“Self-care is THE non-negotiable.” — Jonathan Van Ness
Fun fact. I didn't drink coffee until I was in my early 30s.
Growing up my mom drank tea and my dad drank coffee.
Once when I was around 10 years old I took a sip of old (and room temperature) coffee from a cup my dad had left on his kitchen counter (needless to say that it was less than palatable) and afterwards swore off the beverage completely.
...until I started dating Alejandro and we took our first trip to Colombia.
Coffee is a significant part of Colombian culture and while I was there I wanted to share in the experience of drinking your morning coffee with your breakfast soup (a totally logical combination...right? 😜).
Since that first trip I've gradually grown to like drinking coffee and now start every day with a (fairly large) cup.
My morning coffee ritual is one that gets lots of commentary from the clients in my small group training program.
I get teased for the amount of milk I put in and for the size of the cup that I use.
One client even sent me this screenshot she took during one of our group sessions...
Because she said it reminded her of this scene 👇👇😂😂
I have to admit that both my cup size and creamer use are questionable, so I'm not offended by any of the jokes made in my direction. 🤷♀️
But as much as I enjoy this daily ritual, I could carry on just fine without it (I did manage to make it to my 30s without drinking coffee after all).
For many others their morning coffee is a non-negotiable and the mere suggestion of going a day without it is laughable verging on offensive.
Now, this post isn't about trying to convince you to give up your morning coffee (I'm not planning to do so anytime soon)...but it is about raising your awareness around the non-negotiables in your life.
Aside from having your morning coffee, what are your non-negotiables?
What are you 100% committed to make happen every day/week/month?
Non-negotiables are something that I talk about often with the clients inside my 12-week Reset and Recharge program.
Rather than striving for perfection, I encourage clients to ruthlessly commit to the bare minimums.
Can't get in a full 60 minute workout multiple times a week?
👉 Can you commit to 15 minutes/day?
Can't set aside a few hours on the weekend to food prep?
👉 Can you commit to cooking dinner 1x/week?
Can't hit your protein targets for the day?
👉 Can you commit to getting a full serving at one meal?
Start with the bare minimums and make them NON-NEGOTIABLE.
Not only will a ruthless commitment to the bare minimums yield better results than a haphazard execution of the "perfect" plan,
It will also build momentum, boost confidence and increase motivation.
When you are consistently exercising for 15 minutes a day, it won't feel like a big step to make it 20.
When you've cooked yourself dinner every Tuesday night for a month, you'll feel more confident that you can tack on some breakfast prep at the same time.
When you've hit 25 grams of protein at lunch every day for a week, it will feel less challenging to do it at dinner.
Some of my non-negotiables are:
Getting some kind of physical activity daily (if I don't get in a workout, then I go for a walk).
Having vegetables present at a minimum of 2 meals daily
Sitting in silence for at least 10 minutes daily.
Laughing daily.
Expressing gratitude daily.
Never going more than 2 days without a workout (exceptions for being sick).
Writing my Wednesday Wisdom post weekly.
Going live on FB/IG at least once weekly (👈 new commitment).
Do I ever go above and beyond these bare minimums...of course!
But even if I don't, I know that I'm still living in alignment with my values and moving towards my personal goals simply by committing to these non-negotiables.
How about you?
Do you have non-negotiables?
If so, how consistent are you with executing on them?
And if not, how would ruthlessly committing to the bare minimums support your goals and improve your life?
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