Happy Tuesday! Today I’m sharing one of my favorite coaching strategies of all time: STAY IN YOUR LANE. I hear a common struggle from clients on a regular basis: I’m exhausted from everyone else’s “stuff”. Yes, it is so easy to feel pulled here and there from everyone else’s stress, concerns, and life. On a regular basis, clients confess their over involvement in everyone else’s life, whether it be by being in the know, FOMO (fear of missing out) or over concern. When it feels like this is a struggle, you are right; it is! Most of the time when you recognize that it’s sucking your energy, it’s the perfect time to do something about it. Like I always say, you can’t control what happens to you (=circumstance), but you CAN control how you react (=thoughts, feelings & actions).

 

For example, say that you’re trying to lose weight and have made up your mind to make some small but important changes to get to your goal (which is the best way to do it!). At work, you’re doing all of the things to get weight loss results BUT you notice that a few coworkers are losing weight faster than you (so you think) and you now feel left behind and less confident in your skills. This is a classic example of when to gently remind yourself to “STAY IN YOUR LANE”. It simply means to mind your own business and do what is best for you. By cutting out the brain chatter of not doing enough, not doing what everyone else is doing, and not going along with everyone else, your goals will be clearer and more specific. Therefore, you will keep your focus on yourself.

 

“STAY IN YOUR LANE” is a critical strategy for improving focus and concentration, respecting your goals and intentions, and saving energy for what is important to you: YOUR HEALTH. Just like driving a car in traffic, you need to stay in your lane to arrive at your destination safely. Picture yourself in your dream car with both hands on the wheel in 4 lanes of traffic going 70 miles per hour and realize how important it is to stay in your lane… literally! 

 

This week, try the “STAY IN YOUR LANE” strategy and let me know how it went in the comments. I’m pretty sure you’ll learn how to catch yourself and get back in your lane when overwhelm and stress come to visit your brain. As always, YOU are in the driver’s seat of your own life! Bon voyage!

You’ve got this!

Georgette

Let’s chat to see if we are a good fit to work together! Contact me at glepage7@me.com

 

Happy 2023! This month, I will offer you one action step and one mindset shift  to help you jumpstart your 2023 health goals! I’m a firm believer in one small step at a time in order to reach your goals! Our brains like information in smaller chunks and will remember habits and patterns more easily that way!

 

This week, think about your intentions with your sweets and sugar! Are you giving them up all together or are you cutting back? Both ways can work depending on your motivation, determination, and decision making. It’s up to you! There is never only ONE way to do something, so do what will work for you!

 

If you have decided to reduce the number of sugary treats that you’ll be eating, I’d like to offer my concept of SWEET SATURDAY. When my son, Matthew, was young, he did not get very many sugary treats most of the time. It was easy to decide what he could or could not eat then based on what we allowed. As he got older, it got harder to keep up with, especially once he went to school where treats were offered as “normal” rewards and celebrations. To help regulate his sugar intake for the sake of his health, not as deprivation, I created the idea of SWEET SATURDAY. The guidelines were easy: no sugary treats, desserts, etc. during the week and ONE treat was okay on Saturday. I know that I got some criticism for it, but it ended up being a very good learning experience as well as a healthier alternative. It introduced the power of choice and the excitement of anticipation. Matthew was very selective with his one treat per week and learned how to make choices with quality of food in mind. It became something to look forward to instead of taking for granted and the anticipation of it was something to really look forward to. Even today at age eighteen, although SWEET SATURDAY is a practice of the past for him, he makes better choices by thinking about what to eat and when. He is aware of healthy vs. less healthy choices and is now old enough to decide for himself.

 

It’s a mindset shift from “what I can’t have” to “what I choose to have”! I know that you will find this more empowering which will then lead to longer lasting habits that stick. This week, I invite you to give this a try if it matches what your goals are regarding limiting sweets. Put your own spin on it and let me know in the comments what you did, how it went, and how you thought about treats differently! You have nothing to lose by giving it a try…except extra sugar!

 

You’ve got this!

Georgette

 

Need accountability, support, and expert resources to lose weight? Email me at glepage7@me.com to see if we are a good fit to work together!