4 Ways to Create More Consistency in Your Life

I am on a fitness journey which I am approaching very differently this time around. Partially because my primary workout it Pilates vs Heated Yoga which burns SOOO many calories the weight just melts off. 

However, more so because I wanted to deepen my practice by going slowly. Late Fall last year I began to have vision problems (which are now healed, thank God!) and I completely fell off of my workout routine. 

I went from going every day to by the time I joined my new gym it had been months since I worked out consistently. I am a certified yoga and barre instructor so I would do my own routine at home but there’s nothing like getting in a good class and allowing someone else to tell me what to do. 

I love being a student when it is my self-care time. 

I realized I do this often, when I decide to lose weight, I go hard drop the pounds and then scale back because the routine isn’t truly sustainable for my everyday life. 

This time I wanted to do the opposite, instead of jumping all in, I decided to scale up. 

I created a schedule worked it, adjusted it until it felt good, and as it began to feel easy I would throw in a more advanced class or a double here and there. 

This is the top of the fourth month of my new routine. Typically where I would begin scaling back. 

Instead, I am scaling up, but differently. I’m definitely spending less time at the gym as new projects have begun to call for more attention (as they normally do). 

However, because I am in the routine, I’ve been able to reduce my before/after locker room time. I’m present to what my body needs thus I am able to give it exactly that vs fumbling around trying to see what works. 

My workout time is intentional, focused, and gets the job done. 

This has only been possible because I took the time to play around with what my body needs, how it responds to different types of workouts, and combinations, and how my sleep, water, and nutrition habits support the process as well.

This has inspired me to share 4 ways to become more consistent (and successful!) at anything in life. I used working out as an example here but this can be applied to any area of your life. 

1. Allow yourself to grow and build. You don’t have to have all of the answers or be perfect on day one. Attempting to may actually lead to frustration and burnout sooner. 

Give yourself the grace to be where you are, and treat it like an experiment that you can learn and integrate. 

2. Give yourself a tangible goal to begin with. When I first began working out I was inspired by the famous Joseph Pilates quote,
   
   “After 10 classes you will feel the difference, after 20 classes you will see the difference, and after 30 you will have an entirely new body. ~ Joseph Pilates

My first goal was to get to 30 classes by my birthday, which gave me two months. I designed everything around that. I also took barre classes, breathwork, mat pilates, ad yoga. Everything was designed to serve my main goal of getting to 30 classes by my birthday. 

3. Find (fun!) solutions to the things that are getting in the way. Somewhere around week six (way too long), I had to accept that I was not drinking enough water. I needed a water bottle that would make it easy to keep count. 

I was using the app and had my mason jars but it just wasn’t cutting it. I found this adorable pink water bottle on Amazong that literally tells me where I am supposed to be in my consumption and by which time. It’s designed for 64 oz, I’d really like to get to 96 oz but 64 daily is way better than where I was. 

Looking at the things that are not working as an opportunity to grow and get better is a sure way let those challenges support you. 

You also replace negative self-talk with curiosity and maybe a little adventure. 

4. Give yourself grace. Allow the frustration moments or moments that seem like a failure to be moments to love up on yourself and lean into faith. 

Trust and know that your intention and commitment to yourself will pay off. It always does. When you are gentle and loving with yourself you give the process more flow and energy which helps to carry you. 

It becomes something that supports you and makes your life better vs something that you dread. 

5. Keep going! Last but not least, stay in the game. Adjust where you need to, get back on when you fall off, and remember that keeping a commitment to yourself is a radical act of self-love. Your self-esteem and confidence will grow. 

A great way to stay in the game when you don’t want to is to go back to #1. Allow yourself to grow and build. If it looks messy and not perfect, remember that is part of the growth process. 

It means you’re in the game – even falling off is part of the game. Forgive yourself, re-commit, and know each time you recommit you get stronger in your commitment.  

Right after i hit 30 classes, I took a trip to NY. I had these grandiose plans of using my sliders, free weights, and bands to train myself while I was away. I did absolutely nada that first week. 

The second week I recruited and told myself, I needed to do something. I ran for 30 minutes, 3 times that week. I got back in the game. 

When I returned to my gym I started where I was and got back in the flow. Within two weeks, I was deeper in the flow than before I left.

I didn’t let the stumble be a fall and I found my stride and it was surprisingly stronger. It was part of the growth process. 

Trust yourself and the process. You got this!

BONUS: Integrate and repeat

As you learn and grow integrate what you learn into your process and embody your next level. Let go of the past, what worked and what didn’t. 

It served you in the ways it was supposed to. 

Be here now, wherever that is for you.