This series is intended to support those chefs who have chosen to set wellbeing goals for this year. And to encourage those of you who might want to start! Let us take a look at three ideas that will be worth keeping in mind.
The answers are in you:
When you start to look for teachers or resources to guide you, you can jump from one to another without taking action. I have been there, done that. It it somewhat affirming to see that all those people really ‘get’ your problem. And that they have solutions for you. But remember that:
- Only you can truly know what works for you
- You can only confirm that it works for you by implementing the advice and course-correcting
Another thing to keep in mind is that you do not have to have it all figured out right at the start. The actions you start with (a particular workout or diet) might not be the things you end the year with. But trusting your own instincts will ensure that you choose the best path to get to your desired end result.
Learn the principles:
Focus on learning the principles behind what the trainer or resource teaches you. This is invaluable in a profession like ours that comes with constraints on how much time, energy and money you can devote to self-care. You might have to adapt the advice in order to make it work for you. For example, if you are learning how to sleep better, you might not be able to buy a certain recommended product, but you can find alternatives that offer a similar benefit.
But when you know the principles, you can do that in a way where you do not lose the essence of the guidance. And they become, in a way, timeless: you can always fall back on those principles. In five years’ time if you need to focus on your sleep again, you have more clarity on what helps you.
About ‘crushing it’:
I have no idea how the phrase ‘crushing it’ came into popular motivational language. But you can hardly expect your journey towards any undertaking, particularly when it involves creating habits, to be a linear one. There are always seasons and rhythms to anything and everything. It serves you to remember this every time you face a setback or struggle with motivation.
Life is not a video game where your progress is linear. But by respecting the natural flow of how things unfold helps you respond to your circumstances much better. This ensures that you persist with your wellbeing even when the odds might seem against you.
This concludes our series – I hope you will take this advice to heart. Holding an intention for better wellbeing is a powerful act. Even if you might be on a solitary journey, be assured that you will find support along the way, chef.
(If you enjoyed this series, sign up to get a copy of the Five Steps to a Better Work-Life Balance guide.)