Photo By Andrea Rowe

Beliefs are what we tell ourselves about a given topic--rules or associations we have decided are true with absolute certainty. Beliefs are influenced by many factors including your parents, society and all other outside influences that you adopt.

Beliefs are the key to success and failure.  This is true for all areas of your life but I want to discuss how your beliefs, the things you have told yourself are true, effect your fitness journey.

Do these sound familiar?
I just have bad genes, it's impossible to lose weight. 
My body just hangs onto fat, it always has. 
I'm not athletic, I could never do that race. 
I'm not very good at working out, so I could never look like that. 
I just don't have any will power, so I could never eat healthy enough to lose weight. 
I'm not a morning person, I could never workout before work. 

These are all beliefs--things you have TOLD yourself are true-imaginary rules you have formed in your mind.  Truth is you have the ability to change those "rules" right now! Why have you put yourself in a box and limited your capabilities and potential?

When I worked a desk job I was having trouble fitting in a solid workout during my lunch hour. After work the gym was super crowded and I could never get on the equipment I wanted, so I decided that before work was the best option. This meant I had to get up at 4:15AM. At first I was like "Wow, that is SUPER early and kind of ridiculous!"--my BELIEF.  Then I decided to change my belief about what 4:30 AM meant--Is it early or is that just what I'm telling myself? Early compared to what? People get up at all different hours of the day and night to go to work. The bus driver that's going to give me a ride to the gym has to get up early too--I'm not the ONLY person in the world getting up at that time! It's only crazy and ridiculous if I tell myself it is! There are other people around the world trying to get in shape that have to fit in a workout before work too and they are getting up, so why can't I?

This shift in mindset-my belief-made a world of difference. I started to just accept it as a part of my routine-something that was necessary to reach my goals.  It wasn't a big deal or something impossible because I was no longer telling myself those things.  If it ever came up in conversation about how I got up early and rode the bus 30 minutes to get to the gym most people would say, "Wow, I could never do that!"--their BELIEF. But in truth, they could do they if they changed their belief about it! Because they had programmed themselves to think "I'm not a morning person", they never will be unless they decide not to believe that anymore.  Simple as that--we are what we believe.

So what if you told yourself.....
I AM capable of anything!
I CAN complete that marathon!
I AM a morning person and 4:30 AM is just when I wake up!
I CAN lose this weight and become healthy again !
I CAN be happy all the time!


My favorite quote is--The body achieves what the mind believes.  Believe in yourself and the power you have to make anything possible.

Love, Light & Health,
Kristin