Why Do I Keep Self-Sabotaging My Good Intentions?

Have you ever decided to start a new health regime - be it healthy eating, a new exercise programme, getting to bed earlier or reducing alcohol consumption - only to find that, within a few days, or even a few hours, you’ve done the complete opposite of what you set out to do?

I have often been guilty myself, particularly when I decide to change my eating habits – go sugar-free or reduce snacking (or both) - only to find myself browsing, and buying the contents of the snack aisles.

I know I’m not alone.

I believe most of us struggle with this, whether we’re well-informed health coaches or not.

Recently, I took part in a peer-to-peer coaching programme, to practice, observe and receive coaching from fellow health coaches on real-life issues.  It was a great experience – not only to watch others deliver coaching, but also to learn from their approaches as part of ongoing continuous professional development. 

What struck me most was that, even though we’ve all studied health coaching and understand the fundamentals of a healthy lifestyle, each of us “experts” still faces day-to-day challenges when it comes to implementing changes we know will benefit our short- and long-term health and wellbeing – both physical and mental.

Talking things through with another person, ideally an experienced coach, can help to uncover daily habits we may be blind to.  These are things we either do, or don’t do, that often go unnoticed because they are so ingrained.

So why can’t we stick to healthy habits?

In many cases, we simply bury our heads in the sand.  We know we should go to bed at a consistent time, drink enough water, or exercise regularly – but we just don’t.  Perhaps it feels too hard.  Exercise is a common one: we know we should be doing it, but it can feel like too much effort.  Maybe we lack the right equipment, can’t afford the gym, it’s too far away, or we’re simply too tired after work.

Sometimes, it’s not that we don’t want to change but that our environment makes it difficult.  Why is it so hard to stick to a bedtime? Why do we constantly snack or scroll on our phones for longer than we intend?

Too often, the answer is that we’re just too busy to take on any kind of meaningful change.  We often plan too much change at once, don’t plan for success and get derailed too easily if we encounter a setback in our good intentions.

Working with a health coach gives you the opportunity to unpack why that might be.  Why are we so busy? Why do we prioritise everything else above our health? 

As part of the coaching process, we take a step back and consider the idea that prioritising ourselves, and our health, is actually one of the most important steps we can take.  It allows us to show up fully and care for the people who rely on us, whether that’s partners, children, parents, pets and our colleagues and clients.  If we don’t prioritise our health what does the future hold for us?  What will our health be like when we are 60, 70, or 80?

Health coaching isn’t about being told what to do.  It’s about having a conversation about where you are now and where you’d like to be.  It’s about being guided through sustainable changes that fit into your life.  It’s also about gaining clarity on your goals and your reasons behind them.  When clear goals are in place, it becomes far easier to step onto the path of change, maintain it, and travel in the right direction.

That direction might be towards relieving symptoms, avoiding chronic illness, reaching optimum energy levels, or waking up each morning with a sense of purpose and vitality.  A health coach walks beside you on that journey.

The peer coaching circle was a powerful reminder that everyone wants to improve some aspect of their wellbeing – and it’s much easier to commit to change with a coach to help you identify your needs and keep you on track.

Each of us has a different starting point and a different motivation for making changes, depending on our individual goals.  A health coach can help you uncover yours and support you in taking a personalised journey towards better health.

Contact me to start your journey towards better health.