When you get up in the morning, do you take a moment to enjoy the process of preparing for the day? Do you consciously prepare your breakfast and a hot cup of coffee or is it a fast-tracked, get it in your system as fast as possible ordeal? When you walk outside for the first time in the morning, do you hear the birds? Does the morning air leave a lasting impression on your skin that you remember throughout the day?

How many right turns did you make on your drive to work today? I bet you had to think about it. You are probably wrong about it too! As you form habits, decisions related to certain tasks become second nature. You make a staggering amount of decisions per day. Your subconscious mind takes over to perform these tasks whether you enjoy the task or not. The more you gain familiarity with a task, the less you will stop and think about it and find yourself present in the moment. You'll start going through the motions.

Going through the motions has its time and place but can also inhibit the process of learning and exposing yourself to new things. After eating the same lunch every day without even thinking about it, making a meal choice at a new restaurant can be stress-inducing. Eating the same thing every day is a prime example of the many ways you avoid "decision fatigue" without even knowing you're doing it. You create routines to minimize the number of new decisions you need to consciously think about daily. But what do you do when want to make changes or improve your experiences? You must stop going through the motions!

To demonstrate what we mean; let's say you skip breakfast, the cook at your favorite lunch spot starts preparing your meal when you walk through the door, and your dinner is the first thing you can grab from your fridge when you get home. But when you work out, you are focused and push yourself multiple days a week and understand why you are performing movements a certain way. You are getting stronger and fitter but aren't happy with what you see in the mirror. Your stubborn belly fat is holding on for dear life no matter how hard you work. The conscious effort you are putting in at the gym is not what is holding you back. It is your mindless eating habits that are keeping you from the change you are chasing. If your food choices are made on a whim, understanding how to make positive change is nearly impossible. Becoming mindful of your nutrition choices and no longer going through the motions is the first step to pinpointing what you are doing well and where to improve.

Life can be an emotional rollercoaster. When your rollercoaster takes off, it is often fueled by ignorance. To get off, you must become mindful of the situation and make a conscious effort to find the cause of the effect. Gaining consciousness of what is important to you is the first step to positive change.

If you are ready to make lasting changes to your health and wellness, send us a DM or book a complimentary "No Sweat Intro" to learn more/get started!