On Monday, I talked about how the first step towards accomplishing your goals is simply to believe in yourself.
Next up and almost as important…you must surround yourself with positive people. One of the main reasons I have seen clients fail is because they completely lack a support network. They are around people at work who make them feel weird for making healthy choices. They are married to someone who continues to bring unhealthy foods into the house. They have friends who pressure them to skip the gym in favor of happy hour. They have parents who bring big boxes of chocolates or Girl Scout Cookies over every time they visit.
I’m not saying you need to ditch all of your friends, get in a fight with your parents or file for divorce, but I am saying that you need to find a support network of some type in order to succeed and to accomplish your goals. You need someone to talk to who can help hold you accountable, especially on days when you don’t feel like making the right choices.
If you don’t have the support you need at home, at work or in your network of family and friends, here are a few ideas:
1. Get a personal trainer or join a group training program where you’ll be surrounded by other people who have health and fitness on their minds. Find a gym that you like with trainers and clients you enjoy seeing often. If you hate going, it’s not gonna work. (See …we have fun in class at Skill of Strength!)
2. Find a buddy who also wants to get in shape, lose a few pounds, etc. and commit to helping each other out. Go to the gym together or take walks at lunch during work. Have weekly or monthly weigh-ins to keep each other accountable. Make each other lunches or look for nearby restaurants with healthy options.
3. Get online. I have made some pretty great friends through blogging and social media including twitter and instagram. You can find people from your area or people who have things in common with you (whether you are into running, kettlebells, triathalons, being a fit mama, etc.). It sounds silly, but sometimes it’s hard to make friends as an adult and it truly does help to connect with others who share the same goals even if you don’t know them in real life!
What other ideas do you have to improve your social support network and surround yourself with positivity?
I TOTALLY agree with you (shocker, I know) surround yourself with positivity and you will naturally be more positive. And happier. And wanting to be AROUND these types of people, not the uber negative types. I have done my best over the last year or so to do just this: surround myself with happy, not the ones that I feel obligated to, but really don’t make me happy to be around. It makes a huge difference.
I am learning as I get older that it’s okay to be a selective with who you hang out with and totally agree with you that it’s okay to spend time with people who make you happy vs. stressed out!! 🙂