Messy Beginnings: Why They’re Essential for Your Success
Did you know that if you don’t have any bit of stress response to change that you are probably just doing the same thing a different way? Science shows that our brains do in fact feel fear when we make even the smallest of changes! Why? It is our brain’s job to take the information from our world, through our senses, and keep us safe. So, why if when we are doing something that is “good” for us can it feel so bad?
Our brains have an amygdala. That is where we are able to understand fear, but the tricky part is that it’s also what gives us a clue on how to feel/have emotion. That part of our brain is on high alert when we make even good changes because… drum roll please… it doesn’t know what to expect. It says things like: ‘What do you mean we aren’t sitting around all day? I haven’t been prepared to move this much and am not sure all at once how to take care of a moving body… I haven’t done this in a while,’ or even ‘I knew what to eat to feel full and now I am given all these different foods and I like to know I am taken care of the way I have been.” Does that mean your brain is wrong or bad for making sure you are taken care of??? NO! It just means you have to take time to teach it that you are safe and in control. This is why having support around you to remind you and it will even calm your brain down. After days of new habits, it is happy and adjusted to your new way of life.
The bigger the changes we make, the bigger our brain will potentially react. This is why slow and meaningful changes are best, but also why we shouldn’t fear when we get out of sorts when looking to move forward in a better direction.
Think about the following as you make a change to make sure you are taking care of yourself properly:
Choose your adventure and get hyped about what it will mean for you to live your life better: Caring is a big deal to your brain.
One thing at a time (if you can help it): Start with the most meaningful change and go from there.
Take care of yourself in simple ways: eating, drinking, resting, etc.
Take note of the way you are feeling and see if you can find a solution: ex-if you are ‘dieting’ make sure you are in fact eating enough, if you start a new job make sure you are in a mindset to learn and ask questions and don’t plan a million things for the first week.
Leave room to be imperfect, if your change doesn’t allow for that then you might not be making the right one.
What if in order for your life to be better it has to get messy for a while? What if it all goes right?
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