Obstacles – EMBRACE THEM!
If you have a goal – I can pretty much guarantee that you will come across some obstacles along the way.
It’s a given that if you set a goal that is a little (or A LOT) out of your comfort zone – there will be times that you hit a speedbump (or a brick wall).
What if you fully embraced these obstacles? What if you recognized that obstacles are NECESSARY and that they reveal the steps you need to take to get to your goal.
Obstacles = stepping stones!
Each obstacle that you encounter can be used to get you a little closer – it’s just a part of the process!
And while we are talking about processes – let’s discuss just how CRUCIAL the PROCESS is – believe it or not, it’s far more important than the goal itself!
What often happens is we set this shiny new goal – to lose weight, to quit emotionally eating, to exercise 5 times a week – and think that the goal is the most important accomplishment.
That once we reach that goal, everything will be rainbows and daisies.
When in reality – once we reach that goal – we are going to want to set another one, right? It’s kinda human nature that we set goals, achieve them, and then set other ones!
So since we are in the goal setting business – how about we take a better look at the importance of the process AND the obstacles that we may cross along our path.
When we focus on the process, we can stay present in the moment – and plan for how we want to react to any bumps we encounter.
Let’s use weight loss as an example – let’s say your goal is to lose 40 pounds. And your process for doing this involves a combination of exercise, listening to your body’s hunger cues, and some extra self-love.
What obstacles may come up along the way to this goal?
You work late and have a deadline that’s looming
Your tired and don’t feel like cooking
You have a business trip
Your kids are sick
Someone brought donuts to work
Your husband wants to go out to dinner instead of eating at home
It’s your friend’s birthday party
You have an injury that keeps you from being able to workout
You just don’t FEEL LIKE IT!!
You can pretty much expect to have one if not all of these situations to deal with at some point along this weight loss journey. Heck, you can almost guarantee that these things will be a part of your life FOREVER, right?
So how do you want to handle them? Who do you want to be in each of these scenarios? How do you want to “show up”?
Let’s do a little visualization.
Picture yourself at your goal – what did you do every time one of these obstacles popped up? How did you feel? What were your priorities?
Get clear on this picture. And then PRACTICE this process every time you are faced with a decision that will either 1) take you in the direction of your goals or 2) take you away from your desired outcome.
The goal itself is just a guide to help you in your decision making. When you are CLEAR on your Why – the process and obstacles become a welcomed (and planned) part of the journey.
