Tag: Self-love

Overabundance of Complacency

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This is not the result of discipline.

I detest the word discipline. 

It frequently gets thrown around in the world of fitness and nutrition; attributing a lack of discipline to why one might be challenged to meet their goals.

Listen, the word itself, by definition, has a pretty harsh connotation. It’s defined as training people to obey a set of rules or codes of behavior and the use of punishment to correct disobedience. 

I cringe when I hear people talk about not having the discipline to do something or that they wish they were more disciplined. I don’t believe it’s necessarily about being deficient in discipline but rather an overabundance of complacency. 

A complacent mentality is feeling content with the status quo. It’s being satisfied with your current situation so that you are not truly willing to invest in making the necessary changes in habits, patterns, and ways of thinking to instigate the transformation of personal health and wellbeing (or in some cases, other life-altering decision making).

I’ve talked about this before on various platforms but I relate self-punishment to a form of discipline that stems from self-depreciation. Hence, one of the reasons I don’t like the use of the word discipline or the usage of disciplinary action to evoke change. 

I much prefer to use terms like ‘show up’ and ‘aligned action’ to replace the extreme punishment evoking language that we’ve been conditioned to use when we aren’t showing up for ourselves or aren’t taking actions that align with the outcome you desire to achieve. 

My private clients, and even those in my close network, know that I’m very mindful about language and the words I choose. Repeatedly using words and phrases that are common in our culture that have negative connotations are actually programming our subconscious whether we realize it or not. 

I’ve had people message me and describe themselves or their current dissatisfied state with words and phrases like I’m fat, I’m a piggy, I made the scale cry, I’m nasty, and many other heartbreaking depreciating self-talk. 

There are a lot of elements to integrating change. And I believe, wholeheartedly, that it must be rooted in self-love. You cannot hate your way to healthy. You cannot hate yourself to being vibrant and full of life. You cannot hate yourself to transformation.

You don’t need more punishment, you need more love.   

Service to Self

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Raise your hand if you’ve been in it deep this week.

And by “it,” I mean shit.

What keeps me anchored in times of chaos, uncertainty, and fear is my ability to choose service to self first and foremost.

(If you are – or have been – a client, you know I speak of service to self frequently.)

The former flight attendant in me reminding you: “should additional oxygen become necessary, put your own mask on before assisting others…”

I was corresponding with a client a few days ago who is also in “it” right now. Physical ailments, being out of their routine, the loss of a loved one, job stress, the daily demands of life, and family dynamics compounding and taking a toll on their ability to stay grounded in their commitment to self.

One of the main elements of caring for ourselves during times of duress is ensuring that we are able to adequately nourish ourselves.

It is how I stay grounded when times are challenging and it’s my assignment to remind you that service to self first is the most selfless act.

You are needed at your best.

If you don’t put your mask on first, you will be no use to those around you that depend upon you.

You can be in “it” but you can also choose the route of empowerment by electing to feed yourself to the absolute best of your ability.

I think there is a misconception that my work as a nutrition professional revolves around macronutrient ratios, weighing and tracking every morsel of food in an app on our phones and that the only measure of progress is a number on a digital device that dictates how hard we’ve worked to restrict ourselves.

That is NOT the foundation of the legacy I desire, however.

My mission, first and foremost, is to transform your heart so that any effort you’re making towards vitality and wellbeing comes from a place of love and service to self above all else.

xo, Hyla