Better Me with BodyByBree
Better Me with BodyByBree
Rescue Your Resolutions: How to Reignite Your Motivation
How often do we chase goals that aren't truly ours? The allure of new challenges can sometimes lead us astray, pushing us towards resolutions driven by ego or external expectations. In this episode, I share my personal journey of realizing the need to align my New Year's resolutions with my core values and aspirations. Through introspection, I discovered the joy in embracing activities like tennis, which not only energized me but also helped shed burdens like perfectionism. This journey is about creating resolutions that truly reflect who we want to become, focusing on daily habits that bring balance and authenticity to our lives.
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Are you looking for a space where you will learn to improve your mental strength, emotional health and heal your insecurities from the inside out? Take the first step to living a more meaningful life with the Better Me with Body by Brie podcast. I'm your host, brie. I'm a certified personal trainer, entrepreneur and mother of three. I've helped empower thousands of women to take action through fitness, nutrition, meditation, personal development and aligning thoughts with action. This podcast is for those who are ready to feel inspired and motivated to live a more purposeful life. Let's grow together.
Speaker 1:Hi there, friends. Can you believe we're already talking about the new year? I know it's that time when everyone starts making resolutions and setting goals, but before you grab that notebook and write down, workout every day or eat healthier, I want to stop you for a second. Let's dig a little deeper. Here's the thing Resolutions that actually stick aren't just about what you do. They're actually about who you want to be. They're about aligning your goals with your highest self, that version of you that feels joyful, fulfilled and true to who you really are. So today I'm sharing five soul-searching questions to ask yourself before you commit to any New Year's resolution. So grab your tea, find a cozy spot and let's chat. Oh, and you might want to grab a journal for this one too. Let's get into it.
Speaker 1:Hi friends, welcome to the podcast. I had the biggest epiphany in my real life that happened. That really sparked this podcast episode today, and I was so excited to share it with you. Because I really feel like we just start off the year setting these goals that we feel like we should accomplish because it sounds good on paper or we're like, oh, that would be cool if I did X, y, z. But we don't really take the time to figure out why we want to accomplish the goal number one and number two. Does it actually align with who I want to become? And most people actually haven't sat down with themselves long enough to think about that question, like who do I want to become and what is the highest version of myself and what does that person show up as in life? You know, like who does she show up as and what are her habits? And so that's kind of. The first step for me is really just thinking about that vision for myself of who I want to become, and then I kind of work backwards from there. I'm like, okay, well, if I want to become this person that feels, you know, feels fulfilled in her life as a present mother, is healthy and fit and strong, but also isn't obsessive with her body and doesn't feel the need to, like, pick herself apart, but also prioritizes health. You know, I go through all this thing. Well then, what are the daily habits that she would need to accomplish? And you can actually use a lot of this stuff with chat GPT. You literally can put in like my highest version of myself does these things and then put what habits would I need to do to become this version of myself? And you can literally use chat GPT to help you visualize this if you need like a visual.
Speaker 1:But here's my story that kind of prompted this whole podcast episode. I saw that the NPC. So I used to do fitness competitions and I loved it, but then it got very unhealthy and I noticed that I was becoming obsessive. I noticed I was doing more and more unhealthy things to get to the body that the judges wanted and I ultimately decided to quit. Well, I saw that recently the NPC just opened a new division that was called the fit model division and you don't have to be quite as lean so you wouldn't have to go into such extremes. It's more of an athletic body, look.
Speaker 1:And I immediately was like, yes, I'm doing that, like that would be so fun. I love working for a goal. I love leaning out. I love like building my body for something. I love being on stage. I love the bling, I love the like, it's just fun, right.
Speaker 1:So I immediately was like, yes, I'm going to do it. So I gave myself a week to kind of sit on it, pray about it, meditate on it, and as the week went on, I kept having these thoughts why do you feel like you need to do this competition? And when I really got down to it I am a little embarrassed to admit that I feel like it was expectation, like I feel like I always need to be pushing myself for something because I have a very high expectation of myself and I'm an achiever. So I'm like I need to be achieving something. And if you go even deeper, I was like it makes me feel worthy when I'm working hard for something, like I want to meet the expectation that others place upon me. But are they really placing that upon me or am I placing that upon myself? And another kind of humbling thing that came to my head was this is a little bit of an ego thing, like to prove to myself that I can do this after four kids and there's nothing wrong with that.
Speaker 1:But at the end of the day I realized I had worked so hard to heal my relationship with food and find this balance where I'm so happy. I work out for fun, I work out because I love it. I do movement that makes me feel good, like hot yoga, and I incorporate Pilates and I go for runs and I'm not so rigid and I'm not even as rigid as I used to be with like tracking, like I kind of just loosely track. Um, it's the happiest I've ever been with my body, mentally and physically. And I just kind of heard this like stop, you don't want to go down that road again. You've worked so hard to get out of those unhealthy habits. You'll get sucked right back in.
Speaker 1:And it was like what brings you joy, what truly brings you joy and at the end of the day, it's not that it's not getting my worth from judges critiquing my body Like what brings me joy is actually balance. And it was actually this balance of being able to eat the fun foods while still prioritizing healthy foods and working out every day, but also deciding what type of workouts I want every day, and so I really found joy in the balance and I would throw all that out the window if I did another competition, and so it was really hard that I decided not to do it, and I am so glad that I decided not to do that. I felt this huge sense of relief, felt like a thousand pounds lifted off of my shoulders. So that goes to show you like listening to your soul and what your soul really wants to feel fulfilled and happy and bring joy into your life. That is everything, and I actually had the thought too, like it would take away from my kids, and this year is to actually be more present with my children. So, anyway, didn't align with what I wanted, and my word this year is align. So think of what your word is before you do this exercise.
Speaker 1:I feel like the number one thing before you start setting your New Year's resolution is think of the person that you want to become and think of a word for this year. What do you want the feeling, the overall feeling of this year to be? Maybe it's excitement or adventure, or calm or peace. Minds align. Every decision I make needs to align with my soul. So let's go through these five questions that I want you to ask yourself before you set your new year's resolution.
Speaker 1:Number one what brings me the most joy? So I want you to think back over the past year. Oh, and before we kind of get into this, I also want you to think of, like, maybe you've already started your new year's resolutions and you're not hitting them. There's probably a reason why you're not hitting them. I bet you didn't ask yourself these questions. Either you truly don't want it it doesn't align with who you want to be or they just don't add up with your season of life, right?
Speaker 1:So, number one what brings me the most joy? I want to think back over the past year. What were the moments that made you feel truly alive? Was it something big, like a family vacation, or something small, like laughing with your kids over dinner? Maybe it was walking in nature or dancing in your kitchen, or finally finishing that book that you've been wanting to read. So, to give you an example, I remember I had a conversation with my friend that had this epiphany last year and she had been running herself ragged trying to keep up with work and the kids' activities and just life in general trying to keep up with work and the kids activities and just life in general. And when I asked her what brought her joy, she started tearing up and she said, honestly, it's when I sit down to paint. I haven't done that in months, and so, instead of making a resolution to be more productive, she set a goal to paint once a week. That simple shift made her feel more alive and connected to herself than ever before. Because, remember, your joy matters. So I want you to think about what lights you up and then let that guide your resolutions.
Speaker 1:So, for me, this last year was tennis. I talked about this before, but I started taking tennis lessons. You guys, I had no idea how to play tennis, I just knew I wanted something that made me feel like an athlete. That didn't have to do with how my body looked, I just wanted to be fun and athletic and have a hobby that was outside, because I like being active outside and I like learning new things, and so I was like I'm going to learn how to play tennis. It was the best decision I could have ever done. I have so much fun playing tennis and it started out just like with a group of friends.
Speaker 1:And then I got so into it that I literally tried out for a tennis league that does like matches and travels and I have young kids like that's hard to do and not everyone can do that with their situation. But I was like I can dedicate one day a week to like doing a match, you know, like I can dedicate a couple hours to something that is for me. And at first it felt selfish but now I see it's not selfish because I show up so differently for my family. I don't feel resentful. I don't feel like I'm pouring from an empty cup. I feel alive and excited and I come home and I'm just so grateful for my kids and my family because I filled my cup and it's been such a great experience. I was terrified. I didn't know a soul when I started. I literally showed up to my first lesson with a racquetball racket that I found in my garage. The coach was like this isn't even a tennis racket. That's how bad it was. Fast forward now I play every week in a league with some amazing women that I just met that have become my really good friends, and it's something I look forward to. It brings a lot of joy to my life, so think about what brings you the most joy.
Speaker 1:Question number two what's one thing I want to let go of? So let's flip the script for a second. Resolutions don't always have to be about adding something new, but sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is let go of what's not serving you. So take a moment to think about that. Is there a habit or a mindset, or even a relationship, that's been weighing you down? Maybe it's saying yes to too many things or leaving you stretched too thin, or maybe it's the guilt that you feel for taking time for yourself, or maybe it's negative self-talk that's been holding you back. So here's an example. A client of mine realized that she had this constant need to be perfect in everything she did, and it was exhausting her. So her resolution last year was to let go of perfectionism. And instead of aiming for perfect, she started aiming for progress, and let me tell you the freedom that she felt was incredible. Letting go it can just be as transformative as starting something new. So what's one thing you want to let go of? Question number three how do I want to feel in my daily life? This is a big one.
Speaker 1:Resolutions often focus on what we want to do, but what if we focused on how we want to feel? So maybe you want to feel energized, calm or more connected, whatever it is. I want you to start there. For example, if you want to feel energized, calm or more connected, whatever it is, I want you to start there. For example, if you want to feel energized, ask yourself what actions support that. Maybe it's getting better sleep or drinking more water, or moving your body in ways that feel good. If you want to feel more connected, your goals might involve spending quality time with loved ones or being more present in the moment.
Speaker 1:So I had this neighbor that told me she was tired of feeling frazzled every day. Her goal wasn't just to be more organized, it was to feel calm. So she started small and each morning she gave herself 10 minutes to sit with her coffee and breathe and she set her intention for the day, and that tiny shift changed everything for her. So how do you want to feel? And then let that guide your resolutions. For me, it was actually my morning routine. I wanted to start my day with intention, but when I tried to set my alarm an hour earlier, I just never did it because I was so tired. So instead I started setting my alarm for 20 minutes earlier. I just wake up 20 minutes before I have to start waking up my kids for school and I do my scripture study. I set my intention and I do a quick little five minute grounding meditation. It has made such a difference and I really feel like that small shift in my daily life changed how I want to feel throughout the day, which I really don't want to feel frazzled, I want to feel calm and prepared for the day and like a loving mother, and in order to do that, I have to fill my cup spiritually, and so that really helps me a lot. Like it doesn't have to be an hour, it can be 15 minutes.
Speaker 1:Question number four does this align with my values? Here's a trap we fall into setting goals based on what we think we should do, but resolutions that stick are the ones that align with your deepest values. So what really matters to you Is it family, health, creativity, freedom? So, for example, if one of your top values is family and you're setting a resolution to work late every night, that might not feel right to you, right? So instead you could set a goal to be home for dinner three nights a week, or if health is a value, your goal could be to move your body in ways that feel nourishing, not punishing. And I remember that when I stopped putting all of the focus on accomplishing and I just kind of focused on, like, what do I want most out of life, that's when it really shifted everything to me and kind of felt more aligned.
Speaker 1:The last one is question number five what's one small step I can take today? So, finally, let's make it practical. Big resolutions can feel overwhelming, which is why so many people quit by February. Instead of focusing on the big picture, I want you to break it down and ask yourself what's one small step I can take today? So, for example, if your goal is to get more active, maybe today's step is a 10 minute walk. If you want to be more present with your family, maybe today's step is putting your phone away during dinner. Small actions build momentum and, before you know it, those tiny steps add up to big changes. So let's bring it all together.
Speaker 1:Let's recap these five questions.
Speaker 1:One what brings me the most joy? Two what's one thing I want to let go of? Three how do I want to feel in my daily life? Four, does this goal align with my values? And five, what's one small step I can take today?
Speaker 1:So, when you take the time to answer these questions, you're not just setting resolutions. You're creating a vision for your life that's meaningful, authentic and aligned to who you truly are. All right, friends, it's your turn. Set some time aside this week to reflect on those questions, write down your answers and let them guide your goals for the new year. And remember, you don't have to do this alone. Share your goals with a friend or reach out to me if you'd like support.
Speaker 1:And if this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who could use a little guidance as they set their resolutions. And hey, let me know what your answers are. I would love to hear what you're dreaming about for next year. And remember, the best resolutions aren't about becoming someone new. They're about stepping into the fullest, most beautiful version of yourself. You've got this. Let's make this year the best one yet. Remember, I'm always here to help hold you accountable.
Speaker 1:If you're looking for coaching or macro adjustments or nutrition guidance, I am here to help you every step of the way. Bodybybricom and I will talk to you next time. Thank you for joining us in today's episode. If you liked the content and want to hear more, remember to hit that subscribe button and write a review. As a small business owner, I appreciate it more than you know. If you are looking for a program to help with self-confidence to lose weight, get in shape and work on your mental, physical and emotional health, check out my training programs on wwwbodybybreecom. My team and I help to hold you accountable through the Body by Bree app, where you log in to see all your workouts, custom meal plan made specifically for you and your needs, and communication through the messenger. You are never alone when you're on the Body by Bree training program. Click the link in the show notes to get more information on how to transform your life from the inside out.
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