E02 - Step into Change: Navigating Doubts and Embracing Growth

(upbeat music)

Welcome to the Mindful Balance Mini Podcast.

If you are a woman over 40,

ready to break free from fad diets

and discover the power of balance and confidence

in your life, then this podcast is for you

and I am so happy that you are here.

I'm your host, I'm Rachel, a nutrition and mindset coach

and I'm going to break down everything you need to know

into bite-sized pieces of sustainable and realistic tips.

I wanna invite you to join me

as we explore practical strategies to stop overeating,

nourish your body, and use the potential

of your amazing brain to achieve your goals.

If you haven't already,

make sure to hit that subscribe button

so you never miss an episode filled with insights

nutrition mindset and building healthy habits.

We're diving today into the question that's so commonly known as how to

actually take the first step. Whether you're wants to change your health, your

body composition or eating habits, this is what we are talking about today.

I am your host, Rachel Emma and I am so excited to help you take the first step towards a

healthier happier you.

So today I am super excited to start with a topic I've had in mind for literally months

and months.

Funny enough, it's about getting started.

You see, in many ways, starting this podcast was a very similar process to when I was trying

to take the first step in my journey to finding balance with food and changing how I ate back

then.

Tell me if this sounds familiar at all.

First, you have an idea about something that you want to do.

You know it's time and you've been probably thinking about it for way too long and waiting

for the right moment when let's call it all the stars align and you feel ready.

Alright, let's start with that awesome feeling that you get when you decide to take action,

right? This is like very warm and fuzzy. It's like a burst of excitement and your brain is practically

high-fiving itself with a dopamine hit, celebrating your decision, let's say to

improve your well-being, your relationship, your work, or whatever it is that you are planning on

doing. But hey, you guessed it right. As soon as you make that decision and that dopamine hit kind

of like goes down, the doubts start creeping in and you are at this very, very hard stop.

And I also want to pause here because I really want to take a few more seconds to dig into this

phenomena a little bit more. Our brains are truly fascinating and they have evolved over thousands

of years to protect us and ensure that we are surviving. When it comes to making changes in our

lives, especially in areas like health, body composition, or your eating habits,

our brains can sometimes act like an overprotective friend trying to kind of

shield us from potential failure or harm. You see, back in ancient time, let's go

back for a second, our ancestors faced real environmental dangers from wild

animals to just not having enough resources. Survival was a true daily challenge. So, imagine

that you live in such a world, taking risks could be truly life threatening. This is why our brains

basically developed this powerful risk avoidance mechanism to keep us safe. Now, fast forward to

today and while we would all agree that we no longer have to worry about tigers, our

brains still retain that primitive programming.

So change still represents a level of uncertainty and stepping into this unknown territory,

our brains make it mean that there is a potential threat.

It's like a red flag danger.

And since our brains are there to protect us and make sure that the human is surviving,

to avoid that risk, the brain tends to favor sticking with familiar routines and habits.

Even, and this is like a really important one, even if they're not ideal for our long-term

wellbeing.

So even if it's not in your best interests, your brain will always prefer to stick to

what it knows. Like, how's that saying go? The devil you know, etc. Now, let's connect this

evolutionary programming to the doubts that show up when we decide to make a change. And I'm going

to tie it all together. It's gonna make sense, I promise. Your brain might start throwing

objections and it may look like, what if it's too hard? Or what if I fail and embarrass myself?

and all the other what-ifs. These objections stem exactly from that risk avoidance mechanism,

as the brain is trying basically to protect you from potential discomfort or perceived failure.

Now here's the cool part, and we're getting to the juicy part. You can take control of these

objections. We can consciously recognize this pattern and understand that changing

doesn't involve life or death situations anymore. We're not in that environment,

this is not our life anymore. And it is the path to growth, to any self-improvement

or building a healthier lifestyle. That growth and overcoming those objections

are necessary. So if you're ready for some tools to tackle those doubts, let's

continue along. So the first thing that you can do in order to help yourself

overcome those doubts is just give yourself some grace. I know it sounds

easier said than done but change really does take time and effort and it's okay

to stumble along the way. You can choose to celebrate every tiny victory no

matter how small it is. That is how you build momentum and you calm your brain

by telling it it's okay I've got us covered. Number two, find support. I know

again it sounds so overused but surrendering yourself with friends,

family or even online communities that lift you up, sharing your journey with

others can really bring immense strength and encouragement in this process. Think

of it as like, let's say you're hiking up a challenging trail right with your

friend. When the path gets a little rough, they can offer a hand to help you and

give you that support and that can really make all the difference in

enriching to your destination.

And one last thing I want to leave you with,

visualize success.

This is where you take a second or a few minutes each day

just to imagine how incredible it will feel

once you achieve your goals.

Visualization is a very, very powerful tool

that can help give you that motivation and focus.

And lastly, I want to leave you with a reminder, it is really okay to have setbacks.

We're all humans and life can be unpredictable.

If you feel overwhelmed or unsure, this is totally normal.

You got this.

I know it because you are now listening to this episode and there were many, many months

of doubts and pushing through obstacles that happened prior to me actually implementing

the plan that I had to start a podcast.

You can gently remind yourself that it is natural to feel hesitant and to feel discomfort

when stepping out of your comfort zone.

But you can also remind yourself that you are capable of adapting and thriving in new

situations and while you adopting new life habits.

Alright, my friends, as we wrap up, remember that every journey starts with a single step.

I believe in you and I know that you can do it.

Don't let those doubts hold you back.

You're worthy of health, you're worthy of happiness and this is your time to shine.

So thank you so much for tuning in today.

I hope you find our chat helpful and inspiring.

Until next time, take care and remember,

you've got the power to create a life that you want.

Keep shining, keep growing, and keep being awesome.

I'll see you next time.

Thank you for tuning in

to the Mindful Balance podcast today.

I hope you enjoyed our conversation and find inspiration

to find your unique balance and confidence.

Remember that the journey continues on Instagram.

You can find me @rachelemmanutrition.

That is one word where I share daily nuggets of wisdom

to help you reach your goals with ease.

If you loved today's episode,

don't forget to subscribe to the podcast

and leave us a review.

Your feedback fuels our mission to empower more women

on their mindful balance journey.

Until next time, take care and stay mindful.

Bye.

- Thank you for listening to The Mindful Balance.

The Mindful Balance is brought to you by Rachel Emma Nutrition, our editing and mixing engineer,

Michael Plawner.

Our theme song is Good Feelings by Bo Gleason.

The information in this podcast does not substitute for medical or psychological advice and is

intended for educational purposes only.

Please consult a qualified health professional regarding health conditions or concerns before

starting a new diet or health program.

Rachel Emma Nutrition LLC and accompanying websites and social media platforms are not

responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of

any suggestions herein or procedures undertaken hereafter.

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