By Karrie Billets, Functional Nutrition Coach
Ever think about the reasons we make changes? How do we keep motivated through the process of attaining our goals?
These questions can be answered by ‘why’ do I choose this as my goal? What is the real reason you are on this journey? Figuring out your ‘why” is what will get you started and keep you going to meet your goals. Your motivation is your “why”. The WHY is the fuel to ignite the WHAT and HOW.
As a nutrition health coach, I tease out and sift through your ‘why, what and how’ and empower you to move forward. I provide support, accountability, and tips to help you overcome challenges and setbacks.
I see all too often many of us wait until there’s a catastrophic event to find the desire to change. When you try to create change, your goals may not be enough to keep you motivated towards progressing. That is where asking yourself “WHY” holds so much power.
It’s all about your own internal motivation to seek and pursue a specific change or course of action. They must come from you not an external source that coerces you into thinking this is what you ‘should’ be changing.
I always ask my patients/clients who get stuck with lack of motivation or want to give up, to circle back to their ‘why’. It’s vital to have it written down to refer to when motivation is waning and we want to throw in the towel. It should be so strong, that when you’re in a slump, it will ring out loudly and keep tapping you on the shoulder as a reminder.
How do I find my WHY?
What problem or challenge is motivating me to begin a desire for change?
Think about the reason why you want to incorporate a certain habit into your day. Why is it worth you time and effort? While there’s nothing wrong with, “I want to fit into my favorite jeans”. That may be too superficial to drive your desire for change. I encourage you to dive deeper to find your ‘why’ in a more meaningful way. Perhaps, lowering your risk for diabetes, reducing your medications, biking with your kids, lowering stress to handle life, work, relationships, and your health, or getting 8 hours of quality sleep to reduce your risk of disease, increase brain performance, and balance your hormones and moods.
So grab a notebook and record your WHYS, along with benefits that could happen as a result. Write them down on paper, in your reminders list on your phone, on your nightstand to look at when you go to bed and when you wake up. Pin it on your refrigerator, whatever works for you, because it has just become your jet fuel. Use it as motivation and reflect on it often.
Share it with others to help with accountability and allowing people to support your journey. Use it as an internal compass, guiding your behaviors and decisions and keeping you directed toward your path and journey.
If you need help taking your WHYS to an actionable goal, I am here to support and guide you. I will help navigate those miss-steps, self-sabotaging moments, and introduce you to tools you need for a lifetime of vibrant health.
