I have learned something on a personal level lately and that is, we don’t hire a coach or trainer or therapist to tell us what we want to hear and keep us in our comfort zone, however we sure expect that. How often do we resist change or being pushed? How often do we lack responsibility for our ACTUAL actions and behaviors? Since recently working with a trainer I realized just how easily I myself drop the accountability ball. When working with any kind of professional you WILL have homework! You will have to bring some stuff to the table and that is only fair. If you are a coach, you know just how important it is for your clients to be ready and willing to participate in their own transformation in order for you to deliver what you do best.
I listened to a video the other day by a couple of coaches (not ours) chatting about how “habit change” is the key to helping people get healthier and achieve their goals. While I agree that habits in our modern culture can be very destructive, I also believe that their is something even deeper than the habit. Habits are merely unconscious actions meant to fulfill a need. In order to break a habit, we need to address the subconscious need that is being filled.
Throughout most of my life, I struggled with snacking as opposed to overeating. I especially struggled in the evening before bed. While training I had to really become conscious of this! The small, even healthy grazing that I perceived to be nominal was adding up and slowing the progression of the goals which I was working so hard for. I was flipping tractor tires and lifting heavier than ever in my life and my body fat percentage was slow to decrease. I was busting my butt and didn’t understand how those little habits were making me work even harder.
Once I reset I realized something. The habits were a void filler. The problem wasn’t the habits, the problem was the subconscious reason which I had them. As a kid I struggled massively with anxiety and depression which would get excruciating come bedtime. Throughout the day, all that I looked forward to was food and could snack all day long. I was very overweight because of this. Food was more than comfort, it was my only perceived security blanket. I was able to look at the possible connection between these habits (even with healthy foods!) and my subconsciously programmed need to self soothe, especially at night.
From that point of recognition, I put together a spiritual/mindset system instead of “habit change.” Once I did this, the habits just fell into place. The passion which I have for helping others heal is so immense. I can’t help but feel like so much of the info and even coaching out there kind of misses the depths of what we as coaches need as well as our clients. People benefit more from blatant truth in front of their eyes than they will from tip toeing around the issues. The important piece of this is to lead your client to their own blunt recognition and then empower their ability to “just do it!” If someone has severe gut issues or intolerance, there is no “crowding out” of foods. Continual consumption WILL impede the gut from restoration and significantly slow the process.
Building an empowering mindset of accountability and self awareness will lead towards massive personal growth as well as great reward. JUST DO IT!
~Coach Britt
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