Willingness

Day 30/366 of writing and publishing in 2024.

At the wellness studio I work at currently, we are about to invite our clients into a step challenge. This is to help them get more movement into their lives through cardiovascular exercise. The challenge hasn’t even started yet and I’m already hearing a lot of limiting beliefs come up. The crazy thing is, we are only asking clients to increase their steps and or time doing cardio by 10% each week in one months time. So if they are only doing 30 minutes of cardio now, the first week they are to increase that by 3 minutes. And I’m listening to dozens of limiting beliefs around that. It inspired an article for our newsletter at the studio which in turn inspured this article here.

"What is the recipe for change?”

As a personal trainer, life coach, and personal development enthusiast, I have spent countless hours listening to people and observing behaviors.

Ultimately, it comes down to this: clients who truly transform their lives are the ones who put in the work, while those who don't make the effort experience little to no change.

But what prevents those who don't take action from changing?

In one of my certifications, my instructor broke it down for us and explained that most of the population falls into one of four groups:

1. Willing and able.

2. Not willing but able.

3. Willing but not able.

4. Not willing and not able.

The clients who see significant change generally fall into the first category, while those who see minimal progress tend to fall into the second category. This is often where limiting beliefs come into play. Of course, there are exceptions such as disabilities, which fall into the other two categories. However, even individuals with disabilities can sometimes limit themselves by becoming attached to their disability.

From my experience of listening to people, I've found that most of the time, it is their own minds that create a situation where they are "not willing" to change, for various reasons. The excuse of "not having enough time" is a common one, but both myself and my colleagues debunk this notion. We are some of the busiest people we know, yet we still find time to invest in our health.

People may also bring up the argument of having children, suggesting that it is more challenging to prioritize health when raising a family. However, I have plenty of clients who are parents and do not have nannies or additional help, yet they still find a way to invest in their health. They make it work by finding creative solutions.

When a client comes to me with a story or a limiting belief, even if it's a behavior I personally don't struggle with, I respond by saying, "I hear you." I then encourage them to realize that there are 7 billion people in the world. I assign them the homework of researching and finding someone with a similar condition who has overcome it. I guarantee that among those billions of people, there is someone who has faced and conquered what they are going through. Our egos often make us believe that we are the only ones struggling, but there are others out there who can provide valuable insights and inspiration.

The victim archetype tends to keep us trapped in our limited beliefs. Validating these beliefs only perpetuates a cycle of stagnation. I have a deep appreciation for the work of Caroline Myss and her exploration of archetypes. I learned about these archetypes during my life coaching certification and continued to delve into Myss's work after graduating.

During my own journey of personal growth, I discovered that I had numerous limiting beliefs that originated from unhealed trauma. I began to learn about myself, my family of origin, and more. From the age of 26 to now, at 48, I have dedicated myself to understanding who I am. I gradually shed the dysfunctional behaviors that were modeled for me and replaced them with healthier ways of being in the world. The investment I made in myself has yielded significant rewards in all aspects of my life, including my work, art, communication, and self-esteem.

I believe that my greatest asset is my willingness. I am open to learning, trying new things, and expanding my horizons. Willingness is the catalyst that propels us to live at different frequencies. It is the driving force behind life transformation. If you desire change, cultivate a willingness within yourself. It will set you free."