The power of choice is what sets us apart as humans. It is also an essential step on your journey toward healing your relationship with food and finding food freedom.
I’m so glad you’re still with me on this journey! Committing to your own well-being is truly an essential element of taking your life and your business to the heights you dream of.
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If you’re just getting here, make sure you go back and read the first two posts: 3 Simple Steps to Food Freedom and Finding Food Freedom Starts with Awareness.
Step 1: Awareness: Complete!
OK - so you’ve done step 1 and you have a much greater sense of awareness around where you are, where you want to be, and what you might do to get there. This awareness is so, so, so powerful. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again now - awareness creates a much greater chance of actually seeing the results you want to achieve (so, if you read the post, but didn’t take the time to build some awareness - go back. Seriously. I can’t even tell you how much I want you to succeed and that means going through the whole process!)
Tip on knowing if your awareness is really strong: Once it is strong enough, taking action feels like the only option. Not taking action feels super uncomfortable. So if you are saying, “Let’s go. I can’t wait any longer!” you’re there.
Now what? Step 2: Choice!
Oooooh, this is where it gets exciting. And it’s exciting for a couple of reasons:
- You’ll start making changes. And I'm guessing that's what you came for in the first place. If you're anything like me, you get pretty excited about doing something new, especially at first (when it is actually new…).
- You’ll start seeing results. Yes!!! (Although, if you did the awareness step, you’re probably already seeing some results).
- You are stepping into your human-ness. One of the things that sets us apart as humans is our capacity to plan and choose based on logical thought (all other animals take action based solely on neurotransmitter activity). And that is super empowering!
Think about it - you are going to decide where and how you want to make some shifts in order to support your long-term well-being and finally heal your relationship with food. This opens doors for all sorts of opportunities to unfold.
What you need to know about choice
- You are always making choices. The way you approach your well-being now is a series of choices every day. In the awareness step, we get clear about what your current choices are. This brings the element of choice out of the subconscious brain and into our conscious awareness. Essentially, you have come off autopilot and now you are getting into the driver’s seat.
- A choice is only an idea until we put it into action. Once you make a decision, you have to act on it for it to make a difference. In fact - if you make a choice and then DON’T act on it, you will likely feel increased anxiety and disappointment. So - make a choice and then implement!
- Speaking of implementation - it’s not going to be perfect. It’s not supposed to be. Long-term change happens through small shifts made over time. If you seek perfection, you won’t likely stick with the change (you’ve experienced this before, yes?). The goal is NOT perfection. The goal is consistency over time.
- It’s important to commit to a choice and to also allow yourself to make a new choice if you decide that the one you picked isn’t right for you. Commit to it while you’re doing it, and be honest with yourself when it’s time to make another change or try something new. Any action is the right action for now and whatever action you choose will lead you to new discoveries about what’s right for you! In the Army, we called this "flexicution" - the ability to execute while also remaining flexible.
- Don’t wait until you know the “right way” to get started. You can ask 100 people what the “right” thing to do is and get 100 different answers. And none of them are wrong (well, ok, I don’t believe that. I think there’s a lot of unhelpful and inaccurate info in the health field… but I digress). It’s OK to take in more info, but what you probably need is to go inside your body and your heart and decide what’s right for YOU. Expert advice is helpful, but you are the expert in you, so it’s up to you to take that advice and decide how to proceed.
- Not taking action is always a choice that is available to you. It’s OK to choose that if now is not the right time to make a change, but my suggestion is to make sure you like your reason for not taking action. Consider going back to the awareness step and see if you can get really clear on what that reason is.
Putting it into action
OK, you are ready! Pick just one or two choices that you want to implement and go for it!
Implementing a bunch of changes at the same time can feel overwhelming to the brain and cause burnout (which, of course, can lead to quitting). So, I recommend picking one or two things that feel most exciting and aligned to you. Allow this to feel fun. It does not need to feel like a burden!
That said, if you want to make a handful of changes at once or to make big changes right out of the gate - let's chat. Having support on those big changes is incredibly helpful when you're seeking long-term success. You can book a discovery call HERE.
Cheers to you and the changes ahead!