Are You A Solution Hopper?

(upbeat music) Welcome to the Mindful Balance Mini Podcast.

If you are a woman over 40, ready to break free from fad diets and discover the power of balance and confidence in your life, then this podcast is for you and I am so happy that you are here.

I'm your host, I'm Rachel, a nutrition and mindset coach and I'm going to break down everything you need to know into bite-sized pieces of sustainable and realistic tips.

I wanna invite you to join me as we explore practical strategies to stop overeating, nourish your body, and use the potential of your amazing brain to achieve your goals.

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Hey there, and welcome back to another episode of the podcast.

I have been struggling this past week with some serious seasonal allergies, so I am really hoping to be able to get through the recording of this episode without kind of choking while I'm talking.

So if I do just know that it is just allergies and I'm okay.

Anyway, just in case you were concerned or you will hear my voice kind of breaking as I'm recording.

Today's topic actually kind of popped into my brain as I was working with my business coach and I am a big believer in coaching And I've noticed that I kept asking her if I was doing it right.

I'm sure you can relate to that thought kind of in the back of our minds constantly that questions whether what we're doing is working or whether or not we're doing it the right way.

That little voice, that chance, there must be one path, one solution, one right way to reach our goals.

This is something that shows up for me personally often in many areas like parenting, financial planning, working on my business, in school, and for many years has been something that was showing up for me when it comes to my eating habits.

So this is the reason that I decided that I'm going to walk you through this, proposing that this very mindset, this kind of black and white approach to life is just a thought error, meaning it is not a fact and more often, it just leads us away from our desired destination.

And to be even more blunt about it, this approach, this black and white thinking about the things that we're doing, whether we're doing them right or wrong, it basically narrows our vision, It limits our possibilities and it can even make us miss out on finding what truly works for our unique selves.

Let me explain.

I know it sounds like a lot of really big concepts.

In this episode today, I want to encourage you to go a little deeper to a place where there is actually a range of options and where you are the leader.

you're free to choose the options that really resonate with you and to paint your own picture of self-growth.

But first thing first, let's start by defining what it means by this whole big title, the right way mentality.

It's this belief system that there exists out there in the world a perfect solution, a flawless method or just one thing that is the best that will work for everyone.

It's thinking that there is a magical recipe where one size fits all, where one diet, one lifestyle can really suit any or every individual.

As we all know though, we all really have our own sets needs, we have our preferences, our lifestyle, our backgrounds, our cultures, there's so many differences.

And this mindset, although it seems like it's kind of seeking perfection, almost seems like a good thing, right?

It becomes a cycle of high expectations followed by disappointments, a series of starts and and stops, kind of like go, don't go, that can be super emotionally draining.

This is where I want to introduce you to another term, just a different way of framing it, which is solution hopping, also known as the shiny object syndrome.

It's a term that basically illustrates how we move from one solution to another, continuing to seek that sneaky right way.

Almost like, if you can picture that, it's like being on a diet roller coaster where we are perpetually in motion, but not truly going anywhere.

Imagine yourself in that loop of constantly questioning whether what you're doing is the right thing, if you're doing it correctly, if it is in fact the right solution for you, etc.

So this is where I want to offer you that what fuels that mindset is, and this may come as a surprise, it is the fear of missing out on the perfect solution.

We are not so much worried about doing what we're doing right, as much as we chase that better option, shiny object which can feel super exhausting.

But what if, let's just stay here for another minute, what if we took a moment to step off this roller coaster, saying we are not doing that anymore because we understand that our path does not need to be linear and it's okay to explore and learn and grow through experiences without that constant pressure of finding that one right solution.

What if we decide that we're just not playing that game anymore?

I want you to hold space for yourself and really ask this question.

What if there isn't one way?

And here are some examples of what that might sound like.

Perhaps you found yourself saying things like, "I just can't seem to stick to a healthy eating plan because there must be something that I'm doing wrong.

" Or maybe you hear yourself thinking, "If I could only find that one right diet, I know that I'd definitely be happy with my body.

" To others, it may sound like, "I feel like a failure because I can't follow a diet perfectly.

" Or maybe for you it sounds like maybe this new detox everyone is talking about will finally be the answer to my problems.

I know that it almost sounds harmless to have these thoughts, however, I want to break it down.

Why this mindset can be a stumbling block on your path to your goals.

You see, when we constantly reach for that one right solution, we end up bouncing from one thing to another.

We don't actually give ourselves that full commitment to one solution, and we're never giving enough time and space to learn and adapt whatever it is that we're doing.

Basically, again, you are in a cycle of indecision.

When you find yourself constantly at imaginary crossroads, unable to move forward, you're confused and feeling overwhelmed with information and options.

Because when you're constantly searching for a better solution, there is this information overload that really keeps you stuck.

This is where overthinking takes the place of real action.

And I'm going to say it again because if there is one thing that you take away from this episode, let it be this.

This is where overthinking takes the place of real action.

And it also breeds a ground of self-doubt.

Am I doing it right?

Is this the right choice?

Did I make a mistake by committing to this program, let's say?

And what does a confused brain do?

Nothing.

It does nothing.

If anything, a confused brain eats the cookie.

You don't have to make a decision, for now I'm just going to eat the cookie.

Now I know that you are hoping for a quick fix to this thought error.

And I wish, I wish, I wish I could give you a prescription.

But this is exactly my point.

There is no easy one solution.

When I work with clients, what we do is we unwind this mess together because the solution is always going to be super individual, which we can do here obviously, but I do want to leave you with something that you can work on immediately.

This solution that I want to offer you is also a very common mistake that I see women continue to make when it comes to seeing results.

We start with complex and confusing set of rules.

And before you even have the basics down, you are trying to achieve all this major life changes.

When things are complicated, it is so, so easy to fall into this question.

Am I doing it right?

What we do is we tend to jump right into the deep water before we even know how to swim, which then explains why we feel so uncomfortable, so full of self-doubt, and we feel so overwhelmed and straight out defeated, because we're trying to achieve so much at once.

in the day, going on a diet looked like, for me at least, cleaning my entire pantry, signing up to a new gym and trying to work out for 2 hours a day, 7 days a week, only eating clean, whatever that meant, tracking macros and doing all the things.

And before I knew it, I was so burnt out and in a search of a new solution, because whatever it is that I was doing was obviously not working.

When you take it slow, on the other hand, you will notice that your brain can't, just cannot go down that route of doubt so easily.

If you, let's say, commit to 10 minutes of Pilates a day, it is that much harder to self-sabotage yourself with "I am so confused" narrative.

And here's the biggest truth that I can share with you today.

There is no right way.

The right way for you is the lifestyle and the habits that you are able to do consistently and feel aligned with your body, your schedule, your work, your life, your family, etc.

And you can only find that one way by doing the work and stop looking for someone to tell you what to eat for breakfast, when to eat snack, how long you should exercise at the gym.

You need to own it and stop looking for a magical solution that is out there in the world waiting for you.

This is where I also want to encourage you to give yourself the gift of allowing yourself the space and the time to grow because growth requires both of these things and to make it your own.

As we wrap up this episode, I want to send you the strength to find your path with kindness, love and with the courage to carve your unique path in the world.

All you have to do is just continue to do the thing that you committed to doing.

All right, until next time, take care.

Bye.

Thank you for tuning in to the Mindful Balance podcast today.

I hope you enjoyed our conversation and find inspiration to find your unique balance and confidence.

Remember that the journey continues on Instagram.

You can find me @rachelemmanutrition.

That is one word where I share daily nuggets of wisdom to help you reach your goals with ease.

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Until next time, take care and stay mindful.

Bye.

- Thank you for listening to The Mindful Balance.

The Mindful Balance is brought to you by Rachel Emma Nutrition.

Our editing and mixing engineer is Michael Plawner.

Our theme song is Good Feelings by Bo Gleason.

The information in this podcast does not substitute for medical or psychological advice and is intended for educational purposes only.

Please consult a qualified health professional regarding health conditions or concerns before starting a new diet or health program.

Rachel Emma Nutrition LLC and accompanying websites and social media platforms are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any suggestions herein or procedures undertaken hereafter.

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