As a health coach my role is to support people to make healthier lifestyle choices because without doubt this has a profound impact on both our immediate and long-term health and wellbeing.

However, this will be so much more difficult for people to achieve if they are thinking negative thoughts about themselves. Thinking negative thoughts. whatever that might be (‘I’m not clever enough, pretty enough, thin enough ‘. etc..) only makes people feel bad about themselves…. and this ultimately makes it SO much harder for people to take positive actions……

We simply cannot underestimate how crucial our thoughts are to our wellbeing and our enjoyment of life because what we think has such a profound impact on how we feel, and ultimately what actions we take.

We all know the impact of kind and gentle encouragement. We see it clearly when a parent encourages their child…. it makes them feel good about themselves and this drives positive behaviour! Why then are we so quick to criticise ourselves because it simply makes life SO much more difficult!

I love my role as a cheerleader and helping people to discover what is inside of them already. However, I see one of my biggest roles as helping people to become their own greatest cheerleader. So often in life people’s sense of self is wrapped up in external validation. Why is it we worry so much about what people think of us? We simply cannot rely on external validation. It is vital that we start to give it to ourselves.

As Mel Robbins explains in her book, research has shown that:

‘The number one predictor of how happy and satisfied you could be was self-acceptance, meaning how kind you were to yourself and how much you cheered for yourself had a direct and proportionate impact on your happiness. Being kind to yourself has the power to completely change your life, yet self-acceptance is what we practice least.’

I was therefore beyond thrilled with a message I received from a member of my last coaching group about one of her biggest learnings from last year….

‘My attitude towards things, people, events, basically everything, makes all the difference in my life. … I am learning to not let my, often in the past, easily anxious and tendency towards a negative mindset, gain too much momentum.’

I was tearful as I read this because it demonstrates to me so beautifully how we all have a choice, and we can learn to pause and become aware of our negative thoughts that have the potential to rob us of everything we deserve in life!

Life is about choice and about possibilities. It is without doubt that people have huge challenges in life. However, I imagine we all know people in our lives who have overcome huge challenges or responded to their challenges in remarkable and inspiring ways….

We do have choices in our life, and the most powerful of all is perhaps how we respond to our own thoughts.

So, here is the question …. ‘What is one unhelpful thought it is time for you to let go of right now…. ‘

and here is another crucial one …

‘What are three kind things you can say about yourself right now?’

Now, take a deep breath, enjoy feeling good about yourself, and appreciate how much easier to do whatever it is you want to do!

Please make this the year of healthy habits. I promise you won’t regret it! However, please start by developing the single most important habit of being kind to yourself!

If you want someone to cheer you on along the way, I would be only more than happy to oblige!

Take good care and please feel free to get in touch. I would be delighted to hear from you,

Harriet x