Not Broken…Becoming

A space for slowing down, softening, and rebuilding in small, intentional ways

Author: Shenise

  • Shower Thoughts and On The Road Clarity

    I wish I could pinpoint the exact moment in time when I thought, believed, and convinced myself that I did not deserve nice things. That I did not deserve softness, or anything good in my life.

    I wish I could pinpoint the exact moment when I decided I wasn’t going to decorate my space — because what was the point? I was going to be moving anyway. Living situations were temporary. There’s no point in decorating a space for yourself just to have to pack it all up and move.

    But I can probably pinpoint, at least get close to, when that thought became a belief. When it rooted itself into my mind and into my heart-that I didn’t deserve, and wasn’t worthy of, having nice things. That I wasn’t worthy of being soft. Of doing things for myself.

    I believed I had to be a robot. I just went along with whatever, just to have the temporary attention of someone who truly did not have my best interests at heart. I was there to serve a purpose for them, and that was it.

    I could spend so much time trying to figure out exactly when these thoughts ingrained themselves into the recesses of my brain. But when I think about that, I wonder… What good would that do? Reminisce and get stuck in the past? Get stuck staring in the rearview mirror at my decisions, my beliefs, things that happened that I can no longer do anything about?

    When I could instead be looking forward.

    Not in the sense that I have to control how everything goes; because you can only control so much. There are things that will happen that I can’t control, and I have to be okay with that. But there’s nothing stopping me from having hope about the future. There’s nothing stopping me from wondering what if, and letting my imagination and creativity run wild with the possibilities of what my life could look like. How I want to feel. What I believe about myself. I can change all of that. Without staring in the rearview mirror.

    Yes, I can look back. I can look at my past choices, my history. But when I do, I want to do it as a way of saying: that’s where I’ve been. This is what my past has taught me. This is how it helped me become the woman I am today. Because yes, there are limiting beliefs that have burned themselves into my brain; but there are also good things that came out of the events of my past. One of those things being the woman that I am today.

    I am-and yes, this word is horrifically overused-I am resilient. I am stubborn in a way that I don’t like to give up. That could be a perfectionism thing, but I think it’s also just how I am. I don’t like to give up on things.

    Has that been detrimental in the past? Yes. There is a time and a place to say, okay, this situation is not good for me and I need to let it go. But overall, I am strong-willed. I am a creative woman. I am a dreamer. I am someone who can be hopelessly optimistic at times, and also, honestly, kind of pessimistic. But that’s more my humor and just knowing how work goes. I’m not really surprised when things happen. It’s just a “it is what it is” kind of thing.

    I am someone that people can depend on to get things done. Sometimes it takes me a little longer, but I try my best.

    There are so many good qualities about myself that I’ve let the limiting beliefs from my past overshadow, pushing them to the back, dark corners of my mind. The belief that I am not worthy, not deserving, that I can’t have the desires of my heart and the dreams in my mind. Those got buried so deep, nobody could see them.

    But now, at my big age of 38, coming up on the last few years of my time in the military, I find myself being more…introspective. And I am desiring to put those limiting beliefs back into the dark corners and lock them away, to never see the light of day again and replace them with the woman I want to become. The woman I know I already am.

    She’s in there somewhere.

    She’s confident in herself. She listens to her intuition and trusts her gut. She exercises boundaries and standards and is not afraid or ashamed to say, “No, that’s not gonna work for me,” or “No, I’m not available for that.” She is open to receiving. Not just material things, but good experiences, good feelings, all of the goodness. She doesn’t give up and finds a way to go after what she wants, even if it takes a few years. My college degree being one of those things.

    That is the woman I am. And that is the woman I want to bring out into the world, even though it’s scary. Even though a part of me will wonder: What are other people going to think?

    I want to be the woman who does not let the opinions of others affect her. Because they’re not paying my bills. They’re not living my life. So why should their opinions have any say in how I live it?

    ******

    I’m not 100% certain where I was going with this…this spoken word, stream of consciousness. I just know I had those first few lines in my head and I wanted to get them out. And it spun into all of these thoughts.

    I’m about to be that person who goes to get boba tea from a place that closes in 10 minutes; because I told myself that if I assembled my daughter’s desk and did the dishes, I was going to treat myself. So that’s exactly where I’m going.

    Good night!

  • Becoming okay with being unpolished

    I have been sitting on this post for…a few days. Not for any real reason…The excitement from my first return post had worn off, the “what ifs” had set in, and the next thing I knew I was procrastinating on sharing any of the ideas I had written in my notebook.

    So.

    Here I am, at 11:45 on a Friday night, sharing these words with you.

    Affirmations, really. From the Third Eye Affirmations app, and the I Am app. There have been quite a few lately that I’ve taken screenshots of, and I wanted to share some of the ones that have really stuck out to me.

    They stuck out not because they seem generic, but because they would pop up in the widget right when I was having thoughts about the exact opposite. When I would doubt myself, if I’d ever reach my goals, if I’d ever stick with this consistently. When I’d wonder if anyone would actually read or care about the words I wrote.

    These affirmations would do just that…affirm. Encourage me to not give up, to keep writing even if it’s not perfect.

    So now I share them with you; because maybe they’ll resonate with you like they have with me. Maybe not in the exact same way, but in *some* way.

    *My validation comes from myself.

    * I notice when I’m being too hard on myself and I soften. I speak to myself in a way that actual helps me grow. Kindness is more effective than criticism.

    * I don’t need to be perfect to be worthy of respect or love. I’m allowed to be a work in progress. That doesn’t make me less, it makes me real.

    * It’s okay to set my own boundaries.

    * My personal growth journey is something to be proud of.

    * I give myself permission to b imperfect and human.

    * I trust that what I’m building will take time. I don’t rush the process just to feel ahead. I’m focused on creating something that actually lasts.

    * I am becoming more comfortable being seen as I really am. I don’t need to perform or filter myself to be accepted. The right people will resonate with the real version of me.

    * My contributions to the world are valuable and meaningful.

    * I let go of the need to control every outcome. Not everything requires my interference to work out. Sometimes the best things I can do is trust and allow.

    * I am worthy of achieving great things in life.

    * I am learning to be patient with my own process. Growth doesn’t always look dramatic, but it’s happening. I give myself credit for the progress I don’t always see.

    * I embrace my creativity as an essential part of who I am (this one really hit home when I was doubting my writing ability).

    There you have it. Are there any that I’ve shared that stuck out to you as well? Do you have any affirmations of your own that you use on a daily basis? Let me know in the comments down below.

  • Beauty in the Mending

    I was recently reminded of the concept of Kintsugi: the Japanese process of repairing broken pottery using lacquer dusted with powdered gold. Instead of hiding the cracks, they’re highlighted. Instead of returning to what it was before, it becomes something new.

    Something more…intentional.

    This repair technique stuck with me; not just the beauty of it, but the meaning behind it. Something that’s broken doesn’t have to be discarded, disguised, or hidden…It can be repaired in a way that shows the scars and flaws. Highlights them, even.

    How often do we try to cover up the parts of ourselves that feel cracked or worn down? All of the ways that we’ve learned to move through life in survival mode, not knowing how to soften the hardened parts of ourselves.

    I’ve noticed a shift. Nothing dramatic or complete. Small changes, happening over time.

    Replacing the lighting in my space with tones and colors that are softer, calmer, and more relaxing. Sprinkling more Shenise into my room. Giving myself permission to enjoy simple things again: colors, soft textures, peace.

    Does this fix everything? I wish, but no. All the same, it IS starting to feel like I am doing some mending.

    It feels like I am learning how to take the pieces of myself that have been through some things and care for them in a way I wish they had been cared for from the beginning. I’m not trying to go back to who I was before; I am becoming something new in the process.

    My own form of Kintsugi.

    Reminding myself often that I am not broken…

    I am becoming.

  • S.M.A.R.T and Sustainable

    I’m sure we’re all familiar with goal setting and how we should ensure that those goals are S.M.A.R.T. If you are not familiar with this term, here is an explanation!!

    SMART goals are a way for us to set and achieve goals effectively. The SMART acronym stands for:

    1. **Specific**: Your goal should be clear and precise. It should answer the questions of “What,” “Who,” “Where,” and “Why.” Avoid vague or overly broad goals. Specificity helps you focus your efforts and provides a clear direction.

       An example of a non-specific goal: “I want to get in better shape.”

       An example of a specific goal is “I want to lose 10 pounds by running three times a week and reducing my daily calorie intake by 500 calories.”

    2. **Measurable**: You should be able to track your progress and determine when you have achieved your goal. Include specific criteria or metrics that quantify your progress.

       An example of a non-measurable goal is “I want to be more productive at work.”

       An example of a measurable goal is “I want to increase my daily productivity by completing at least five tasks from my to-do list each day.”

    3. **Achievable**: Given your current resources and constraints, your goal should be realistic and attainable. While it’s good to challenge yourself, setting unattainable goals can lead to frustration and failure.

       Example of an unachievable goal: “I want to become a professional athlete within a year, even though I’ve never played the sport before.”

       An example of an achievable goal is “I want to complete a 5K race in six months by following a training plan and gradually building my running skills.”

    4. **Relevant**: Your goal should align with your broader objectives and be relevant to your life or work. Ensure that it matters to you and supports your overall mission.

       Example of an irrelevant goal: “I want to learn to play the guitar, even though I have no interest in music.”

       An example of a relevant goal is “I want to improve my public speaking skills because it will help me advance in my career and communicate more effectively.”

    5. **Time-bound**: Set a specific timeframe or deadline for achieving your goal. This adds urgency and helps you stay on track. Without a deadline, there’s less motivation to work consistently toward your goal.

       Example of a goal without a timeframe: “I want to read more books.”

       Example of a time-bound goal: “I want to read 20 books by the end of this year, averaging about 1.5 books per month.”

    However, I would like to add another letter to this acronym, particularly when it comes to setting goals related to health and fitness:

    6. **Sustainable**: Not only should your goal be Achievable, but it should also be a goal you can reasonably maintain, even after achieving it.

    An example of a sustainable goal: “I want to eat less junk food. Instead of cutting myself off cold turkey, I will pick one day a week where I won’t eat any junk food, or eat one less junk food item a day.”

    An example of an unsustainable goal: “I want to lose 20 pounds by incorporating going to the gym. Even though I’ve never gone to a gym, I will go 7 days a week for 1.5 hours.”

    Consider this infographic as an example of creating goals that are realistically sustainable:

    https://www.precisionnutrition.com/cost-of-getting-lean-infographic

    This content is used under license from Precision Nutrition Inc. and may not be reproduced, transmitted, or otherwise used or reused in any way without the express written permission of the owner. Copyright © [2023] Precision Nutrition Inc. For more information about Precision Nutrition, visit http://www.precisionnutrition.com.

    For the longest time, I wanted to have defined abs and a slim build (essentially what I looked like back when I was younger and before I had my daughter). I had a general idea of what it took to get there and while I was deployed I dare say I got pretty close (I was under 200lbs, and was what I considered “skinny”)! However, the steps I took to get there, and considering what I would need to do in order to keep that build (essentially live like I was deployed all the time) would NOT have been sustainable given life back home is different from deployed life, and if I’m being honest with myself, I didn’t enjoy it all that much! I had to REALLY consider if it was sustainable or even desirable for me to do what was needed to maintain that goal I desired (which, according to the infographic would’ve been the first “healthy” image on the bottom), or would I be okay doing something that fit my lifestyle back home better (which is more between the top two “healthy” images on the top row)?

    This isn’t to say that the goals on the bottom are not sustainable or attainable; they are! I share this because I believe people make those goals without considering how much it would take to sustain them. This can lead to the yo-yo/back and forth that happens often on various health and fitness journeys. I share this as a guide for you for future goal setting; hopefully it will provide greater insight and give you a good and realistic path to achieving your goals!

  • Weekly Meal Prep (with links!) 13-19 August 2023

    Weekly Meal Prep (with links!) 13-19 August 2023

    Hello everyone, I’m back! This time I’m sharing with y’all what I prepped for breakfast, lunch, and dinner this week. It’s not often that I have the energy to prep to this extent, but I’ve found that once I’ve started (if the energy is there) it’s best to just keep going! Plus, those 1.5-2 hours it took to make everything (which was really just spent waiting for the timers to run their course, not so much prepping) now means that I don’t have to worry about my main meals for the week and as someone who goes to the gym in the mornings and then to work right after, having these meals prepped makes for a less stressful day/week.

    This week’s meals include breakfast sandwiches, a deconstructed sloppy joe recipe that I found on Pinterest, stir fry bowls, crockpot shredded chicken, and overnight oats. There is one more recipe that I want to make this week, but I gotta let the meat for it thaw entirely first. Because I still had meat and a few veggies from my last Sam’s order and a prior commissary run (2lbs ground turkey, ground beef (both 93/7) and the pineapple bacon chicken sausage), I spent around $70 for the rest of the ingredients (my wallet is grateful!).

    So without further ado, here is a breakdown (and a look-see!) at what’s in my fridge for the week! Starting with breakfast: overnight oats and sausage/egg/cheese biscuits…

    • 1/2 cup frozen berries mix
    • 1/2 cup rolled oats
    • 1 cup Fairlife Fat Free Milk
    • 3 second pour of maple syrup
    • scramble 6 eggs w/seasonings of choice (I used Pink Himalayan Salt and pepper)
    • follow the “Air Fryer” Instructions for these biscuits

    Here’s how I assembled the biscuits:

    • bottom biscuit half
    • cheddar cheese square
    • sausage patty
    • eggs on the top half
    • put the bottom half with sausage and cheese onto top half and flip over so eggs are on top

    When it comes to lunch and dinner, I don’t specify which meals are for which time of day because I like to switch it up. That being said, these are the meals I made for my lunch/diner this week: Deconstructed Sloppy Joes (inspo came from HERE, I made a few changes to mine); Pineapple Bacon Chicken Sausage Stir Fry (over instant pot rice!); and Protein Taco Pasta Salad (inspo came from HERE, I made a few changes to this one as well).

    For my version of the Sloppy Joes recipe, I used two cans of Thick and Chunky Manwich instead of making my own mix. I also had a bag of sweet potato fries leftover from a prior recipe I tried, so I used those instead of buying sweet potatoes.

    I didn’t follow a recipe for the stir fry; all I did there was add toasted sesame oil and low sodium soy sauce to the vegetables while they were cooking and added the sausage once the veggies were cooked through. While I haven’t made the taco pasta salad yet, I knew I wanted increase the amount of protein in the dish so I’m using Protein+ pasta instead of regular pasta; to cut down on prep time (and also because the texture of grape/cherry tomatoes doesn’t sit well with me), I’m using canned diced tomatoes.

    The last thing I prepped for this week is crockpot shredded chicken. For seasonings, I used Goya’s Complete Seasoning and Creole seasoning; covered the chicken with just enough water, and then set the crockpot to cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Once it’s done I’m going to shred them and store it in the fridge for quick snacks/meals for myself and my daughter.

    As much as I enjoy cooking, I’m not a big fan of prep so yes, I use frozen/canned veggies! The only vegetables I’ll buy fresh for recipes are bell peppers and cucumbers- I particularly enjoy chopping and dicing those. I’d also like to add that the recipes I make are enough for myself and my daughter; I portion mine out and then the rest is for her to eat as she chooses!

    Hopefully, these recipes gave y’all some ideas, and if you use these, let me know your thoughts in the comments!! Have a great week!!

  • ✨What do you call a goal without an action plan?✨

    Earlier this week I set a spontaneous goal of getting up in the morning and going for a 15-20 minute walk. I hit this goal every day this week except for Wednesday, because that is usually my rest day from the gym.

    If I had just set that goal and not done anything about it what does that make it? How do I come up with an action plan to actually accomplish this goal?

    ✨A REALLY IMPORTANT thing to remember to do is to come up with a “WHY” or a meaningful reason that will continue to push you to work towards your goal when you don’t feel motivated and when you don’t feel like doing it.✨

    At first, the reason for doing this goal was just to see how it would go. I had a random thought on Monday because my parents were in town and I wanted to see how it would fit into my morning routine as well as seeing just how I feel overall.

    I went on the first walk, and when I came back I actually felt energized; I was a little bit more awake and was able to really focus on the rest of my morning routine. I noticed that I also had more energy throughout the day and I wasn’t as tired because I didn’t just get up and go sit in my chair and try to force my half-asleep brain to focus on reading my Bible and spending time with God. Going on my walk in the morning and also listening to a book at the same time give myself a chance to:

    ⁃ get out in nature to really allow my brain to wake up

    ⁃ wake up and get focused

    ⁃ get healthy movement

    Secondly, I decided the length, or deadline for my goal. The length of my goal of walking for 15 to 20 minutes is just during the week, so Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I was going to get in a walk.

    Now that I have my why for taking my morning walks (step 1), the FINAL step is for me to set up an action plan to turn my goal into a habit. Your action plan is basically the steps you’ll take to accomplish your goal. Ask yourself, “what do I need to do to reach this goal” for each step until you get to a good starting point!

    ⁃ I set my alarm to wake up at 0430

    ⁃ Brushed my teeth/washed my face

    ⁃ Put on clothes to walk in

    ⁃ Get all my walking things together

    ⁃ Go for my walk!

    As I shared above, going for these morning walks has been nothing but beneficial for my day, and this will be a habit that I’ll continue to do, weather permitting!!

    If you’d like more personalized help in getting clarity on setting a healthy lifestyle goal for yourself and coming up with the action plan to accomplish it, leave your email in the comment section, and we can schedule a FREE consultation call to talk more about it 💜

  • ✨ I am grateful to God for His enduring patience as He put up with me constantly hiding the gift of purpose He gave me! ✨

    “No one lights a lamp and then hides it, covering it over or putting it where no one sees its light. No, he places the lamp on a lamp stand so others benefit from its brightness.”

    ⁃ Luke 8:16 (TPT)

    I’ve been a health coach in some form or fashion for almost 4 years. Over these years, I’ve motivated and encouraged y’all who have followed my journey and shared healthy lifestyle tips. Last January, I became a FULLY CERTIFIED Integrative Nutrition Health Coach!

    I used to be intimidated by the gym and people that went to the gym. Thanks to my gym family at Aesthetics1st, I gained strength and confidence in my abilities to help others. Halfway through the year I started teaching a fitness class that’s now known as SAE What Sundays; and helped run two Boot Camp events as one of the coaches with this gym!!

    ✨I’M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE that I am OFFICIALLY launching my online 1-on-1 Health and Wellness Coaching services!!✨

    My calendar is NOW OPEN for scheduling FREE 30-minute Consultation Calls!

    It’s my goal and desire to help y’all live a healthy life that is SUSTAINABLE and FULFILLING for YOU!

    I WANT TO HELP YOU:

    -incorporate healthy habits into your day

    -create accountability for the health goals you’ve set for yourself

    -discover and define what YOUR healthy lifestyle looks like

    I’m currently accepting NEW clients for next month and then I will open a wait-list. If you are interested in scheduling a FREE call with me, leave your email in the comments below and I’ll send you the link to schedule your call!! Don’t forget to save this post and share it with your friends/family as well!

    ✨I’m excited to help you change your life!✨

  • What do You do when God Speaks to You?

    Last week I was on a walk as part of a cardio requirement for the challenge I’m currently participating in at my gym. Normally I listen to music to pass the time and to help me stay motivated, but this time I decided to go into Audible and download a book to listen to from my library. The book I chose to read is called “Get Out of Your Head: Stopping the Spiral of Toxic Thoughts” by Jennie Allen; and I’m so glad that I was led to start this one because it’s been really good so far, it’s an easy book to listen to (this book is read by the author, and I find her voice pleasant to listen to), and there are a few parts that I can relate to already (and I’m only on Chapter 9)!

    In the first few chapters, Jennie talks about the scripture Psalm 139, and how God used it as a reminder that no matter where we are or what we’ve done, He will be there for us. I went to my own Bible and read this passage for myself, and received a few much needed affirmations about God and how He feels about me.

    Have you ever had those moments where the Spirit is trying to tell you something, and you’re only kind of listening so He continues to impress onto your mind to LISTEN to what He has to say, and also write it down so you can go back and read it over as a reminder when needed? I had a moment like that a day or so after I started reading this book.

    I was finishing up reading my devotional for the morning, when I thought back to Psalm 139 and the verse that says, “Where shall I go from your spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”. A thought occurred to me that I tried to push away, thinking it was a distraction. However as the thought revealed itself more, I realized that God was trying to tell me something and so I listened. Then He told me to write it down, to which I said no at first (I know, I know…). When you hear “No, you NEED to write this down” in your head…You write that thought down no questions asked!

    Here is what God had to tell me, which further affirmed that He IS here for me, NO MATTER WHAT, WHERE, or WHO I try to use as an “escape” because I didn’t believe that I was enough or deserved anything good:

    I’m sharing this because we all have dark parts of ourselves that we believe can’t be reached or healed by God. We’ve done things we’re ashamed of and don’t believe that God will love us because of them. I’m especially sharing because of the last few phrases; let these serve as reminders and affirmations for you whenever you because they ARE true!!

    I AM WORTHY

    I AM LOVED

    I AM WANTED

    If you can, read Psalm 139 and allow God to speak to the broken parts you keep hidden from Him. HE IS THERE FOR YOU!


    I hope this message blesses and encourages you 💜 Feel free to comment and share with someone else who needs to hear a few words of affirmation and encouragement!

  • Happy New Year! My 2021 Intentions

    Can you believe we survived the disaster that was 2020 and made it into 2021?! Whew, talk about a whirlwind year! I hope this New Year is finding you guys okay, and that despite all the negative that seemed to be prominent everywhere, there were some positive things that happened for you last year even more so.

    Last year I bought my first house! I can’t even believe that I did that; I used to always believe that I couldn’t buy a house until I was married, but here I am a single mom with a house! Next month marks our first full year living here as well (another BIG shocker)!!! I have no idea what we’re gonna do to celebrate that yet…

    Another exciting thing I did last year was start a Holistic Health Coach Training Program through IIN (Institute of Integrative Nutrition). Our graduation date is in a few days, and I have started this program before but stopped, but I’m proud of myself for sticking through it this entire year! I fell behind and so I still have a few modules to catch up on, but aside from that I’ve met all the other graduation requirements so pretty soon I will be a full on Certified Holistic Health Coach!!!

    I also started (more like voluntold to start, heh) a group exercise class at the gym where I workout with another awesome girl. It’s been pretty good for the month or so we’ve been running it! It’s something that’s totally out of my comfort zone, but so far, the reviews have been really good so I’m excited to see how it goes this year! Oh, and I also helped train in our gym’s Burn the Bird event by leading some exercises of my own- that was a TON of fun (and also wore me out hahaha).

    The last MAJOR thing that I did for 2020 would have to be one of the LAST things I ever expected myself to do and will completely take me out of my comfort zone- I applied to be a Tech School instructor in my field AND GOT SELECTED!!! Next year we’ll be in Texas, and I’ll be doing something else I didn’t think I’d ever do, and that is teach others!

    So those are a few of my 2020 Highlights, and I’m pretty excited to see what highlights I’ll have for 2021!

    There is a woman I follow on Instagram and her name is Alexandra Elle (@alex_elle). She’s written an AMAZING book called “After the Rain”, and today I was reading her email newsletter about journaling our intentions for 2021. A friend of hers shared a question- How do I want/intend to feel in 2021- and she shared her list in her email. I took some time this morning (after the gym and taking care of my morning devotional) to journal my own response to this question, and I wanted to share my list with y’all below:

    How Do I want/intend to Feel in 2021?

    • Inspired
    • Led by God
    • Fearless
    • My version of healthy and happy
    • Truly alive
    • Whole emotionally
    • Present
    • Imaginative/creative
    • Free from my negative thinking
    • Uplifted
    • Glorious
    • Connected wo what matters/is important to me
    • Brave
    • Loved unconditionally
    • Warm
    • Peaceful
    • Intentional
    • Purposeful
    • Meaningfully productive
    • Open
    • Grateful
    • Aligned with God and my purpose
    • Closeness
    • Community
    • Free flowing

    There were other questions as well in the newsletter, but I wanted to share this question with y’all because I suppose these would be considered my intentions for this year. I encourage everyone who reads this post to take some time out of your day (whenever that may be) to sit down with a notebook or a piece of paper and answer this question for yourself: “How do I want/intend to feel in 2021?”

  • Netflix and TEA, not Netflix and EAT

    Whenever I would sit on the couch and turn on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime, I would always find myself craving a snack while watching a favorite show or a new show that I’ve discovered or was recommended by a friend. And of course, it wasn’t a healthy snack, it was usually chips, ice cream, cheese toast, or some other random concoction that tasted good but wasn’t overall good for me. In the end, this habit became automatic, and eventually, I didn’t even have to be watching anything on my computer! Sitting in my favorite spot on the couch almost ALWAYS led to me snacking on something, whether I was hungry or not.

    I came to this realization the other day, that my brain had reprogrammed itself to correlate sitting on the couch with eating, and a result of me doing this while watching a show led to me being unproductive, I wasn’t reaching my goals (personal, professional, and health wise), and on the weekends I was often sleeping my entire day away!

    Is this something you can relate to? Is there an unhealthy habit that you have that you might not have noticed is triggered by a certain action? Let’s take some time to really think about it…

    What is an unhealthy habit that you want to break? What activities are linked to this habit? Are these activities good or bad for you? For example, me sitting on the couch isn’t necessarily bad, but my sitting on the couch and watching binging shows for hours knowing that it will lead to a habit I’m trying to break is bad (for me, anyway).

    Now that I noticed how these two activities are linked, I’ve been more mindful of it and started to come up with ideas of how I can reprogram my brain to correlate sitting on my couch with doing something that I both enjoy doing AND is good for me! Some ways that I’ve started reprogramming my mind include:

    • Sitting in my favorite spot with a book instead of my laptop
    • Watching a show, but when that craving for food hit, get up and make a cup of tea or drink some water
    • Just getting up and doing something else around the house
    • Creating and keeping a routine that keeps me off my couch (because when I sit on this thing, 9 times out of 10 I wasn’t just “relaxing”, I was procrastinating!) until it’s time to take a break
    • Reminding myself that I’d either just eaten and can wait a few hours, OR if it is time for me to eat, grab something HEALTHY instead of junky

    Now, let’s look at the unhealthy habit you want to break, and the activities that you find yourself doing that automatically end with the habit you want to change. What are some things that you can do or tell yourself to help reprogram your brain and associate those activities with the healthy habit you desire to create? Spend some time with a pen and paper and write it out! I think you’ll be impressed by what you can come up with J

    If this post spoke to you, please leave a comment below and share with a friend (or a few)!!

    Until next time!!!