What is your WHY?

We all have our "why".  Why do you exercise? Why do you want to change your eating habits. Why do you get up early to have time for a healthy breakfast? This list goes on and on.  But is your why strong enough?

 When I start working with a client, the first thing I ask them is, "why do you want to make this change"?  If I don't think their "why" is strong enough I ask them to rethink what matters most to them.  Most of the time their "why" is not strong enough, but with a few good questions we can make that why stronger.

What are the important questions to ask?  

1. What will this change allow you to do that you haven't been able to do?

2. What will his change allow your family to do that

they haven't been able to do?

3. What will you gain during and after this change?

4. What will those around you gain during and after this change?

Sometimes it takes several tries to get our "why" strong enough, but when we do it makes all the difference.  You see, if your "why" is not strong enough to pull you through the hard times you are about to encounter you will fail.  You will fall back into old habits, you will find excuses, you will stay the same.

Examples of a bad "why": I want to be skinny, I want to be a size 4, I want to look good at my friend's wedding.

Examples of a good "why": I want to have the energy to play with my kids, I want to live a long healthy life and be an active grandparent, I want to teach my children that taking care of myself is important, in turn teaching them to take care of themselves, I want to be happy without the help of depression medications, I want my knees to be pain free.

Here are my personal "whys".  They change as time goes on, but they stay pretty close to the same.

1. To teach my children that living a healthy life is important.

2. To control my anxiety medication free.

3. To be a fun and active grandma to my future grandchildren

4. To stay attractive to my husband for years to come.

5. To put myself first.

#5 raises a lot of eyebrows, but a good friend and mentor once told me that you can only give others the amount of care you give yourself.  I find this to be 100% true.  I will never be one of those moms that puts my life on hold for my children.  I feel that with the right time management I can take care of me and them.  Trust me, they would rather be with me after I've had a good workout then when I've spent the day laying around.  My energy levels are higher and my mood is definitely better.

What is your "WHY"?