I am tired of people telling me not to be Superwoman. When working mamas or any busy lady is trying to kick some booty in the gym, keep her nutrition clean and take care of herself and everyone around her, the response is always: “You know you don’t have to be Superwoman.” I think women are Super. I especially think women who are trying to be BETTER are super. And I really, really think working mamas that are also trying to take care of themselves are super! I also think sometimes Superwoman gets in her workout but doesn’t have time to shower. I think Superwoman is fine grabbing a can of tuna and a bag of baby carrots and calling it “salad”. I think Superwoman doesn’t get her mascara on every day and has worn questionably smelling workout clothes because her laundry was piled high and her choice was smelly or not getting it done. And I know Superwoman has used her baby (or her overstuffed computer bag) as a weight and lunged across her living room because that was what she could get done that day. I think you ladies are super, but you’re not perfect. Neither am I. Neither is Superwoman. But we are super! It’s not that you can’t be Super, it’s just that Superwoman may not look quite like you thought.
My friend Jessi Kneeland and her t-shirt cape, just being super!
Her Super-ness is in her creativity, in her ability to get it done – even if it didn’t look quite like she wanted it to. You are Superwoman – and you have more power than you realize. It’s time to don your capes – whether it’s been to the dry cleaner’s or not – and use your powers for the good of yourselves and those you love. You have Superpowers, you just didn’t know what they were. They are though your key to getting a BETTER body and a BETTER life. Your Superpowers are: WANT, WHY and WILLpower. They have already been bestowed upon you, now let’s learn how to tap into, utilize and manage these powers – even Wonder Woman had learn, train, plan and fight smart so she could win the battles worth fighting. Find Your WANT Power What do you want? What’s the goal, the aspiration? This becomes your WANT POWER. It can be a size 6 or being able to do 10 pullups. What is it that you want when it comes to your body? It may be a thing, like fitting perfectly into your skinny jeans, but you have to be clear on the feeling associated with the thing – that’s actually what you’re after. If you’re hungry, tired, sad and miserable at a size 6 – who cares? What you actually want something more along the lines of feeling beautiful, confident, strong, sexy, proud or at peace at a size 6. You may be railing against this idea a bit, thinking that all you really care about is that size 6. The problem with that goal is that is it so narrow. True, a good goal is specific, but a BETTER goal has some life in it. When you focus on the feelings you want to have and the skills you hone getting to the size 6 you actually boost WILLpower and are able to see progress vs. just perfection. You are busy. To slow yourself down enough to see opportunities to get your WANT each day, you need a very clear idea of what it is. Think in detail about how your body will feel when you get up each day, how strong you’ll be at the gym, what clothes you’re wearing, what you order in restaurants, how confident you are, etc. This can increase success up to 300% because the brain can better sense opportunities to act if it’s clearer on what you’re after. Be specific! Feel those emotions associated with it and see in your mind your WANT in detail, and visualize it as already yours. Think visualization is too hokey? Or don’t have time for it? I did. But if top athletes can use visualization to compete in the Olympics, it’s good enough for you to improve your performance right? Right. Find Your WHY Power WHY do you want your WANT? I know what you’re doing to say, to look better – and it’s totally fine to want to feel awesome in your body and love the way it looks. However, looking hot in a bikini is rarely enough to keep going past the vacation you were dieting for. You want to look great…and stay looking great. Why you want you want needs to be inspiring, it needs to feel purposeful for you – needs to be worth passing up chocolate for, getting up at 5am for. This is your WHY POWER. But rest assured: the rockin’ body is a byproduct of a bigger, more inspiring WHY that really moves you…so rest assured, you’ll still end up hot
Quite often your WHY power will be outside of yourself – such as being a great example for your family or inspiring those around you. But I can also be just about you. Maybe your WHY is just that you finally get that you deserve to feel perfectly happy and healthy in your skin. Whatever it is, it needs to move you…literally. You then need to create an anchor to your WHY power. Something always at the ready, that you can call up at any time you need a reminder of WHY your WANT is worth a bit of sacrifice here or there. The anchor needs to be something that creates the feeling of having your WANT. It has to evoke the emotion that’s tied to your goal – it’s the emotion that pulls you towards it. Being pulled towards your goal feels good. Pushing yourself towards it feels stressful and always has a float of “if this doesn’t happen then I’m not good enough.” Your anchor can be a song you blast in your car or your iPod that invigorates you. It can be a picture of yourself at a time when you felt great or a pic of someone you admire that has those lean, sexy, strong legs you are working for. It can be a quote that grounds and inspires you. You will from now on start and end each day with a few moments of anchoring. You can write it out or just go over it in your mind, but you must connect to you WHY power every day – and never leave home without it. Have in your wallet, on your latptop or iPod – just be sure you have a travel size! Your Third Superpower: WILLPower This is a biggie in your power arsenal. Much of what you know about WILLpower is just plain wrong. You don’t have it or not. You build it, train it like a muscle. You aren’t weak if you run out, you simply ran out and need to learn how to fill up your tank again. More on WILLpower in the next blog post. It’s a serious Superpower and I have loads of strategies to help you get more of it, so sit tight. Find your WANT and WHY and I’ll see you soon to get more WILLpower – finally right?? Like what you’re seeing here? Get more of the BETTER stuff by signing up for my weekly emails here.