! 

Honestly, I don't get too excited about much. In fact, Jade tells me I'm never moody, I'm just "mood"--in other words, I think I'm pretty stoic most of the time ;) 

Until ... I am SUPER PASSIONATE about something and then I get this crazy feeling of excitement and can't turn my brain off. This happened when I got into my first choice college, I won first fitness competition, when I landed my first magazine cover and when my website went live in 2010. I love doing big things--working hard and seeing the payoff. I'm sure you can relate. 

ANYWHO. Today, I am launching my 10-Week Mindset Makeover program--registration is open now through this Friday only--and honestly, I could not be more excited! Mainly, because this program is an education in everything mindset, introspection, body esteem and self-realization. All my favorite and most useful tools and techniques for getting your mind right IN ONE PLACE.

And I could not be more excited to share it with you! All the details for the program are here.

I also wanted to share with you today, a useful mindset concept that has personally helped me switch gears from someone who NEEDS ALL THE RESULTS RIGHT NOW to someone who takes the longview and can be happy with making incremental changes over time that add up to big wins and feeling better than ever about myself and my body:

This concept is called "Active Acceptance" and I learned it from positive psychologist Tal Ben-Shahar in his book, Being Happy.

Active Acceptance: Recognizing and finding contentment with the reality of where you are now, while also striving to continue to get better. In other words, acceptance without resignation 

The phrase "self-acceptance" sometimes has a negative connotation. In general, many of us don't like the idea of throwing ourselves a bone in our current state. We may be afraid that if we acknowledge that we are okay right now that that somehow means we will give up any push to get better. Almost as if we believe that guilt and dissatisfaction are the only ways we can stay motivated to keep pushing. 

Active Acceptance is a concept that merges the two.

It essentially says that not only is it okay to accept our current circumstances, but WHEN we accept ourselves how we are right now, we essentially free ourselves up to take MORE action to further our current circumstances. It requires that we EMBRACE where we are with gratitude and kind understanding precisely so we can move forward in a more powerful and positive way.

It can be summed up this way:

Where we are is where we are. If we are in a state of self-disgust, then we are in a state of self-disgust. If we are in a state of self-compassion, we are in a state of self-compassion. This is a CHOICE.

However....

Where we choose to go from here has nothing to do with our present state. Where we go next is also a CHOICE. 

The two are not related. We can always CHOOSE to do anything. Go in a different direction, choose a different reality. At any moment.

Imagine if you were okay with where you are at right now. Imagine getting rid of the self-hate and self-disgust and negative self-talk. Would have more or less mental energy to eat right and train? 

Research shows that most people will have more mental energy in a more positive mental frame of mind.  

With that extra focus now freed up, we would be able to clean up our diets and train hard with much less effort. But because we waste so much time, energy and mental effort fighting the reality of where we are, our mental capacity is at max already! No wonder we aren't motivated and can't stay on a tight plan. We are essentially too worried about it to actually be able to do it :)

I am asking you to take a huge leap of faith with this concept.

But I did just that a few years back. I was so fed up with the up and down, stress and misery, that I said, "Screw it, I'm not worrying about it anymore. Let the chips fall where they may."

Guess what happened ... not only was a happier, but I LOOKED THE EXACT SAME. And I felt more motivated to work out because I wasn't counting down minutes on the step mill. I did whatever I felt like doing, whatever I was excited to do. AND I was less obsessed with food. If I missed a meal, fine, and if I wanted chocolate, I ate a couple squares. I didn't deprive myself and it was precisely because I didn't deprive myself that the obsession I had with food started fading away. 

The more deprived we feel, the more we crave. When there's no sense of deprivation, we don't have the huge need to overindulge. 

Do you think you could take the leap? Let's start with the first step: try looking in the mirror and saying, "I'm okay." Try it. If you don't feel the conviction of your words, try again tomorrow. No expectations, no judgment, just learning.

Acceptance without resignation is all about growth and improvement, but without all the negative self-talk that we falsely believe has utility.

Ready to learn more techniques like this one and take on this stuff in-depth? The 10-Week Mindset Makeover is the real deal in personal development, self-realization and finally (FINALLY!) overcoming those mental obstacles that keep you scared, unsuccessful and with a limiting belief system to get the results you want.

=======> GRAB THE PROGRAM HERE

Registration closes this Friday. Let me know if you have any questions! 

Ox,

Jill