That’s just what minds do

After almost 20 years working a dietitian, doing thousands of private coaching sessions, listening to my clients various trials and tribulations, I noticed something interesting.

That fundamentally, we’re all the same.

While our experiences are all very different, the exact details of our lives are all so different, yet underneath our stories and opinions, we all work in the exact same way.

We all have a mind that chatters away all day long directing what we do, how we do it and deciding how we experience the world.

That's right - our mind is telling us what to think, feel and do - and most of the time we aren't aware that this is what's happening. It all happens below our conscious awareness.

I see how this plays out most often in the realm of food and weight. Especially when it comes to losing weight. Clients start on a regime, they're so excited by the prospect of being a slimmer version of themselves, off they go for a while, then “something” happens.

Something always “happens” and they stop.

They go to a wedding and overeat. They decide they’ve blown it and give up.

They’re at work. Someone brings in donuts and hands them one. They eat it. Then help themselves to another.

They’re eating well and moving more daily. Four weeks go by, then they get on the scales and the number hasn’t moved. Not even 100 grams.

What actually stops you is not what you do or what happens. It’s how you respond.

You tell yourself all sorts of explanations and reasons why what you're doing isn't going to work or its all too hard or it's not fair and after all, you've done it all before and it never lasted anyway. So you may as well quit now. And you do. Despite how well-intentioned you were at the start!⁠

This is normal human behaviour.

You see, your brain doesn't like change.⁠ It likes everything to be the same.

So it resists and that's why change feels so uncomfortable.⁠

Your mind offers up all the doubt and negative self-talk⁠. And you buy into it. You believe it, since its coming from your mind so it must be true, right? (err, no!)

So you quit.

And when you quit⁠, all of this discomfort goes⁠ away and you get immediate relief.

But then a short while after, you start to realise that nothing has changed and actually, that's not so comfortable either.

⁠This is why working with a coach is so valuable⁠. A coach can help you through those times when you want to quit⁠. When it all gets too hard and you want to give up⁠.

It’s the stops and starts on the way to getting the body you want that makes the journey so long. And tiresome.⁠

Every human needs a coach, including you. If I’m not the coach for you, that’s ok. Please find a coach that fits your personal style and invest in coaching. Invest in you.

We all can achieve whatever it is we desire.

And with a coach by your side, who knows what YOU are capable of!