Starting Something New | S1E1 (E001)
Ever start something new, like a New Year’s Resolution and then only have it be a distant memory just after a few weeks? Us too! We’ve all been there with the best intentions, high motivation and then suddenly it falls flat. In this episode, Toréa & Evie talk about what mistakes they have made, things they’ve noticed their clients have done that all lead towards new things not sticking.
We also talk about the ways you can bulletproof the processes so that when you are starting that new eating plan, breathwork or workout plan, that you have higher chances of succeeding!
In This Episode
Number one reason why new habits fail (01:09)
Creating space for new habits (08:21)
Focus on one thing (10:08)
Not playing the comparison game (13:03)
Not letting past thresholds determine current thresholds (16:28)
Deciding vs wanting (17:26)
Speaking as if the goal is already accomplished (19:34)
Making a plan for a new habit (24:44)
Visualization (26:18)
Making room to be a beginner (29:20)
Resources mentioned
Join the Optimized Wellness Community
Submit your question for the show!
Transcript
Toréa Rodriguez 0:08
Welcome to the Wildly Optimized Wellness podcast. I am your host, Toréa Rodriguez. And I'm joined by the lovely co host, Evie Takacs, both of us our Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioners and we love working with women from all over the world, through our virtual programs, helping women not only feel better, but actually achieve that vibrant, no holds barred version of themselves, they've been missing for a long time, and how we actually get there. Well, that is what this show is all about. Now, please keep in mind that this podcast is created for educational purposes only and should never be used as a replacement for medical diagnosis or treatment. And if you like what you hear today, we would love for you to hit that follow button, leave a review in Apple podcast, share with your friends, and keep coming back for more. Let's start today's adventure, shall we?
So hey, everybody, welcome to episode one, starting something new. And here we are, we're starting something new. And I wanted to kick off the conversation today with Evie. Because it's February now, right and most people have kicked off the new year with all of these new year's resolutions. And now that now the it's at that point where the rubber kind of needs to meet the road, or most of those like New Year's resolutions or new habits that they were deciding to do have like long since been forgotten. So just kicking this off with starting something new Evie, what do you find is the number one reason why when we set out to start something new, it gets dropped or it fails or we forget about it?
Evie Takacs 2:03
Oh, I think that the number one reason is because it's probably too big of a lofty goal to begin with. I think that we create these really big, gigantic goals, which Yeah, they sound great. But I think they're too big to begin with. And or we don't actually have a good detailed laid out plan for how to actually accomplish it. So at that point, I feel like that becomes a wish versus a goal. Like if you don't have the specifics laid out, then you're just wishing to, you know, write the book this year or to paint the entire house or whatever the goal might be. I think that if you don't have the details, and you really don't have a roadmap as to how you're going to get there, then it's most likely not going to happen.
Toréa Rodriguez 2:49
Right. I think a lot of us get caught up in the momentum of what happened just a few weeks ago with the end of the year review and New Year's resolutions. Isn't this exciting that New Year New you kind of stuff that was going on, and we get all caught up and fired up and say okay, yeah, this is the year that I'm going to lose weight, or this is the year that I'm finally going to start running or whatever that happens to be. But even those two things can be too big. So if we talk about that first topic that you mentioned, when somebody takes on something too big, what are some examples that you've seen your clients do? When they set out a goal for themselves for health and wellness or personal stuff? Even your friends with personal stuff? Like yeah, give some examples of these two big goals. Cuz I think sometimes we think that they're not too big, when they're really too big.
Evie Takacs 3:40
Yeah, I've seen and heard, you know, from clients of my own and just in general, talking with friends and even family and myself, let's be honest, I've definitely done goals like that to paint like someone who is very sedentary. Their goal is that they're going to do 45 minutes of exercise five days a week, that's a big jump from going to zero days a week to five days a week,
Toréa Rodriguez 4:03
and 45 minutes.
Evie Takacs 4:05
Yeah, yeah, so that's a lot. And so I'm always very cautious and, you know, try to be absolutely supportive, but realistic of like, what is a what is a more realistic start, can we start with maybe doing like, a 20 minute walk three days a week, and then see how that feels. And then let's try and get four days a week after we've been able to establish the three days. So that's one I've also seen a lot around meals, like, I'm gonna, you know, completely cut out or I'm gonna, you know, completely cut out sugar. And if you're someone who eats sugar every day, that's gonna be really hard to do cold turkey. So why don't you start looking at maybe there's less sugar throughout the day. So instead of having two sugary things after lunch and dinner, you only do one for a few weeks and then see how that feels and then eliminate it all together. And or you work on crowding out the sugar by adding in better thing. So, you know, not even focusing so much on the sugar but adding in, you know, instead of cutting out sugar altogether, maybe the goal is I'm going to add in one vegetable a day that I typically don't have, or to a meal that I typically don't have a vegetable with. So that way you're adding in the good versus thinking of you need to take away the quote unquote bad. So I've seen a lot about those types of things. What about you?
Toréa Rodriguez 5:22
That are way too big? Yeah, exactly. Um, I think it's really common with the type of clients that I work with who struggle with chronic illness, and they don't feel well. And so they take on a lofty goal of I want to get more energy. Yeah. Which is in, in my mind, that is a very vague. Yeah, goal, it's not very clear, it's not very measurable. It's not, like you said, it's not very actionable, because there isn't a plan there. Or, you know, taking on a, okay, I'm going to lose weight. And while they might have a specific number of pounds, that they want to lose, you and I both know that the, you know, metabolism formula is no longer calories in calories out formula, right? It's so much more that unless we're actually looking at various different aspects and details of what that goal is, chances are, they'll, you know, go down the path of under eating, and then, you know, or over exercising, right, they'll take the simplest, most common knowledge, this is with finger quotes. Yeah, but common knowledge ways of trying to lose weight. And when they don't see any progress in the first couple of weeks, then it gets dropped, because they're a little bit lost in in those things. So I do see that a lot with my clients have just not been super specific, and therefore their goal becomes too big. When I love your example of, you know, instead of working out five days a week at 45 minutes, when I'm not used to working out at all, let's try three days a week at 20 minutes, or heck, let's just try walking one mile, five days a week, right, and really breaking it into very small steps to build on that one habit, and choosing that one thing? Definitely, um,
Evie Takacs 7:25
yeah, it's, it can be I mean, I again, like I said, I've fallen in that trap before and years past, so I get it, and you, for me, it's, I see, you know, when you see other people making these big goals, and it is like I do get kind of sucked into the whole, like, New Year, like, start fresh and in. So I understand that in that's absolutely great, if that is motivating for somebody, but make sure that you're going into it with the right perspective, or the right intentions in the right realistic expectations. Because it's very easy to get swept up into that big hype of the new year. And the reality is, is you can't have a new year new me if you're doing the same stuff you did last year. So you really have to be trying to do new things and really change who you are. And that's what you know, that's a lot of what this podcast is about is these new habits, this new mindset, this new belief that you need to have about yourself, because nothing new is going to happen if you just repeat what you did last year.
Toréa Rodriguez 8:21
Exactly. And that's one of the biggest pitfalls about starting something new is that we don't create space for it. Meaning we're not letting go of old behaviors, or we're not letting go of certain tasks or even responsibilities or whatever to create the space for the new habit. So you know, just taking the fitness goal as the same example. If, if you've got a busy workweek, and you've got kids, and you're picking them up from school and taking them to their ball games, and all of that stuff, if you're not ready to carve out those 20 minutes, three times a week, guess what's not gonna happen, right? We got to create that space, literally in the calendar. And sometimes we have to create that space, you know, in our own mindset and belief around these new habits like who is who is, Am I becoming? That is that person that does this habit and really start to have that in mind too. And I know we'll cover a lot of these mindset ideas in episodes to come but that's definitely one of the things that I've noticed with my clients is when we do talk about an overarching goal, then the very first step that I asked them to do is like okay, let's break that into some sub components of that. I just asked for three because usually that's an easy way to make it simple make the process simple, but most habits and most protocols that I work with with clients are about 90 days in length, so it makes that math super easy is that if we have three subcategories. Now we've got one habit One thing that we're going to change each of the three months in the 90 day process. Yeah, right. And then we can focus just on that one thing.
Evie Takacs 10:08
Yep, I think that makes sense to have one thing you're focusing in on and have it and get really, really consistent with it and where it ends up being second nature. And then you can build on top of that, I was actually listening to the podcast about habits. And they were saying that you can, you can call something a habit when you no longer feel resistance to doing that habit. So at first, you're gonna feel resistance, there's going to be that I don't want to do it, or I don't want to get my gym shoes on or it's too cold, or it's too dark, or I'm tired, or the kids were the kids were up all night. So I don't want to get up and go to the gym. So you're going to have that resistance. But when you start to just do those things of like, well, this is just what I do. That is then habits. And sometimes it takes sometimes it is the 21 days, some people say and sometimes it might be, you know, six months for somebody. But again, it's taking that one thing at a time and really making it realistic. And also, I don't know about you, but like not comparing yourself to what other people are doing. I'm like, well, so and so can do that for 45 minutes, five days a week, and she has two kids as well. Like, yeah, well, she might have help at home, or, you know, the kids might do, kids might go to the daycare at the gym, or whatever it is. So I think that's a trap, too, is we can't get so swept up into what other people are doing when you think that they have similar situations because they might not. So don't let that hold you back.
Toréa Rodriguez 11:29
that such a fantastic point. Yeah. Fantastic point.
Evie Takacs 11:31
Yeah, yeah. It's very easy to do.
Toréa Rodriguez 11:36
Especially when, you know, these days, usually, we're not getting 100% glimpse into somebody's life, right, we're getting the little snippets on Instagram or Facebook or text messages with friends, you know, that kind of thing, we have no idea what's happening in their world, we have no idea the amount of prep work that they put into place so that they could go do that, right and manage their other stuff. It's not a simple like, just adding it on top. And that's the piece that I think I used it really stumble with a lot is just assuming that oh, all I need to do is just add this right on top of everything that I'm doing. And then the next thing you know, I'm in overwhelm, or I am burned out because I number one thing that I will always do is sacrifice my sleep instead. Right? So it's like, oh, I'm sacrificing my sleep. Because I told myself, Yes, I want to start working out in the morning. So I'll just get up a little bit earlier, doesn't mean that I've changed my going to bed earlier. Right? Right. So you know, making those shifts and those adjustments, I think is a really important too. Let's just narrow it down to some subcategories. And then the one task. Now let's look at all of the things that need to shift in order to master that one task.
Evie Takacs 13:03
Yeah. But you know what you've talked about too, with clients, which I think is such a good point that you've brought this up in the past is You we talked about not comparing yourself to other people, but not comparing yourself to what you could have done five years ago, where it's like, well, five years ago, I was doing this, right, like a lot of people do that is I don't know why I'm struggling with it now, or I used to be able to do this, or I used to be able to do that. It's like, well, your situation is so different from back then that. I think that's why you're struggling to get it done now.
Toréa Rodriguez 13:38
Yes. Yeah. I think that's so good that you brought that up. Because, again, that was one of the stumbling blocks that I had, you know, before me having any of my health crises stuff that is in my past history as well. You know, it's, I used to be an endurance cyclist and I used to cycle probably, on average 130 - 150 miles a week, that was an average week. What I know. Yeah, and so, and I would do that all the time. And, you know, in my healing journey, number one, I was asked to hang the bike up for six months. And that was an adjustment, you know, and learning how to do other forms of movement that weren't what I'm that were not the same thing that I was used to doing on a day to day basis. But then when I was able to bring the bike back in and incorporate it, I like wrestled with this one for a long time because I would do a 10 mile ride and I'd be like he asked that felt felt amazing. I'm gonna do 35 miles the next day. Oh my gosh, I couldn't ride again for another week. Right? I was completely fatigued body wasn't ready for that kind of stuff. But that was me in my old remembering of myself and what I used to do, setting the expectation of that person that I was back then When the circumstances now are different, and I think it's really important that you're bringing that topic up, because we do need to look at what are the current circumstances that somebody is going through, because everything that we do is related to everything else that's going on. And human biology is just as inner complicated and interconnected and inner woven to itself. So anything that we do with movement, for example, is going to have an effect on our hormones, it's going to have an effect on our sleep, it's going to have an effect on our energy levels, or our fatigue levels. And so if we are somebody who's dealing with chronic fatigue, 35 Miles is probably not the thing that you should be doing to try and feel like you're getting somewhere in the fitness game, right? So I had to redefine, for me what it meant to set a fitness goal based off of new circumstances. And that's something that I think a lot of people, especially who are dealing with any kind of health issue, they want to start something new, they want to, quote unquote, get back on track. And then you know, immediately what they're doing is they're falling into that trap of, oh, this was me five years ago, I could do this, I can do it again. And it doesn't mean that they're not going to get there. It's just the methodology, right, your game plan that you were talking about earlier, that might need to be different.
Evie Takacs 16:28
Yep, exactly. Yeah, expectations may be different, the gameplay needs to be different. And maybe just the goal altogether is different. Like, that's great that you used to be able to bike that much, but maybe that's just not realistic right now, or where you are in life. So I think there's a lot of things that we have to consider when, you know, setting these goals, and especially if they're similar to things that we've done in the past.
Toréa Rodriguez 16:52
Yeah, yeah, it's an easy trap to get into. And I think it's one of those things that's, that doesn't get considered very often when somebody sets out to start something new. Right? It's, of course, we want to take our knowledge that we have from the past and experience that we have from the past and be able to just apply it moving forward. But sometimes that does change. Yeah. And I think it's important to acknowledge it and or reconsider it when you are starting something new, even if it's an old new habit, right?
Evie Takacs 17:23
Yep, definitely.
Toréa Rodriguez 17:26
One of the other things that I've noticed, gets people to stop or drop habits is the difference between just wanting the goal versus making the decision about the goal? Have you seen this with your clients? If somebody's just saying I want to do X, Y, and Z, rather than them using the language of I'm going to do X, Y, or Z? You'll notice that
Evie Takacs 17:52
yes, yeah. Even in myself. That's why I said, like, some of these things end up just being wishes, because I'm like, oh, I want to do that. And it's not really a goal until I say, like, I am going to do this, or I am going to work towards this.
Toréa Rodriguez 18:06
Right, right. And it's such a subtle difference with our language. But I think this is one of the ones that I mean, this is classic, New Year's resolution stuff of I want to do, I want to launch a podcast or no, I'm going to launch a podcast or I want to lose weight, no, I'm going to lose weight, or I want to, I want to hire a health coach this year, and maybe get something back on track versus, you know what, I'm going to find a health coach this year, and work on my health, like, those are very subtle differences in the language, but it it really changes the motivation factor. And it changes the momentum that somebody can have. Because the people around us can also hear that language. Right. So if your friends and family here, it's something that you want to do. Most people aren't really going to take notice, but if they hear you declaring drawing that line in the sand, right, putting the stake in the ground or the flag in the like, in the new territory, whatever it happens to be like that's the that's the piece where we there's something about it from a subconscious standpoint, that really helps keep us on track when it comes to setting our goals and starting to do a new habit or so of sorts.
Evie Takacs 19:34
Yeah, definitely. One thing that you've taught me and that you talk a lot about with clients is like that if you talk about yourself in the like in the present tense as if you're already doing the new habit if you're already you know, performing the new task, so instead of saying, you know, I want to have a health coach this year, you would say, you know, I would say like Evie hires. Evie works with a health coach, or you know, if they have It is I want to do I want to do breath work, instead of saying like, Oh, my goal was to do breath work this year, I would say Evie does breath work every morning. So that's one thing that you've taught me and that I've been trying to do on my own. My own health journey is talking about myself as if it's already something that I do, it's already part of my identity, it's already part of my tasks and my habits, because it does, it does change. And it also kind of changes the, like, feeling proud of yourself, like, Oh, I already do this. So this is really cool, because I'm already doing what I've been wanting to do for so long. So I think that plays a big role and someone feeling proud of themselves, which is then just going to continue to motivate them to continue doing that task or that goal.
Toréa Rodriguez 20:43
Absolutely. And it's very subtle, but it's, it's almost as if it takes away the hardness of something new, right? Yep. Into Oh, I already do it. It's kind of old hat. Like, there is no resistance there, it almost immediately removed some of that resistance. Because if it's something that you were starting, that is brand new, that you've never done before. There's often the fear of failure, failure of making mistakes, like what if I do it wrong? What are people gonna think like all of that, like, I think you actually had talked about this recently in one of your Instagram stories, but you were talking about going to the gym, right? Doing a New Year's resolution of going to the gym, you don't worry about what you think other people might think about you going to the gym? Because you're a new face in the gym. Yeah, right. It doesn't really matter. And if you start visualizing yourself as Oh, I'm somebody who goes to the gym three days a week, I totally belong here. Yep, guess what's going to make it a hell of a lot easier.
Evie Takacs 21:53
Going to the gym and doing that, yeah, you're not going to fit, you're not going to be so self conscious or consumed that other people are thinking or, you know, looking at you because you're the newbie, I mean, as I said, in those clips that I posted, people who go to the gym regularly, where that's just a habit that they've been able to establish this as a regular part of the routine, they're not really going to care when someone new comes like sure it might get crowded, you know, the first couple months of the year, but ultimately, don't we all just want everyone to be healthy and to be optimizing their health and all of that, right? So you're like, Okay, it's a little crowded, this is uncomfortable, or you know, this, I have to wait a little bit for my machine. But I'm really glad that more people are putting an emphasis on their health. So again, no one's going to be looking at you like, You're not welcome here. You shouldn't be here. This is more of like, Alright, cool, good. More people are getting on this train. And this is good. So that was a point. But absolutely, if you think about yourself doing it, and you already, you already make it a part of who you are, it's a lot easier to actually execute it, versus thinking, Well, I don't do that, or that's not me, just because it hasn't been you. Just because it has a part of who you are doesn't mean that it can't become you know, who you want to be and who you plan to turn into and evolve into.
Toréa Rodriguez 23:05
Correct. One of my coaches, a couple years back, said, really curious statement to me. And I was like, Really, but it caught my interest. And she said, you know, if you can imagine it, it already exists. I was like, that's an interesting thing. And we were talking about, you know, defining outcomes, right? So it's one thing to say, I'm gonna learn how to run a five kg, or I want to drop 20 pounds, or, you know, I want to hire a health coach. It's another thing to describe, in detail what that looks like, what kinds of things you're doing now that you've accomplished that task, how you're going to feel the kinds of clothes you're going to wear, you know, who you're enjoying your time with? What are they saying about it? Like, if you really get detailed into the like, minute details of what that experience is going to be like, you now have this self curated, crafted vision of what that is. And it's so much easier to get there. Right? But if we don't know what it looks like, how am I going to feel in my body when I'm 20 pounds lighter? You know, I might not have knees that sound like salary being crunched in a coke cans, like, yeah, you know what I mean? That like, crinkly sound that you get like, that may not be happening anymore. But if we're not describing those kinds of things, it's going to be hard for us to imagine it and without having a real sense of where we're going. We're not gonna actually get there. Does that make sense? It does.
Evie Takacs 24:44
And actually, this makes me think of when we're being specific on this. There's this task, let's say it is to it is to walk for 20 minutes for three days a week, maybe that's your goal. Great. There's research that shows that, if you take the time to actually write down, or maybe type it in your phone or whatever it is, but you know, write down what that task look everything that is involved in that task. So maybe that means you get out your gym shoes, you, you know, get your coat, you get your hat, your scarf, you know, depending on how cold it is, it's winter, Yeah, cuz the winter, you can, you know, you're gonna do that you're gonna get your headphones, you're going to, you know, download your favorite podcast that you want to listen to, or whatever it is. So if you write down the tasks associated with that habit, and then also either write down or like you were saying, envision or imagine the five minutes before, you have to do that task, the five minutes before you go for a walk, and the five minutes after you go for a walk, it's a lot, your likelihood of actually executing that habit is actually a lot higher. So that might mean Okay, five minutes before I go for a walk, I need to let the dogs out. And then you know, and then I'm also going to, you know, make sure that the back door is locked. So you're going through all these things of what do I have to do before I leave? And then what does the walk actually look like? What are those steps? And then what does the five minutes after I come back look like? And that, again, is gonna make it a lot easier for you to actually execute it. And then have it become an actual habit for you.
Toréa Rodriguez 26:18
Yeah, very similar to visualization of a test that, you know, top top athletes use, right? Yeah, no, one top athlete that isn't a gold medalist or, you know, championship winner that doesn't use some kind of visualization of what does that perfect game or that perfect dive look like, so that they can see themselves doing it before they're doing it. I mean, it's a very, we can get into it in depth in maybe in a future episode. But it's, it's a very interesting way that our brain chemistry works. And our neurology works to give the body cues, biological cues, to follow through with that. And so even if that's a, you know, learning how to play the piano, there was a study that was done about learning how to play the piano, and they compare the performance of pianists who practiced on physical keyboards every day, versus pianists who only visualized every single day. And their performance was the same at the end. Right. So that becomes that tells me that there's so much involved in our being able to visualize what is this future outcome that I want? What does it look like when I have it? And then like, you're saying, what does it look like when I've already got it, like just fast forwarding a little bit more future pacing a little bit more into that future, so that now you're looking back on the transformation that's already occurred? That you're just getting started? And all of these things, they sound like, maybe they're, they might be too big or not really applicable. But when it comes to establishing a brand new habit, I think they're, they're the things that I see people not doing, and then they don't succeed, right? The ones who do these things are the ones who do succeed. And then they can layer another habit on top of that.
Evie Takacs 28:15
I think that's why it's so important to start with something small, because, you know, someone listening to this might be like, Oh, my goodness, there's so much involved in this new habit. Well, that's the point is, that's why you start with something small and realistic, because it is going to take work, it's going to take mental mental strength to do it, it's going to take awareness. So if you're, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds in three months, one, we need to have a chat about realistic goals. And two, we need to talk about, you know, what exactly are the small steps that you can actually work on that will lead to losing weight, right, maybe the right thing else that you maybe the goal shouldn't be losing weight, the goal should be developing habits that will ultimately manifest in weight loss for you. So Correct. structuring it in that way, I think is really important to have those conversations and you know, maybe sitting down and planning with someone, maybe who's gone through it, or he's been able to do it and just kind of ask them like, Well, what was your game plan? Like, what did you do? Or what did you focus in on or not focusing on when you were trying to achieve this goal? Because I think other people can be helpful and be a really good resource to.
Toréa Rodriguez 29:20
Yeah, yeah. I guess the last thing that I have to say about this topic is just we live in a culture of instant gratification. Right? And that can be very detrimental to our expectations when it comes to starting something new that, you know, we feel like oh, my gosh, day one, I should have that skill nailed. And that's not how it goes, right? I don't know. Do you remember when you were learning how to ride a bike as a kid?
Evie Takacs 29:50
I do, actually. Yeah, I don't know if I was like, too old. Like maybe I learned really young or too old. So I can remember that. But yeah, I mean, it took multiple sessions of trying to figure that out? I never I did not get it the first session.
Toréa Rodriguez 30:03
No, like, I think I still have scars on my knees from, you know, the crashes that I would have on a bike, you know, and yeah. And to look at where that took me into being able to ride 130 miles a week or whatever, you know, it was old hat. But just expecting that when I'm starting something new or starting a new habit, giving myself that grace, to just be the new person. Like, it's okay, if you don't do 20 minutes the first day, the fact that you got outside, and you got your your shoes on, and you went for a walk around the block, like celebrate that victory. Because even though that's not the full 20 minutes, it's it's progress towards. And I think that's something too that can stop people in their tracks is like, we wake up on day one. And if it's not ideal, then it just gets dropped, or it gets thrown out the window or forgotten or the easy button gets pressed. And all this start tomorrow.
Evie Takacs 31:07
Yep, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah. I was gonna say I think we're very spoiled with how quickly we get most things in life. We get, you know, responses very quickly. We get, you know, answers to text messages. We get, you know, phone calls back, we get, you know, likes on Instagram, whatever it is. It's so fast that we're so used to that.
Toréa Rodriguez 31:31
And I Amazon Prime same day delivery yet.
Evie Takacs 31:34
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you know, you can you can like DoorDash coffee two yourself. Like, that's crazy to me. Right? Like, yes. Yeah, I mean, it's expensive. Because when you add in all the fees, I mean, I did this once, I will, little caveat, I did this once I had coffee delivered to my friend who had a newborn. And I was like, Well, you know, that'll be something good for her. She can't get out of the house, I'll give her some Starbucks center house. It was like over $20 on the ATM, all the fees, everything. So I don't recommend doing it. But you can definitely do it. But yeah, I think that we're just we're so used to it, we're spoiled with that. And we need to remember that, you know, most of the things that are meant to last are not going to come to you super quick. So I think it's you know, having that realistic expectation and being okay with the process. Because as we know, because we we continue to work on our health and our chronic health issues is most of the time the the benefits and the learning comes from the actual process versus like getting to that destination, whatever it is. Because I don't really know if there is a final good and but yeah, how many things have you learned and I know I've learned along the way that it's almost like, you can't skip the suffering that comes with working towards the goal, because that's what that's where you learn this stuff. This is where you learn the value and the gold. And you can then apply that to other parts of your life. So then when you have other goals, you know, like, okay, it's gonna be a little rocky at first, but that's alright, because I've done it before. So you just can't skip that part, you have to go through that in order to really make this a lasting change.
Toréa Rodriguez 33:09
Absolutely. And I applaud you for for saying that, because that's part of this instant gratification culture that we're in is just, we almost want to just skip to the end. It's like reading an audio book, and or listening to an audio book, and then just skipping to the end to find out what happens. And you miss out all of the plot stuff and the the character development in between. And that's what we're doing when we start new habits, when we're deciding that we're going to become somebody who does X, Y, or Z. Really what we're talking about was we're talking about transformation will transformation isn't easy, right? sitting on the couch is easy. Watching TV is easy. But does it really get us something? And at the end of the day, I'd kind of argue not that much. Right? Yeah, sure. You can call it relaxation or whatever. But, um, you know, in that sense, like, if you're, if you're trying to better yourself, it's a mandatory part of growth, there's going to be slip ups, there's going to be times where it's hard, there's going to be times where, you know, you're gonna think, Oh, my God, I don't know if I can do this like, but that's okay. Because you know, that if you just keep going and taking a little bit of a little bit at a time, right and making it simpler. Or it gets breaking it into more simple pieces so that we're not overwhelmed. Then the sooner you're going to get there but we really have to pay attention to the fact that sometimes the journey that we go on actually has the the bread and butter of the experience yet. Yep. Right. There's a reason why they say experts are those who have spent 10,000 hours doing something that pianist right that spent 10,000 hours doing something you bet But they've had challenging times or, you know, somebody who is decided to be a mountain climber, you know that they've had challenging times, you know that they've had to work for it. And that's where they experience comes along. So yeah, good point.
Evie Takacs 35:17
Yeah, definitely.
Toréa Rodriguez 35:19
Any last minute thoughts on this topic?
Evie Takacs 35:22
I don't think so. I feel like this. This has been motivating to me to to kind of retouch because I, you know, I've kind of worked through what am I goals or, you know, what am I hoping to achieve this year. And so this is really it says, reaffirming the things that I already knew, but I kind of slip out of so it's been helpful for me to and I'm sure it'll be helpful for other people to hear as well.
Toréa Rodriguez 35:47
Hey, thanks for joining us for this episode of the wildly optimize wellness podcast. If you're ready to dig deeper into your health, stop playing the wackest symptom game, start testing to get better guidance. You can find more about Toréa at torearodriguez.com and you can find Evie at holisticallyrestored.com. Want a peek into what it's like to work with us. Come join us at our optimize wellness community. You can find the invitation link in the show notes below. And if you have a question for the show, you can submit your question under the podcast section of Teresa Rodriguez comm finally, if you found something helpful in this episode, don't forget to leave a review. Hit that follow button or share it with a friend. They're gonna love that you thought of them. Until next time, see you outside!
