Incomplete Truths & Well Intended Lies

In episode 496 of the podcast I answer a question that was sent to me on Instagram. Someone asked, “How did you get to the point of not telling stories, not binging and becoming consistent?”

If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play. Otherwise, keep reading below!

Here’s the thing: I still tell stories. I still make excuses. But, there’s a difference in my response to them now.

I refuse to accept incomplete truths and well-intended lies.

It hasn’t always been that way. In fact, for most of my life, my days were merely a sequence of lies and incomplete truths strung together.

This one thing won’t hurt.

I’ll binge today so it’s out of my system and I’ll be super strict tomorrow.

Well, I’ve already screwed up today so I might as well go all in.

I’ve been so good, I deserve this.

All of those statements, and so many more, are incredibly incomplete truths.

They serve only one purpose: justify what I want in a moment.

Here’s the beautiful thing for all of us: if we can talk ourselves into what we want in any moment, we can also talk ourselves out of it. We just aren’t choosing that side of the equation.

I wouldn’t say “I’ll binge today and get it out of my system” for any reason other than to justify the choice to overeat.

It’s absolutely not true that eating well and taking great care of myself is a valid reason not eat well or not take great care of myself. It is a well-intended lie. It’s not malicious, it’s simply permissive.

Those stories, excuses and lies were deeply engrained. While I haven’t eliminated those thoughts, I’ve completely changed my response to them.

I demand the full truth from myself.

I routinely ask queustions like:

What else is true?

Is this the complete truth?

Am I trying to justify something?

Will I be proud of this later?

If this was someone else’s logic, would I agree with it?

If you find yourself in a pattern of incomplete truths, excuses, exceptions or well-intended lies, carve out some time to listen to episode 496 today.

It’s Not A Problem, It’s A Practice

It’s easy to feel defeated and discouraged by our “problems”. The reason I put the word problems in quotations isn’t to dismiss or diminish your struggles. It’s because I have a different perspective I’d like you to consider.

If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, click play. Otherwise, keep reading below. 

Every day, I get emails from people who declare, “My problem is cravings. My problem is alcohol. My problem is snacking. My problem is consistency.

I mentioned this in episode 494, but I see it differently.

It’s not your problem, it’s your practice.

Let me explain. Oftentimes, I’ll respond to those emails by asking, “What does your practice look like?

If you’ve told me that your problem is snacking, I’d say, “What does your practice look like?

Are you practicing the problem? Are you practicing solutions? What does your consistency of implementing the new behavior you desire look like?

If you feel like your problem is snacking after dinner, and you eat every night after dinner, your practice is reinforcing the “problem”. Your practice is the problem. Your practice is also the solution.

You don’t have a snacking problem, you have a snacking practice.

Similarly, whatever our problem is, that is our opportunity to practice the solution.

Instead of the perspective that you have a snacking problem, challenge yourself to embrace a snacking practice, just for today, that reflects what you want.

Maybe that means the kitchen is closed after dinner tonight. Your practice is being done with dinner. That’s the practice.

Tomorrow, wake up and define what your practice will look like for tomorrow.

494: 8 Mantras That Will Help You Win Hard Moments

494: 8 Mantras That Will Help You Win Hard Moments

The other day, I posted on Instagram that more often than not, it’s our internal conditions that need to change, not our external ones.

We’re so quick to place blame on our external circumstances: we don’t have enough time, we don’t have enough money. Our work schedule is crazy. We don’t have enough support.

However, when you realize that your lack of progress & lack of consistency are more about your internal conditions than your external ones, you’re in a major place of power. Your internal conditions include your thoughts, words, attitude & perspective, to name a few.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into the how of this. How, exactly, do we do this work to change our internal conditions? I’ve got you covered! Tune in!

Resources:

Join the Summer 2018 Motivation Mixup

Hop on the wait list for the Fall 2018 12 Weeks To Transformation

In October 2019, our relationship with Thrive Market changed. They decided to put their marketing dollars in avenues outside of podcasting but we still think they’re a good choice if you’re looking to save money on health & personal care products.

Follow me on Instagram to see my routine meals & workouts

You Can Change. Today.

In episode 490 of the podcast, I talked about the power of enthusiasm and my past struggles with darkness & depresion. I came back to the topics in episode 492, specifically because of two comments I got in response to episode 490.

The listeners reached out to express that depression is not a choice. I agree. Interestingly, I did not say in the episode that depression was a choice. Of course I didn’t, because I don’t believe it to be true. But, I have no control over what others feel I implied. That’s dangerous business, for any of us: thinking we know what someone meant to say.

If you’d rather listen to this blog than read it, please click play. Otherwise, keep reading below. 

So, for the sake of clarity, here is what I believe: we can change.

No matter what we are facing, we have the power to change, heal, improve and grow.

You can be different today. Change is available to you. Today.

You can avoid past patterns, today.

You can find the good in your day today.

You can be happier today.

Sure, there are things in life that can make change harder. We all have those things. Some of them are circumstantial. Some of them are hormonal. Some of them are biochemical. Some historical.

None of them take away our power to choose incremental improvements.

You have the power to eat a little better today, or smile a little more. You have the power to move with more intention or take a pause for gratitude and prayer. You have the power to get to bed earlier or stay off social media. You have the power to ask for help or read a book for support & encouragement.

I refuse to accept that we are powerless because we aren’t.

492: EMPOWERED

492: EMPOWERED

Today’s episode is a hybrid – part book club episode, part manifesto on your ability, independent of all circumstances, to create change.

I read an amazing book called You Are the Placebo and it came to mind immediately when I got a couple of critical comments about episode 490 of the podcast. That episode garnered over 400 emails, text messages, direct messages & social media comments from people who found it helpful and inspiring. It also garnered two critical comments from listeners. Both felt they needed to inform me that depression isn’t a choice. Interestingly, I agree and never said it was. I do, however, believe that in every circumstance, we DO have power to create change.

That is what we are diving into, especially the science behind our thoughts, in today’s episode. This is, without question, one of my favorite recent episodes! Don’t miss it!

Resources:

Get on the wait list for the Fall 2018 12 Weeks To Transformation

You Are The Placebo

Episode 490: Joy, Pain, Progress & Depression

Follow me on Instagram

Download a free chapter from Chasing Cupcakes.

Enter your first name and email below and I'll send over chapter nine from my best-selling book. 

Thanks! Check your inbox.