Being consistently, inconsistent.

How to find focus and consistency with your health and wellness intentions.

Do you have the best intentions only to lose interest within the first few days or weeks of starting something new?

Are you initially enthusiastic about making changes to your lifestyle yet life seems to get in the way, and nothing seems to stick?

Have you ever found something you loved yet fallen out of practice?

Have you lost your rhythm, or perhaps, never really found it?

When it comes to your health and wellbeing we all have the best intentions but how can we keep ourselves focused and consistent?

I answered, yes, to all of the questions above yet I have finally found my flow with my wellness practices; they are habits that have been cultivated with patience, compassion and some all-important mindset mastery! Trust me, there are days when I dip out of a particular practice although I always find my way back to the practices which support me, nourish me and sustain my well-being.

There could be several things stopping you from finding your rhythm and establishing a new habit. Some obvious things like, falling out of practice or, having a lack of routine which leads to putting things off and allowing other things to get in the way.

There is also the possibility of a lack of motivation; I used to have a personal trainer on a Monday morning, did I want to roll out of bed to swing a kettlebell? Not really, however, what motivated me was the sense of strength in my body and lift in my mood that I knew my session would give me.

Having no accountability can be a problem. Obviously, my personal trainer would keep me accountable to show up and train, just like my yoga teacher who expects to see me each week, or the friend who will check in to see how my new meditation practice is going. All these things keep me accountable and motivated because, without accountability, it’s easy to give in to negative thinking.
I'd like you to consider that developing a new practice or, committing to a change in your lifestyle is a process; a journey of practice, patience and transformation!!

This is my 5-step process to help you stay consistent in your wellness practice...

1. Intention

If we want to do things with passion and purpose, we need an intention behind it; an intention to make a change, or to support ourselves better, to improve our health. Sometimes our intentions can be motivated by something external, like other people, and this is why it’s good to go deeper, asking yourself some all-important questions...

Why do I want to start this?

How will this impact my health?

How will this affect my work, my home life and relationships, for the better?

How do I want I feel in my body; mentally, emotionally and physically by starting this?

Get clear on what you want and take into account all aspects of your wellbeing.

If you’re considering starting yoga, for example, think about how it might impact your mental health as well as your physical health, adding this to your reasons to practice.

2. Plan

It’s good to have a set of intentions but you need to be practical too and make a plan!

A plan will make your life easier, especially when your new practice begins to feel a little challenging and avoid doing any one thing too much to minimise the risk of exhausting yourself before you see any progress.

Have a backup plan for when life throws you a curveball, or for days you might have to work late. Planning for when things might not go to plan will help you stay on track and you'll be less likely to criticise yourself.

3. Routine

This is the one most of us struggle with, falling out of a routine often happens because we didn't factor in our existing one! Building a routine to support your goals is super important so take a moment to think about yourself and your lifestyle, right now…

What is your current routine or schedule looking like?

What time do you wake up in the morning, and go to bed?

How many commitments do you currently have blocking out time in your diary?

Where can you create space in your existing routine to dedicate mindful time to your practice, training session, or meditation, every week?

Be honest, realistic and flexible, factoring in all your other responsibilities and intentions.

4. Mindset

The magic ingredient.

The way you think affects the way you feel, and your beliefs affect your behaviour and how you perceive the world around you. A positive and abundant mindset is super-useful for finding consistency in your wellness goals because it increases your self-belief and confidence. Science has also proven that aerobic exercise increases oxygen-rich blood flow to your brain and allows the release of the endorphin responsible for the growth of new neurons in your brain!
A growth mindset is supportive, positive and adaptable. You can recognise your ability to change, learn new skills and develop, or strengthen your talents.
A fixed mindset is quite the opposite; limiting your self-belief and ability to adapt or change your life and how you feel.

5. Practice

Practice is quite simply a series of imperfect repetitions.
Repetition is key to living with intention, building a routine and developing your mindset. Habits are only formed once a practice has been cultivated with effort and persistence through imperfect repetition and by following a plan with the best intentions.
Accept imperfection as part of your process and know you'll get better as you evolve. Focus on the process and not on perfection.

Preparation + Mindset = Consistency

Here are my top tips for aligning your mindset to your intentions…

1. Don’t compare yourself to others or even yourself, yesterday or last week. Your body is in a constant state of change so roll with it and meet yourself where you are, on that day.

2. Notice your shifts in mood, energy and physical or mental performance, and focus. Be compassionate and don’t lose faith in your ability. You are resilient, adaptable and very capable of change!

3. Be adaptable. If you begin to notice a pattern emerging in your mood or energy levels perhaps you can make changes to the times of day or duration which you are practising, or you could adapt your practice, or technique to suit your body better at different times of the week or month.

4. Resist the urge to improve too soon; once a practice becomes familiar and feels effortless, consistently, then you may want to consider increasing or improving on your practice.

5. Practice is simply a series of imperfect repetitions. There is no need for perfection only the repetition of a well-planned routine backed up by a positive growth mindset!

Consistency means to act in the same way over and over, it helps you measure your progress, and allows you to reflect on your growth however, things can get boring when we do them the same way every time, take my mindfulness practice for example; I have a list of practices that create my morning ritual and although I may not do every practice daily, they all come together to form my weekly wellness routine, and this is what works best for me.

What intention for your wellbeing do you have which needs a little consistency?

Go deep with your intentions

Be realistic and adaptable with your plan

Structure a routine

Build your mindset

Practice the process

With gratitude,

Becki