Just last month, I was done with everything. I was fed up with work and my attitude and the way I felt about myself. Nothing huge happened to make me feel this way but I could feel myself getting more and more dissatisfied with everything going on with and around me. And so I decided to change. It wasn't easy but it was definitely necessary.
So how did I do this? Baby steps, people.
1.My first step was to start treating my body better.
Since I had already made fitness a regular part of my life several months ago, this seemed to be the easiest mini-goal to set.
Mini-goals are a great starting point and I can't recommend them enough. If you start off too big, chances are you'll get frustrated and give up. Take something you already have a head-start on and go with it.
I cleaned up my eating habits by cutting way down on processed foods and limiting my sugar intake. I also upped my fitness game. While taking it slow in the beginning worked wonders (doing activities I love like long hikes, yoga, pilates, etc.), I eventually decided I was confident and strong enough to push myself a little bit more. I started doing HIIT regularly and finally working the hell out of my upper body.
Nerdy anecdote: I can now do push-ups! What?? This has literally been a goal of mine for over a decade. Crazy, right? All it took was time. Instead of giving up, I pushed myself a little bit every single day until my weak arms finally got the job done. Way to go, arms - you don't suck as much as I thought.
2. Then I stepped out of my comfort zone.
For me, this meant doing what I love out in public. Specifically, I started attending yoga classes. Yoga has been a passion for me for years, but I never had the confidence to attend a class. Practicing with a teacher and in front of other students gets me excited to continue doing so. It turns out a pro can teach you a ton and having a class setting keeps me really motivated and excited about learning as much as possible. Also? It's not scary at all. In fact, it feels incredibly natural.
3. And the biggest change? I put my money where my mouth is.
I spent so many years talking about what I wanted to do without actually doing it: develop recipes, become a self-sufficient human being, learn more about my passions, go back to school, do something I truly love, etc. etc. So what was stopping me? Just a garbage attitude and negative thoughts. I wasted so much time being upset about the way I felt; time I could have spent building myself up.
Lesson learned, right? Moving on.
So here I am. I spend my free time building this space in which I can continue to grow and share my experiences with you. I finally took that photography course to up my game. I started building a community of people that motivate and encourage me. I am taking in so much information about nutrition, clean living and ethics that I can't wait to share with you all. It's kind of fantastic.
My advice to you would be to take ANY free time you have and spend it doing something you really enjoy. Instead of plopping down in front of the tv or sulking in your own misery, go do that thing you keep saying you wish you did. Seriously. Do it.
And now? I feel confident that I'm going in the right direction...even if I'm not sure where exactly that direction is going to lead me yet. So far, it's been a freaking blast.
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