Hello! We just got back from our vacation in Mexico, it was such a fun time spent with friends. We enjoyed our days relaxing by the pool, playing music, and hanging out. It was such a special time (though, a different kind of relaxing with kids!).

Today, I’m talking about what is holding you back, specifically around what is keeping you from moving forward toward your future self. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I love the idea of thinking of our future selves.

In today’s culture (affluent culture, I might add – we have so much available to us!) we’re so set on instant gratification. So set that, we often don’t stop long enough to pause and ask “What choice will my future self be glad that I made?” before making a decision. We could really benefit from changing this.

For more on your future self and stepping into her fully, listen to episode 18 on my podcast to learn exactly how you can start this.

Why Is Growth Important?

First, why do I think we should strive for growth? I am someone who loves to be constantly growing. I am also constantly encouraging my friends to grow and evolve as well (I love seeing the potential in others!). I know that if we can just crowd out what is holding us back, each one of us can tap into our God-given potential and GROW. Know that if you want to grow, you can. Look at where are you, look at where you want to be, and make the decision to not stop until you get there (even if you don’t know the “how” yet!).

I had no idea how to start my coaching business. Not many people knew what health coaching was back then, and it was hard to explain to others exactly what I wanted to do. It was terrifying to grow a business where myself and others didn’t really know what that would even look like. I had no one to look up to or model after, but I knew this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to show other women that they could feel healthy and free without dieting, and that they could appreciate and have a calm relationship with food. I had just started my intuitive eating journey after years of dieting, and I was so motivated to share this with other women. And this is what I am still inspired by! It lights my soul on fire to this day, ten years later.

We will never be fully finished in our growth, I know I’ll always be evolving. And to me that is SO cool (and fun!). It is completely okay to appreciate where you are today AND want to grow into the person you want to become.

That said, I know how hard being in the present moment can be, especially when you just want to be that future version already. You want to check goals off your list, have a certain number in savings, or feel comfortable in your body. However, instead of rushing to get to the result (this is a masculine energy), try to slow down and enjoy the process (this is a more feminine energy). Step into the every day joys of reaching for your goals, and going into each day with light heartedness and enjoyment.

Why Do We Hold Ourselves Back from Growth?

A common reason I hear from others on why you hold yourself back is that you are probably feeling comfortable where you are. You might not love where you are, but it is safe and you know what you’re doing (you could probably doing what you’re doing each day now, with a blindfold on, right?). It doesn’t take extra effort.

Here’s what we need to embrace: hard is okay. Hard is even GOOD. If it’s hard, you’re growing (aka, doing new things!). You can do hard things – embrace that growth. Remember from Episode 7 on the podcast where I talk about burnout – it comes from taking action from negative emotion (in other words: it’s not just taking action or doing things that burns you out, it’s doing it from negative emotion). Growth is going to challenge you, but if you can go into it with more positive (or neutral!) emotion, you will feel more energized and light to continue growing.

Finally, EXCESS is a reason we hold ourselves back from growing. Mental excess, physical excess, emotional excess, just excess of life – it’s weight that holds us back. This extra weight usually leaves us feeling tired and unmotivated. This reason is so prevalent that I decided to run a whole workshop on it! In the workshop, I’ll talk about what excess we are carrying with us, how it is holding us back, and exactly how we can get rid of it. If you are curious about this, please come sign-up to join me in the workshop! I want you to be able to offload this excess and learn how to step out of overconsumption in all areas of life so you can truly step into the person you want to become.

If you feel that you are holding yourself back from evolving into the version of yourself that you want to become, I encourage you to listen to this week’s podcast episode.

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P.S. If you would like even more support in this area, make sure you come check out Aligned Coaching where you can get coaching and immediately jump into the course of your pick (ALL of my courses are available in your single membership!). I’d love to see you there. Come join me in Aligned Coaching today.