You ever seen a letter into the paper where the writer gives themselves a description instead of a name?
“Sincerely – a concerned citizen.”
“Worried voter of Macclesfield.”
And so on.
That name is part of an identity that person has cultivated for themselves (as we’ve talked about in this blog –> myrise.co.uk/consequences-or-identity).
A way they chose to see and describe themselves.
As important a part of themselves as their name.
And we all do this.
We create these identities for ourselves.
Ways we feel we are.
Labels we are happy to give ourselves.
And our behaviours, for the most part, follow that identity.
If we consider ourselves to be an environmentalist, we’re unlikely to litter, likely to recycle and so on.
If we consider ourselves a ‘good parent’ we will, mostly, exhibit what we think are good parental behaviours.
If we consider ourselves to “be fat” then many of our eating and exercise behaviours are likely to make us more fat.
If we consider ourselves to “be healthy” then we will find it relatively easy to do the things that improve our health.
Our behaviours generally follow this self image we have of ourselves.
And people’s efforts to change will mostly centre around forcing themselves to do different behaviours………..
With the hope that their self image will change with time.
Oftentimes, it’s easier to adjust that self image and allow the resulting behaviours to follow.
We can’t, of course, just flip to the opposite image, just like that.
It’s unrealistic to expect someone who feels they have always been fat to suddenly go “I am slim and healthy” and change overnight.
But we can find self images that we already to believe in that will serve us better.
And choose to concentrate on them, rather than the ones that don’t serve us so well.
For instance, I would imagine most of you reading would agree with at least one of the following self descriptions:
“I want to have a long and healthy life.”
“I believe my longer term happiness is more important that short term gratification.”
“I know that when I look after myself, I’m a better partner / parent / employee / boss.”
And so on.
You get the point.
Find a self image, a part of your identity that you currently have……..
That serves you well.
Concentrate on that.
And, over time, your behaviours and then the rest of your self image will shift 🙂
Much love,
Jon ‘Unconcerned citizen’ Hall and Matt ‘Curried Boater’ Nicholson
P.S. It’s still over 3 weeks away, but if you’re wanting to start making some changes come October, the briefing meeting is your next step –> myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting 🙂
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RISE Macclesfield – myrise.co.uk
Serious transformations. Fun times!
Enter your details at myrise.co.uk for more information about what we do.
Or check out our monthly find-out-more meeting if you want to learn more about our free ’20lbs weight loss in 8 weeks’ and ‘Beach Body’ challenges –> myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting
