A few months ago a former co-worker of mine reached out to me regarding a business she was establishing. She had always dreamed of starting her own health and wellness company and needed to take on a handful of clients to gain experience and practice before formally launching her business. She asked if she could take me on as one of her clients, so I agreed and I could not be happier that I did.
My friend/health and wellness coach/life changer (let's call her Lucy), has been working with me for a couple of months now to help me completely revamp my lifestyle. What I love about what she does is that it's all on my own terms -- with her guidance, of course.
Prior to our first consultation, Lucy had me fill out a detailed questionnaire about my lifestyle and medical history. At our initial meeting, Lucy discussed my information in a more relaxed setting, and from there we established small, easily attainable goals. Lucy explained that small, realistic goals are much more achievable than big-picture goals. Small goals are easier to accomplish and feel more rewarding (in my opinion). We talked about the changes I wanted to make in my life -- eating habits, exercise, energy, mood, etc. -- and went from there. We started out small: exercising twice a week, integrating healthy snacks twice a week, eating breakfast three times a week, going to bed before 10 PM twice a week, and so and so forth. Once I was able to accomplish these small goals, we started to increase the frequency of these healthy habits. I started to see that small goals yielded major changes.
With Lucy's coaching, I began to feel like a new person. I had more energy, I felt healthier, and I felt better about myself. One of my biggest issues going into this whole thing was my negative mood. For a long time prior to working with Lucy, I had felt horrible about myself. I didn't feel good. I had always suffered from anxiety and was going through a horrible bout of depression. Panic attacks would come and go quite often, and it was rare that I got more than 5 hours of sleep at night. I didn't feel like myself at all.
Although I know I still have a long ways to go, Lucy has helped me make a dramatic turnaround. I feel amazing. I have an incredibly different outlook on life. I have been listening to motivational speakers, reading and listening to audio books about healing your life, and I have taken an interest in daily affirmations and meditations. I have learned so much from Lucy, which has caused me to do my own research in how the mind works.
What I have learned so far is that the mind is a powerful tool. We can train our minds to do anything. We can unlearn old habits and formulate new ones. We can train the way we think and react to everything that occurs in our lives. When you begin to train your mind to think differently, you will be amazed at how you view the world around you. It's almost as if a veil is lifted, and you are seeing things through a different lens.
Another thing I have come to realize is that you are the only person can change how you feel. Not a single person or single tangible object can change how you feel. Sure, I will be the first to tell you that a brand new pair of shoes or a bag full of new clothes can lift your spirits, but only momentarily. Those purchases will not fill the void. It is you, and only you, that can truly make YOU happy. You have to really want that positive change to occur. You have to really want to let happiness in. You have to really want to change your thoughts.
Change your thoughts = change your life. Remember that you are in control. Negative thoughts lead to more negative thoughts and overall negativity. Positive thoughts lead to more positive thoughts and overall positivity.
I will continue to update my journey as I work with Lucy. I hope you all allow positive thoughts to enter your mind and see the amazing changes that occur in your daily life.
xoxo
