We all spend this time of year reflecting on what we are thankful for, it is a time of year we actually slow down from our hectic lives and appreciate our family and friends all together. How many of us approach Thanksgiving as a means of getting perspective on what is to come?

Amanda with her son on a Thanksgiving walk — **“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”**

- Epictus

Make the hard decisions now

for the best future you

This holiday season, I will of course be giving thanks. To my loved ones, to what I cherish in my life and all things I may take for granted day-to-day. I will also give thanks to my body and mind; to their strength, health and what they allow me to achieve.

But let’s think further ahead, I want you to think about the ‘you’ of the future. The ‘you’ in 5 years. And the ‘you’ in 10 years. With these future selves in mind, consider these 6 big questions:

1. How is this 'you' feeling?
2. How is 'your' health?
3. How is 'your' ability to move?
4. How is 'your' ability to think?
5. What are you able to do or not do?
6. What are your biggest struggles?

Maybe you need more clarity on this activity?

Think about it in this manner:

Think about the 'you of the future' and how you feel in terms of your health/abilities IF you didn't change anything about your behavior patterns now - how would those areas develop?

How would you feel (in health, mind, movement, body)? And what impact would it have on other areas of your life?

Now, think about the 'you of the future' and how you would feel (in health, mind, movement, body) if you did improve upon your behaviors now (you can get specific about what behaviors to change later), how would life be different?

Would that behavior change you’ve been thinking about seem like such a difficult adjustment with future perspective?

Let me give you an example.

It took me a long time to learn the impact of managing my stress. I always understood the concept. I knew that it didn’t feel good to be so stressed, but I didn’t just ‘do’ better even though I knew better. It took me getting to a low point.

That low point was feeling exhausted from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to bed. It was struggling with digestive upsets. It was a mood roller coaster. And it ended up leading to hypothyroidism and low overall sex hormones. Hypothyroid and low sex hormones meant weight loss resistance and an inability to get pregnant. At 36 years old, and wanting to have a family, that opened my eyes to change, and fast.

I quickly started setting boundaries with work, actively slowing down in my day to day adding in more play, more rest, lowering my exercise output and increasing my sleep.

I adopted meditation as a ritual to help me slow my mind and I redefined ‘productivity’. And, a half a year later I was losing weight and a year later I was pregnant. Now, I was lucky that I could turn that around. And relatively fast.

Sometimes if we stay too long in our (negative) patterns before recognizing they aren’t serving us, the journey becomes much, much longer to get out of the health impositions caused. That year of change was extremely hard. And I wished that I didn’t have to get to THAT point, the one of weight loss resistance, energy, mood and digestive issues and the threat of not having a family, to change. And it’s why this visionary practice continues to help me make changes sooner.

This visionary practice is important because I truly want each and every one of you to find your inner fire, that deep inspiration, dedication and drive from these thoughts, to help you make the hard changes now.

Because I want you to be one of the ones who looks back and doesn't wish they had done something sooner. Who doesn't end up in pain, discomfort, lacking independence, diseased or anything more that could have been influenced by what you are doing right now in your day to day.

I want you to look back at Thanksgiving in 10, 20 or even just one year from now and thank YOURSELF for the positive change you decided to make to your life in 2023.

Sit in the Shoes of Future You

At the time of decision-making, we don’t necessarily think of the future outcome, only of the here and now. But I bet you have looked back on certain things and thanked your past self - ‘I feel so confident in my bikini this summer, I’m glad I took that first pilates class last autumn and kept with it’ or ‘Those extra 15 minutes I’m taking just for me each morning have really helped me have greater patience with my kids throughout the day’.

On the other hand, I’m sure you’ve had frustrations with yesterday’s you for not making the changes as you recognize the discomforts only growing greater.

So why not try a new thought pattern when it comes to the decisions you make about your health?

Now this is a wild perspective but try it out.

Sit in the shoes of the ‘you’ who chose to make the changes now. You are waking up this morning 10 years from now, how would you ‘thank this you now’?

Would you give thanks to your younger self for figuring out how to make the behavior change and not just saying ‘This is too hard’ or ‘I don’t know how’?

Would you thank your younger self for fighting to improve even if it’s just 1% better each day, for caring about your health 'then' so that 'now' you can be strong, clear-minded, energetic, pain-free and living your life fully?

And I hate to bring up the other perspective, but for the sake of perspective…

What are you wishing you did sooner? What part of your health is the most painful and what aspect do you so badly wish you would have taken more seriously to work to improve and support? How might life be different if you did?

How to Make the Change You’ll Thank Yourself for Next Year

It can be scary if you think you’re alone in making the change. Perhaps the people in your immediate life circle can’t offer you much in the way of advice or support but hey, that’s what sisterhood is for!

Say, you want to start running but are worried about where you’ll run or how you’ll look… you could find local running groups, they’re a great way of socializing on top of offering you the routes and running partners without any planning from you. You just need to SHOW UP.

Think of solutions to your blockages like this one, and start small.

Perhaps you just feel like you need to relate and hear that other women have been where you are and have found a way through. I get it, so many clients come to me saying the same thing and it led me to start an online community of women wanting to elevate their journey of change. Check it out here: She Strong Community.

For those of you who have gotten discouraged amidst trying to change, there are ways to support building confidence in your choice to change. Confident decision-making requires that you gain a new perspective so you can maintain clarity when turning back feels more comfortable (hence the above activity :) ). What you’re really doing in that activity is digging deeper into your why behind doing what you do. You are enforcing a deeper dedication to change.

I know change can be hard. But the other option… is harder.

Be the one that thanks themselves later.

P.S. I have blog posts coming up on how to make behavior change easy and how to create habits that you can stick with, keep an eye out! If you join my newsletter - here - I’ll give you a heads-up when they’re published.

THE 6 BIG QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF NEXT THANKSGIVING

“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”