This past weekend before our hike began, I asked participants to set their own intentions. The prompts asked them to write what they were hiking towards, maybe a goal of theirs and what they were hiking away from, maybe a situation, negative person, or limiting belief. This activity prompted me to also look at my own intentions. I know the goals I set for myself back in January as I have been slowly working towards them, but what have I also been walking away from??
This one took me some time to contemplate until I reflected on the changes I have been making in my life since the beginning of the year. I am slowly walking away from the limiting beliefs that have been holding me back from who I’m really meant to be. Of course, these have been baby steps, but I wonder how are these old stories really serving me? I tell myself I’m not good enough or smart enough to start a business, be a leader, or have that job, all as a way to protect myself from failure. Failure though is a part of life and how we learn. If we didn’t fail, we wouldn’t understand the sweetness of finally succeeding, we wouldn’t offer gratitude when it all finally goes our way.
I now have different self-talk going on in my head as I tell myself to try, I have more belief in myself and am confident I know the answers, I can create the programs, I can have a coaching business. It’s sending those old stories and beliefs packing. I can feel the change in me as I become a different person.
I’ve also walked away from old habits and values. There were certain things I had believed to be important in the past that now no longer matter to who I am. I don’t put so much stock in other’s opinions of me anymore. What someone thinks of me or says about me is not my concern, people will judge no matter what I do. This also affects where I spend my time and energy and with whom I spend it.
Even though I have been in the health and wellness field for a few years, it’s only recently that I am more consistent with my exercise and kinder to myself if I miss days due to my sometimes, overwhelming work schedule. Again, that self-talk comes into play here as I don’t beat myself up for not having enough time in my day. This is a wellness lifestyle journey for me not a destination, these are life-long habits I’m creating not something I’m trying out for a month.
I’ve also quit drinking for the past 5 months and have noticed a shift in how I feel and think. There are certain activities that no longer appeal to me and things I’m no longer interested in doing. That old version of me is gone, but more on that in another post.
I have grown and changed in different ways over these first five months of 2019 and am happy to be this person. My values, interest, likes, ideas are different from that person I used to be. So, I think the biggest thing I’m walking away from is the past, that girl and those stories don’t hold the same power they did before. Instead, this new woman is running the show and I think she’s fabulous.
I invite you to look over your intentions this week and ask yourself, what do you want to walk away from? Who do you want to become?
Wellness Wednesday,
Tash
