There’s a lot of talk about goal-setting at my office.

Discussions are usually focused on a certain behaviour change that will allow people to reduce chronic pain, to balance the strains of work or stress and to strive for personal growth. This chat is important so I can best tailor both your in-clinic session and home-care recommendations to your particular needs and lifestyle.

One thing I’ve noticed is that people have a natural tendency to set sights on outcome-based goals, or goals that will yield specific results: do the thing until it’s done, like doing exercises until their pain stops, then the goal is completed… and then they forget everything about their exercises until the pain comes back.

We may actually find longer-term success by shifting the focus to identity-based habits: focusing on WHO you wish to become. We literally are what we do repeatedly, so if you change your self-image, the view on those habits, and our resistance or inconsistency with doing them, starts to change.

Consider the difference if:

The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.

The goal is not to start a diet, but to change your diet.

The goal is not to get out of pain, the goal is to stay out of pain.

This is a gradual evolution: the more you repeat a behaviour, the more you reinforce the identity associated with that behaviour. Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to become. Change in this way is a two step process - decide the type of person you want to be, then prove it to yourself with small wins.

I’m the kind of person who believes movement is the answer to a lot of questions. So here I am and here I will be, forever trying, forever practising ^.^

Need help getting started, or progressing from where you've been with your routine? Online booking is always open!

Clients generally have similar goals when they come to see me- they want to reduce pain, move better, sleep better, basically feel and operate better in general. Quick heads up- these goals require teamwork, ie, effort from me AND YOU! 

This is why I teach self-care habits in the form of movement, self-massage, and breathing exercises, as well as ergonomic and daily life tips to improve other influencing factors. Active involvement in your own wellness is KEY and creating habits that support your goals is crucial. 

BUT getting started on these habits can feel overwhelming when you factor in the rest of life's strain on your time, so it helps to set yourself up for success wherever you are- create an environment that makes it as easy as possible to engage in the habits you want to repeat. 

In my context, that may mean:

• putting a yoga mat next to your work desk to prompt you to move intentionally at the start of your break. 

  strategically placing self massage tools around your home, like trigger point balls next to your bed to roll your plantar fasciitis foot before standing

• a foam roller next to your TV so you can self-massage your back while you watch

• Or maybe it's assigning a firm meaning to a sticker then putting it in regular view so it sends you a message with every glance at it (posture checks and/or sips of water are my favorite for this!).

Are you ready to chat about self-care habits (oh, and also still get an incredible massage for whatever ails you)? Donut worry, I got your back! Online booking always open ^.^

Has the little voice in your head been saying “should” a lot lately?

I should drink more water. 

I should move more.

I should get off my phone.

I should do my exercises

… only for none of those things to actually happen (and then you feel guilty about it)?

Creating a physical environment that fosters good habits is so much a part of the equation (check out my last post for more on this!), but it’s still up to our brains to DECIDE to do the thing - to pick up the glass of water, to get out the yoga mat, to put down the phone. 

That’s where creating a MENTAL ENVIRONMENT that encourages those habits comes in. The words with which we speak to ourselves MATTERS, how we frame a situation or context in our mind MATTERS, and can ultimately be the determining factor in our success (or failure). 

What if instead of letting that voice run away with uncontrolled thought, we intentionally repeat certain phrases, even mantras, to train your brain to operate in a different way?

I AM a person who PRIORITIZES health and wellness as a part of my lifestyle. 

I AM a person who VALUES movement as a means of achieving balanced wellness.

I AM a person who MOVES on a regular basis in ways that interest me and that I enjoy.

I AM a person who BELIEVES that personal growth is a life-long process, not a destination.

You can FEEL the difference then when you’re in an environment where your tools are readily available and your brain is telling you this script of the core values you truly want to live by (bonus points if your environment also reflects your mantras, like with my custom-created habit planner!!).

It’s here where MOTIVATION isn’t necessary, only ACTION is. And every action is a point in favor of becoming who you want to be- feeling better, moving better, living better.

The toolbox analogy is a fantastic way to describe the collection of strategies, both physical and mental, that we have to help ourselves. The more tools, or techniques, in the toolbox the better then, right?

Meh, not really.

What if we didn’t need a thousand different things to try, what if all we need are a select few tools that work effectively FOR US?

This is where LISTENING to your body, reading your own signals to recognize the things that are helping versus the things that aren’t, comes in. REFLECTING on if things may be uncomfortable in the moment but better later, or maybe better in the moment but worse later (deep pressure is NOT always the answer, folks!!!!) can help not only you learn more about how your body responds to things, but can help point me in the right direction for recommendations for self-care!