Our brain’s goal is to keep us safe.

Have you noticed that you have a lot of thoughts every day?

A Google search indicates that we have approximately 6,000 thoughts per day.

All those thoughts and mind chatter are your ego, your inner voice, or your subconscious.

It’s that chatter that runs all day long in your mind.

It’s very opinionated and sometimes bossy.

Ninety percent of our thoughts are repetitive.

Your brain wants to conserve energy and maintain safety.

When you go to make a change, it has a lot of opinions.

Have you noticed this?

Your brain will tell you it’s a terrible idea:

To change your nutrition.

Or go for a walk.

Or drink more water.

Or leave the toxic relationship.

Why?

It takes energy to make those changes.

It might be uncomfortable.

You’re going to have to do something new and unknown.

It will feel awkward.

A month ago, I moved, and I’m finally settled in my new house.

I haven’t gone to the gym and lifted weights since early August.

For the past several years, I’ve stayed consistent with the gym because I stopped negotiating with myself.

I found that voice creeping in.

The voice of negotiation that wants to keep me safe.

You can join the gym tomorrow or next week.

Your shoulder hurts from lifting a shelving unit.

You’re going to have to figure out a new routine and new equipment.

What if people aren’t nice?

I’ll feel out of place because I’m new and don’t know anyone.

Where will I put my purse?  (Yes, this is absurd, but it was a thought in my brain)

I had so many thoughts about joining a new gym.

Most of them were just my brain trying to conserve energy and keep me safe.

Your brain loves to make things seem hard and not worth trying.

My question to you this week is, where are you resisting or negotiating?

Where is your brain trying to keep you safe?

Whether it’s health related, like eating whole food or going for a walk.

Or changing jobs.

Or leaving a relationship that no longer serves you.

Or something as simple as drinking more water.

We all have that inner voice that’s full of opinions.

Yesterday I decided to stop negotiating with myself about joining the gym.

I went and signed up.

Today I went and worked out.

It took some thought to work with new equipment and a new layout.

No one spoke to me, and that’s ok.

I left my purse in my trunk - small town living.

Was it my best workout?  No.

But it felt so good to stop resisting and get started.

I walked around and looked at the equipment to get a sense of how I’d put together workouts.

I reminded myself that it will come together as it always does.

The first step is often the hardest.

Decide and move into messy action.

Lacing up your tennis shoes to go for a walk.

Choosing different food at the grocery store.

Deciding that you’re worthy of improving your health.

Thank your inner voice for trying to keep you safe.

And then go do the thing you’re most resisting.

My most successful clients are the ones who take messy, imperfect action and then adjust.