Last updated on June 18th, 2019
It’s at this time of year, as the weather begins to get colder and the days are shorter, it can be harder to resist the habits we’re trying to change.
When we lose that motivation, it can be easy to perceive that what we’re trying to achieve is just all too hard. Life can so easily get in the way – if we let it.
Many people can find themselves on a see-saw of feeling motivated to improve their energy and health, then feeling overwhelmed and letting it all slip away. And winter, being a natural time of turning inwards and hibernation, doesn’t help!
In order to change the behaviour, you first need to change the belief and our self-talk.
If we make some positive changes only to have them slip and then tell ourselves we’ve “ruined everything now” and “what’s the point anyway?”, we deter ourselves from picking them up again because we feel like we failed – which can stimulate some of our deeper, more hidden beliefs that we’re not ‘good’ enough.
By reminding yourself that it’s what you do consistently that shapes your health, not what you do occasionally – and remembering that everything you do to support your health is beneficial and never a waste of time, even one little glass of water can make a difference – you can begin to shift your perception around your choices.
This is why it’s so important to bring curiosity instead of judgement to our choices. If we’re curious about why we’re engaging in certain behaviours rather than judgemental, we allow ourselves to explore what might be going on for us below the surface of our actions.
Instead of letting your nourishing practices fall away entirely with the seasonal changes, try adapting them to suit the climate and how you’re feeling. You might not feel motivated to go for a walk outside in the morning because of the weather, but a gentle yoga practice on your bedroom floor might feel just as nourishing. You may notice that your desire for salads and raw foods disappears, yet you can still nourish your body with nutritious soups and stews.
I hope that you don’t give up. I hope that you prioritise your health because you are so, so worth it.
Take the best care of yourself.
With warmth,
Dr Libby x
