It is A key.
Look at your key ring. Do you have a single key that provides you entry to every lock you could ever possibly need to gain access to?
Chances are, probably not.
You need a key to unlock your front door. A separate key to unlock each of your vehicles. Perhaps you need a key to open your mailbox or a key to enter a storage unit. I’ve seen key rings with a dozen (or more!) keys on them.
I know this will be a super unpopular opinion, but I really think “consistency” is over-glorified. If being consistent is THE key, what is the key to being consistent?
My belief is that there are a number of keys we need on our journey to achieve a desired outcome or goal and I will likely provide my thoughts on more of them at a later date. Today, however, I will focus on one of the keys that I feel is really overlooked and imperative to success in endeavors of achievement:
Resiliency.
In conversations with clients this past week around planning for Thanksgiving, I’ve listened to a number of people share concerns about how to navigate the holiday. They’ve expressed worry that their efforts or any progress they’ve achieved will be derailed. (Therefore, this post is relaying the message in the context of dietary protocols with specific body composition goals in mind but it can be applied to everything.)
First and foremost, I really believe that enjoying a holiday by spending time with loved ones and savoring a thoughtfully prepared meal and some seasonal treats is imperative to a balanced relationship with food and enjoyment of the holiday season in general.
But I know for some, a day off plan will be challenging. What I’ve proposed to those I’ve talked with that are feeling stress or fear around altering their course to accommodate holiday meals (because, hello! Inconsistency.) is to let go of the need to be consistent and focus rather on being resilient.
Resilience is the ability to withstand challenges and the capacity to quickly recover from difficult situations. It implies a tough will of character and an aptitude for flexibility.
We can’t control every single aspect of our lives. But we can control how we adapt to them and bounce back from them. We cannot be 100% consistent in everything we do 100% of the time. It’s just not possible. We can, however, enter into a state of resiliency by focusing on the things we are doing that are in support of or in favor of the desired outcome.
My suggestion is that instead of fixating on the things that perhaps highlight inconsistencies, note all the ways in which you are flexing your resiliency. Write them down if you need to be reminded! Consistency, by the way, is simply conformity to an application or process.
You are stronger and more resilient than any of the challenging circumstances you face.
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