Stay Committed Even When It Seems No One Supports You
/"Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach."- Tony Robbins
Any time we try something new it’s always exciting in the beginning. Transitioning to a health-focused, wellness first lifestyle is no different. I get totally excited when I hear of something new that will help reinvigorate my wellness routine. However, staying committed to it isn’t always easy, especially when it feels like you have little or no support.
We often get on a roll, full speed ahead and at some point, especially if the routine becomes too time consuming or hard or we feel all alone, we loose our steam and eventually let it fall to the wayside. We lose our committed purpose.
I was lucky enough to transition into a plant-based diet with my husband and because we had each other to hold on to when the naysayers came out swinging, or in the beginning when we were still craving some of our old favorites, it made staying committed in the early days very easy. However, this isn’t always the case. Many people feel the pull to become healthier without having someone to transition into it with and often what they discover is resistance from others.
When we went plant-bases, a lot of people were curious and asked many questions, which we were happy to openly chat about. However, there were definitely those that liked to point out why our decision was flawed, and placed a ton of judgment on us. There were also those that would still try to get us to eat things we no longer wanted to eat or they would tease us about our decision. It hurt and I felt betrayed and in some cases, disrespected.
At times I would get so mad I felt like I was seeing red. I’d roll my eyes (hopefully without them seeing) and go into my long-winded pitch about how if they knew how animals were treated on these factory farms they wouldn’t be able to eat meat either. I had all my defensive points mapped out, ready to use when the moment was right.
Eventually, my husband and I realized that the best way to spread our message was to live it with grace. We had to find a way to be okay with the comments and stay true to what we believed in.
This goes for anything new and unconventional that we do in our lives. Sometimes people, unbeknownst to them, are acting a certain way out of fear. They don’t want you to change because often, when others make positive changes in their lives, it can remind us that we need to change too.
In the end I realized several thing and wanted to share them with you today as a tool for you when things start to feel a little difficult but I want to say this first. You are so much stronger then you realize. The choice you’ve made to be healthier and happier is brave and courageous. The changes you are making in your life, you should be proud. Very proud. And, I am here for you every step of the way.
Tips for Staying Committed to Your Path
Find Your Tribe Any time we try something new it’s really important to find people who are on a similar journey that can support you in yours. It is so much easier to stay committed to change when we know we have a group of like-minded people to talk to, especially in our moment of weakness but also during times of excitement.
Recently I spoke at a 90-day weight lose challenge where a group of about thirty women competed to lose the most weight. Although it was a fun competition what I say was a group of amazing women who came together to support and encourage each other on this journey for better health and happiness. This is a tribe.
You can lean on each other, celebrate your triumphs opening as well as your fears. It’s truly amazing to have people you can turn and talk for hours on end about your mutual interest.
If you feel like Savoury Soul Wellness is part of your tribe I encourage you to reach out to me. Tell me what’s going on and where you need support. That’s why I am here.
Communicate Kindly Other people’s opinions of us can hurt. Especially when it’s someone we love and trust and they aren’t giving us the support we need to succeed. No one likes to feel judged, especially when we are doing something for ourselves that feels authentic and makes us happy and healthy.
However, something I’ve learned is that it’s okay if not everyone agrees with what we are doing and we don’t have to get into a shouting match to prove that we are right. I’ve learned to communicate kindly to them, which may look something like this:
“I know you may not agree with or understand why I am doing ________ but please know that it feels right to me and makes me happy and that’s really what is important, right? I respect you and how you choose to live your life and all I ask is for the same in return.”
People seem to be a lot more curious and understanding when I approach it with love instead of venom and more judgment. Who would have thought? ☺
Stay True to Yourself When it comes down to it, you are the only one you really have to answer to. At the end of the day, are you living your life for you or for someone else?
We live in a world where we are told we have to put everyone else and their needs first, which, to some extent, is a great way to live. However, if it is compromising on what you really, truly want then you have to stay true to yourself and do what makes you happy.
Treat It As An Opportunity Challenging times and situations are a huge opportunity for growth. Never has anything been more true and I believe we are constantly given similar opportunities that challenge our beliefs and create change in order for us become the person we are meant to be. We need these challenges to push and expand us in ways we may not do so otherwise.
Even when something seems hard, try to step back and look at in from a different perspective. How can you approach it differently then you have in the past? Try to see the other person’s perspective and apply compassion towards your response. Maybe they are just scared you are going to change so much they may not connect with you anymore. Even if that is so (and it’s absolutely okay as well), try and see where they are coming from and help them understand your goals.
Hire a Coach One of the best things you can do for yourself is to say yes to a life you love. This involves putting you first and when you don’t have the support in your inner circle, a coach is someone who is kind of like your own personal cheerleader. We hold you accountable with lots of encouragement, and sometimes a little tough love. Most importantly, as a coach myself, my biggest goal and hope is that my clients finds a life they truly love and I will do whatever it takes to help them get there. I help them realize what steps need to be taken to get aligned with that vision then stand by their side as they take each step.
You are on an incredible journey so never lose sight of that.