Let’s talk stretching today. But not the kind of stretching you do as part of your workouts, today I want to talk about stretching yourself outside of your comfort zone.
To get new results in anything, from getting into better shape to learning a new skill in business or personal development of any kind you have to do things differently than what you are currently doing.
And it’s not to say that you want to change something about your current status because you don’t like where you are (although that can also be a catalyst) it’s just that you believe that you are capable of more or at least want more for yourself, your body and your quality of life.
But trying to stretch outside of your comfort zone means having to get uncomfortable for a little while, it also often means venturing into unfamiliar territory and that can be scary. In fact it’s so scary that it prevents people from really getting what they want out of life.
I have heard stories of people not taking action on going for a result they really want and being bummed out because of it. I have had clients tell me they waited years before embarking on a path of living a healthier lifestyle because they were scared. Of what you may ask?
How about the fear of failing, not doing it right and therefore getting injured, or simply because you feel so far away from where you want to be it feels like what you want is an impossibility. I have even heard (and been my own victim) of not stretching out because of the fear of actually succeeding.
Sometimes being scared to stretch out of your comfort zone comes after you are ready to go for it but then you talk to your family and friends about it and you get what I call “resistance with the best of intentions.”
“Oh you don’t really need that, you look great”
“Oh I tried that and it didn’t work”
“Why would you do that, just get a gym membership and eat more veggies”
“It’s at what time in the morning!?”
“Oh great, does that mean wine night is out?” (note: no it does not mean that)
All of these comments and personal fears are completely unsupportive and can really hold you back and even make you feel powerless and weak. I hate that feeling.
Now days I’m lucky though because I know a simple way to manage it all. And I learned it from a silly kids book/movie character named Willy Wonka.
In case you never watched the movie, Willy Wonka is a world famous candy maker and his factory is mysterious and completely ridiculous. Willy doesn’t do anything the normal way, he does it his way and a few times in the movie his actions are questioned. His response to those questions is to call those people “mumblers”.
Of course Willy can understand what they are saying, but what they are saying offers no support or progressive thought, allowing those comments to absorb beyond skin deep would serve no point and so his defence is to call out “mumblers”.
While a child probably wouldn’t understand the power of dismissing unsupportive and unproductive comments, as an adult it is abundantly clear how much those comments can derail your efforts and that is why it is crucial especially at the very start of doing something outside of your comfort zone that you protect yourself from those comments and personal thoughts, because remember your own fearful comments can keep you down as much if not more than comments from others.
Start catching those thoughts internally and externally and call them out for what they are… “MUMBLERS”
I have been caught a few times saying “MUMBLER!” to someone and it completely threw them off guard… and it shut them up at the same time. I couldn’t help but smirk a little bit once I knew I had them confused.
I want you to ask yourself, “how many times have I mumbled today?”
P.S.
If you have been thinking about living a healthier lifestyle in a body you love and you you want to “stretch out” of your comfort zone and do it in a mumbler free environment that offers the support, accountability and a sustainable path to results then contact me today and tell me about your fitness goals and what’s keeping you from reaching them. I’m here to help.