Last week I talked about how many thoughts you have per day – 50,000 or more and how those thoughts are often self-sabotaging. The most effective way (that I know of) to change your results, whether it’s to get a new job, get into a college or lose 50 pounds, is to change your mindset through the practice of mindfulness.
One of the more sabotaging type of thought we have is the “all or nothing” type of thinking.” I’ve had clients tell me that they must lose 15 pounds this month or it’s not worth it. In my opinion, that’s an incredibly sabotaging thought. If they lose 5 pounds this month, that is to be celebrated!
Giving yourself unattainable goals is a quick path to despair and failure
If you set an unreasonable goal like losing 20 pounds in a month (not impossible but highly unlikely for many of us), you are more less likely to take action to begin with because of fear of failure. And, even if you do take action, if we don’t measure up, we often give up.
Watch your thoughts: are you continually setting unreasonable goals and judging yourself when you don’t meet them?
If so, follow the steps I outlined in part 1: Ask yourself:
- What am I thinking (e.g. “If I don’t lose at least 20 pounds by Christmas, I’m giving up.”)
- Ask yourself: are those helping me or sabotaging me? And, are they even true?
- What might I think that would help me? Or, what would I tell a friend in the same situation?
When I find myself falling short of my goals (reasonable or otherwise), I give myself credit for what I have accomplished and build on that. That seems to work to keep my on track.
JennyKalina.com 