Hi Reader
Welcome back to 1UP,
my weekly newsletter where I share all things health and mindsets to help you get stronger, feel younger and live longer.
Be, Do, Have
One of my client's dream was to live on a sandy beach for 3 months of the year.
His reality was constant grind in his office here in Alberta, where it's winter wonderland for 8 months.
Sometimes the dream is so big, so beautiful, so free and seems so impossible to build, that we simply bury it in the depth of our soul.
Here is what I believe: the dream may impossible to who we are right now, but there is a version of us for whom it's not.
There's a version of us who's got it all.
The health, the love, the adventure, the purpose and the wealth.
The only question is then: Am I willing to become this version of me?
Am I ready to learn the skills?
Who can I find who's done it before?
Am I willing to put in the effort and investment now?
Am I ready to put to death this current version of me so a new one can be born?
This is step 2 of your guide to ascension for 2025: Refocus.
With this step, we'll be talking about how identity is the source of our actions and how, little by little, we can make our dream life come true.
Identity over goals (BE)
BE. DO. HAVE.
Who you are. What you do. What you get.
Let's say you want to lose belly fat.
Maybe you've been at it for months: dieting, abs workouts, cardio, etc. You can't seem to be doing enough to get rid of it.
Or you can't find the time to be consistent at the gym. You're craving a drink after a hard day at work.
You believe belly fat can't be targeted. You have to work hard.
You are so focused on the outcome that the process is grueling.
When you make a shift in your identity, it becomes possible to enjoy the process and detach from the outcome.
I am the type of person who has a healthy lifestyle.
I have the skills to deal with the pressure, so I don't turn to alcohol.
I am a guy who makes time to workout.
How to become the person you want to be (DO)
Once you have decided that you are that person, it's time to make it real.
The way to do that is by taking small intentional steps to prove yourself, your brain, that it is true.
Here are some examples
I am a guy who makes time to workout:
- Adding one slot of 30 minutes in your weekly schedule to work out
- Sign up to a fitness class once a week for the month
- Hire a trainer or coach for accountability
I have the skills to deal with the pressure, so I don't turn to alcohol.
- Download an app to get a daily mindfulness practice in place
- Learn your stress signature to recognize it and do something physical for 10 minutes when it comes up
- Use a journal to get in touch with the way you feel so drinking doesn't become your baby blanket
Your future self
I have shared this resource before and there's a good chance I will keep sharing it, because it's totally free and the value is tremendous.
Dr. Benjamin Hardy has a 30 day course you can take to create a clear picture of the person you want to be, so you can have what you want.
This is a great way to spend time on your dream and clarify a new identity in the process.
You can sign up for it right here:
https://30dayfutureself.com/free-access-to-the-future-self-program
I took it in January 2024. Now November, I have achieved all of my goals but one (which I am still working on).
Ready to ascend new peaks this coming year?
Let's go
PS: If you have been trying to lose weight and the stubborn belly is not going anywhere, you may be doing it wrong: here's the secret