The Formula for Transformation
I’ve been talking to several clients lately about this idea of routine and discipline. If you have a coach (or you’re reading this email), you’re clearly on a path of wanting to improve something in your life. That’s incredibly admirable and the energy you’re putting toward your growth and development is already on fire.
But what I’ve seen with people on a self-development journey is one fatal flaw that keeps you from long term transformation or success… it’s the pressure of a rigid routine that doesn’t allow for your human-ness.
Yes, 100%, the key to transformation is consistency. I know that for sure from my coaching experience and years as a change management and transformation leader.
And, you have to account for the human side of things.
One thing several of my clients are working on is this idea of doing something each day that allows them to have more mindfulness in some way shape or form… whether that means journaling every day, meditating every day, staying off social media to be more mindful of how much time and energy is sucked up there… it shows up in different ways.
And one reminder I have for each of them is self-compassion. Leaving room for human-ness. If you miss a day (or two), or slip up on your commitment, just recognize that then start fresh. Stop yourself from the internal guilt, shaming, or storyline of “ugh I fucked up again” that goes through your mind.
Did I meditate and journal each and every day when I was on vacation? No, I totally did not. And I feel 100% ok about that because my intention going into my last trip was that if I journaled at least 3 times on my trip, I would feel good about honoring my mindfulness routine.
When I’m coaching my clients through their goals, we go through a goal-setting process that allows for their human-ness to exist alongside their consistency, passion, and dedication.
Here’s a simple example of what that looks like:
What’s your ideal goal?
Meditate every morning for 10 minutes.What’s the absolute minimum you could do this week to feel like you’re making progress toward this goal?
Meditate at least once this week for 5 minutes, any time of day.What’s a middle ground goal between those two?
Meditate at least 3 times for at least 5 minutes.
That last one is the secret sauce. You are human. You don’t always have the space and time and energy to achieve your ideal goals, but there is something you can do to put energy towards what you’re trying to do without the negative guilt-cycle when you don’t achieve an unrealistic goal.
So, the formula for transformation is consistency + self-compassion (and of course with some accountability thrown in there).
That’s the way to keep the positive momentum going.
Mindfulness in Action:
Where have you set a goal too high that doesn't account for your human-ness to exist?
What’s the absolute minimum you can do this week to feel like you’re honoring your goal?
What’s a middle ground between your ideal goal and absolute minimum?
How do you want to be accountable to achieving that middle ground goal?
Hit me up if you need any accountability support, even if it’s just checking in with a quick text.
Cheers!
Elizabeth
P.S. I launched my Passion Map Method yesterday!! If you still want to get access to this free, creative, self-paced video activity, just enter your info here and I’ll send it your way. C’mon… I know you want to see my face on video guiding you through some fun shit!