Creating the Motiv8d Trainer community and meeting awesome people wherever they are on their road to a healthy lifestyle is my passion. A lifestyle of deep health is a combination of physical, social and mental health habits. One of the most important first steps on a fitness journey is to find a partner, friend or better yet, a social community to do it with you.
Don’t be a lone wolf.
Find an accountability partner for each location you spend time during the day and for the times of day you are available to workout or practice that habit. Brainstorm a list of potential partners in this intention to move more. Think of a neighbor, work colleague, family member, trainer/coach (*wink, wink*) you enjoy spending time with. If “real-time” is challenging or schedules conflict, go virtual. Find a safe and supportive community online or a Facebook group (Motiv8d Trainer’s Insiders Club) you enjoy.
Connection through group or individual companionship can support the work required to achieve your fitness goals and allow you to enjoy the road trip together. Here are tips to get you moving in the right direction.
Seek out common interests or goals.
Connecting over shared demographics, hobbies or professional pursuits makes spending time together enjoyable if you can distract or entertain one another with pet stories and shared “top of mind” conversation.
Make a Declaration.
Use the community or an accountability partner within the group to declare and share your weekly wins, losses & aha moments. Build future success and growth by acknowledging your past successes and struggles.
Join a Challenge.
Five and ten-day challenges health and fitness challenges are popular and hosted all over the internet. Join an existing challenge group or invite your tribe to participate with you. Better yet, create your own challenge that reflects your values and aligns with your goals.
Create a Plan.
Schedule and automate the shared actions on a public calendar accessible to you and your partner. Regularly message each other on a set day and check back with each other later in the week to account for the wins. Rinse and repeat as many of the reminders and processes to stay in touch with each other. Gifs and emojis are fast ways to convey a thought and instill fun in what can be a long process to making a change stick.
Create a shared affirmation.
“I am more capable than I know.” Repeat twice daily when the alarm you set on your phones or watches goes off. Keep it simple. “I can achieve any goal I can imagine”. Feed a success-focused mindset together.
Brainstorm together.
Find cues for habits that stick like laying out your gym clothes the night before and bringing that refillable water bottle to workouts. Set a notification to move on to your smartwatch and calendar your workouts at the beginning of the week. Success comes when we make small, consistent changes. If the action is not happening, break it down smaller until you create consistent rituals that encourage frequent movement.
Visualize your Check-Ins.
How do you want to feel when you share your weekly progress Most resolutions don’t stick because we don’t get quite enough or curious often or long enough to connect our why (intrinsic motivation) with how we will feel when we accomplish an action (finish that workout). What does attaining that goal look like and how will it make you feel?
Encourage and keep it positive.
Avoid the use of absolute statements, as in, “I’m quitting all carbs, sugar and fat,” or “I’m going to work out every day”. Agree to eliminate self-sabotage or self-deprecating comments by naming your inner critic and recognize self-limiting thoughts or beliefs for one another. An awesome-based partner is a great resource to build each other up and not devolve into awful-based catastrophizing.
“You may be whatever you resolve to be. Determine to be something in the world, and you will be something. “I cannot,” never accomplished anything; “I will try,”has wrought wonders.” – J. Hawes
Make a Pledge and exchange them.
Be a champion for your self-care and set healthy boundaries within the partnership to assure a supportive and mutually beneficial arrangement. Here’s an example: I acknowledge and believe I am worth the efforts to achieve my goal. I am solely responsible for obtaining my goals and acknowledge that what I do is up to me. I am going to be proud of myself with each small success. Also, I will turn “can’t” into “how can I”.
Community is everywhere and mine is located right here in the Motiv8d Trainer Insider’s Club. This is where are awesome people connect to support, stress less, get stronger and live their best life now!
