it.”
“I just can’t live my life like this.”
Or
“I refuse to ‘diet’ …I’ve done it all my life. I just won’t do it anymore.”
I understand what these people are saying……probably more than they think.
I think the very same things…..but I only say them to myself…..and then I laugh at myself a little too
See, what they’re really saying…what’s really going on is….
they are fighting with themselves…literally.
Here, try this:
Think of your “mind” –that ethereal ‘thing’ that exists….but can’t be seen on an X-ray…that ‘thing’ that is like our personality…our brain…and our ‘being’ all wrapped into one.
Think of your mind as just a series of chemical reactions.
These chemical reactions could really happen in ANY order….but part of what makes us who we are is the fact that OUR chemical reactions happen in THIS particular order.
The order in which these chemical reactions occur is due to genetic factors (our parents, grandparents etc) –environmental factors (the way we live, the place we live, our friends, family, experiences) and finally
these chemical reactions occur because of the many daily decisions we make in the course of living our lives (that is if you believe we have ‘free-will’ …which is a completely different conversation).
Okay…?
Can you imagine that?
Good. Now stick with me….I’m getting to the punchline
There is a very popular theory in the field of brain research that is called the ‘Hebbian Theory.’
The Hebbian Theory states that: “Brain cells that fire together –wire together”
All that means is, when we do the same things over and over….the random chemical reactions in our brains begin to act as if there is no other alternative….like they’re not ‘random’ anymore
It’s like we no longer have ‘choice’ ……we HAVE to act in these same, predictable patterns and the same predictable ways.
So what USED to be random…..is now “automatic”
We can also call these are our habits.
But in reality……our habits…..are just that –they’re only our habits…that’s all.
They can be changed.
We really CAN ‘re-wire’ the neurons in our brains to ‘re-fire’ in different order and in different sequence to create NEW and DIFFERENT very enjoyable habits….
We have that power! -It’s true!
I get all ‘goose-bumpy’ just thinking about it! (I am such a nerd)
So when folks say that “This has to be livable” or “I have to enjoy this new lifestyle in order to stick with it” …..what’s really going on is the ‘mind’ is fighting that or any other change
That’s all….that’s all it is
And our mind is very, very, very powerful….Very powerful –and persuasive
‘It’ really doesn’t WANT to change….No matter WHAT you say or think!
But….*(and this is the BEST part)* ….But, our neurons are not in control (as much as they would like us to believe they are).
WE are ultimately in control….they are OUR neurons after all….we don’t belong to them….they belong to us!
So new habits may be difficult to get into….and you may not ‘think’ you’re enjoying them…..but there’s more going on inside that head of yours than you may realize.
You’re fighting with yourself….with your own mind.
Remember…..
“Brain cells that fire together –wire together”
Just start ‘firing’ new experiences….and eventually those experiences will become habit….and then……
…..then –The sky is the limit!
You can ultimately do whatever you want to do
(see? Now YOU have the goosebumps!)
To your good health!
~Paul
Paul D’Arcy
(517) 673-5286
“Committed to your Success!”
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