It All Starts With a Story

By Karina Philippi • Premier Fitness Solutions, Algonquin, Illinois

We spend a good portion of our lives living inside our own heads.

Think about it.

We talk to ourselves ALL the time! Quietly, when nobody is listening or watching.

We have entire conversations in our heads! We argue with ourselves, make excuses, replay old experiences, worry about things that haven't even happened yet, and sometimes convince ourselves of things without ever questioning whether they're actually true!

It's kind of funny when you think about it. 😊

But here's something I find absolutely fascinating.

Those conversations become the stories we tell ourselves. And those stories can eventually become part of who we believe we are.

So let me ask you something.

What story have you been telling yourself?

Maybe it's a story about your health, relationships, money, or your ability to get back in shape.

Maybe it's something you've believed for so long that you don't even recognize it as a story anymore.

You just think, "Well, that's who I am."

But what if it isn't?

Where did that story even come from?

Maybe it came from childhood, something someone told you, watching people around you struggle, or your own experiences that didn't turn out the way you hoped.

And over time, those experiences shaped what you believe about yourself.

"I'm just not an athletic person."

"I've never been good at sticking with anything."

"Getting older means getting weaker."

"I can't lose weight anymore."

"I just don't have the discipline."

Sound familiar?

But here's the thing.

Just because something happened in your past doesn't mean it has to define your future.

And just because you've believed something about yourself for years doesn't necessarily make it true.

Our brains have a fascinating tendency to look for evidence that confirms what we already believe.

So if you keep telling yourself, "I can't do this," you may notice every setback, every missed workout, every attempt that didn't go as planned.

And overlook all the little things that suggest otherwise.

It's almost like your brain is saying, "See? I told you so!"

But here's the exciting part.

We can start changing that story.

And I think there are two things we can do.

First, become aware of the story you're telling yourself.

Pay attention to those quiet conversations in your head.

What do you say when you think about getting back into shape?

"It's too hard."

"I hate exercising."

"I can't eat healthy."

"Every time I start, something happens and I quit."

Now ask yourself something.

What results has that story been helping me create?

And what results would I actually like?

Then start telling yourself a story that supports those results.

Maybe instead of "I hate working out," you start saying:

"I'm learning to enjoy moving my body."

"Every time I show up, I'm becoming a little more comfortable."

"I'm discovering healthy foods I actually enjoy."

"I can learn to make simple, healthy meals."

"Fitness can actually be fun!"

And you don't even have to completely believe those things yet.

Because here's the second part, and I think it's even more powerful.

Start giving your brain evidence that supports your new story!

Go to that workout.

Try that healthy recipe.

Take that walk.

Keep that little promise you made to yourself.

And then do it again.

Every time you follow through, you're creating another experience that supports the person you're choosing to become.

It's almost like your brain is keeping score!

And over time, those repeated thoughts, actions, and experiences can help strengthen new patterns in your brain.

That's neuroplasticity, and I find it absolutely fascinating!

You're not starting from zero

I'd love to know what story you've been telling yourself about fitness.

Is it a good story? One that makes you feel strong and capable?

Or is it a little more like a dreadful drama? 😊

And then I want you to think about at least ONE time in your life when you showed up for yourself.

When you were strong. Resilient. Capable.

When life threw something difficult your way, and somehow you found a way through it.

I KNOW you've had those moments!

And they don't even have to be related to fitness.

Maybe it was raising your children, navigating a difficult relationship, changing careers, overcoming a loss, or simply getting through a really hard chapter of your life.

That's evidence right there.

Evidence that you already have strength, resilience, and the ability to do hard things.

You're not starting from zero.

You already have a strong, capable, badass person inside you.

Now let's bring some of that badass energy into your fitness! 💪

— Karina

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