How To Achieve Success In Diet And Work By Taming Your Lizard Brain
Are You Acting as a Scared Lizard?
Do you wish that your body was in a better shape or that your name would be widely recognized in your industry? Are you scared of never realizing your full potential? Most of us are!
The truth is, that to leap forward towards your happy future you need to do something scary. Instead of sticking to a safe time-proven routine, you need to push your boundaries and constantly move past the precautions whispered by your internal voice.
Why Should You Willingly Create Discomfort?
As Seth Godin would say, it feels safe and comfy at the point where you are now: you know what’s coming, what’s on your schedule and how to make it through the day.
Our lizard brain doesn’t want us to move away from that stable point. Safety over failure, status quo over a chance of exhilarating success.
If you say to yourself something along these lines, it is your lizard brain talking:
- One day I will submit my pictures to a contest but not today. Today they are still not good enough
- At some point I will start reaching out to write guest posts and connect to a local editorial or a magazine but not today. Today I write for my baby blog because no one can refuse me and my readers are always there to read it.
- There is no point trying a new exercise routine because mine works ok even though there haven’t been any significant results. What if a new one is even worse?
- I won’t try a new diet because nothing works for me and my metabolism is slow anyways
- Nothing will fix my bloated stomach because that’s the way my digestion works, it’s in my DNA to suffer and live on digestive supplements
When you hear this mental chatter, tell your lizard brain ‘hi, I hear you but I won’t listen to you‘ and do what needs to be done to improve and leap forward.
My lizard brain always starts its ‘you are not good enough‘ speech as soon as I start on a new project. In the back of my head, I hear a very persistent whisper telling me that it is a lot safer not to plan a new workshop because there is a chance that it will fail, that no one will sign up. It tells me that there are many yoga teachers that have more experience and a larger following so their message must be better. It insists that there are already enough wellness coaches and writers working hard to inspire people to take charge of their life. Why would people come to someone as young as myself and listen to my advice? It keeps talking and talking until I either make it shut up or it takes over and I go have a cookie instead, feeling completely unworthy of what I do. That happens, too!
Most of the time, however, I can turn off the lizard brain and push forward with an exciting new project. The best thing is that it doesn’t matter whether the project fails or succeeds. What matters is that I do what I love, I help people, I make amazing new friends, and I feel inspired by the amazing transformation stories from my clients. Seeing even one person becoming mindful and passionate about health is worth a lot more than money can buy. And by the way, the money comes as well, when you do what you are meant to do:)
You can do it! You can quiet your internal voice who wants you to hide in a safe cave. You can be the best in your field or create an innovative product. You can rewire your body to produce enough energy to run marathons and you can make your digestion very efficient.
Some things that you try won’t be successful but some things will. You need to do uncomfortable, challenging things on a regular basis to find what works and succeed.
Rejection as Feedback
Rejection and failure might be scary but if you think about it, rejection is a type of feedback that let’s you improve and move forward. Without it you will never know if you are good enough and you won’t be able to improve.
A diet that suits your body, a workout routine that leaves you feeling strong and energized, recognition of your work in the field and beyond – these things come when you break the status quo and try new things.
So what would it take to leap forward in the field that is important to you right now? (your health, your career, your relationship)
IMPORTANT: If you take a few mins to think about it and write it out in the comments section or on the paper, you are much more likely to act on it! So don’t let your lizard brain to tempt you into just ignoring this post and moving on with your day in a routine way. Leap forward right now!)
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If you are would like some help getting started on your health and wellness journey, take a look at how I can help you. It is easier when you are not alone!
