overcoming doubt – Page 3 – Journey with Damian

It is Sunday and I know it is a day of happiness for many, if not most. Why? Because it is the weekend and we do not have to report in for work.

But what if we can be generally happier every single day of the week? Wouldn’t that be awesome? Of course, Sundays will still be Sundays but the rest of the week can become so much more beautiful and less stressful.

So what is the trick? Simple and probably you would have know it as well – Exercise.

You may be thinking, “Oh… so it is the same old thing about exercise again.” or “Gosh, I thought he is going to share some unknown secrets or get happy quick pill.” It is true and to be honest, I love you so much that I want you to know that there aren’t any get–quick stuff in this world. We are all bogged down with our lives that we often find ways to succeed faster.

What I will do is that I will share with you practical ways to start getting healthy. I am a true believer of being able to do something sustainably, so that consistency is possible. With consistency, that is when success will get closer.

Before I share that, let me show you a scientific research on the correlation of happiness and fitness.

An ((> target=”_blank”>article from US National Library of Medicine concluded the following:

“Increasing physical activity volume was associated with higher levels of happiness. Although the influence of physical activity intensity appeared minimal, the association with happiness was domain specific and was strongest for “a lot” of domestic and/or “some” vocational physical activity.”

So here are my personal tips and practical ways on how I worked towards my health late last year, all while working in a hectic and stressful job dealing with demanding customers almost every other day.

Commit to a simple workout routine that you can do every day.
Yes, I do mean every day. It does not have to take 1 hour or even 20 minutes. Personally, I started my whole journey with a 30 squats challenge with a friend. Who would have known that this simple challenge of just 30 squats can change my life. I will share my before and after photo at the end of this post.
1. Learn about nutrition
  This is the key. As they always say, fitness is 20% exercise and 80% diet. This cannot be further from the truth. I will share more on nutrition soon.
2. Partner a friend
  Like how I shared earlier on how I started my fitness journey, partnering a friend helps in two ways. Firstly, it makes losing weight or keeping fit fun. You may even have a little competition. Secondly, it acts as a great support and accountability system. When I started, I told my friend that we have to Whatsapp each other everyday without fail. In this way, we would be able to focus on our goal, which was to complete the 30 days challenge. There will be days she would text me first to inform me that she has completed hers and there would be days that I texted first. This kept the momentum strong since it is on a daily basis. This was tremendously helpful to in my journey.
3. Take photos of your progress
  Pictures paint a thousand words. On days that you get discouraged, the best way to get motivated again is by looking back at your photos, to the days you just got started and realize how much you have progressed. This always lift me up and help fuel my progress. Even when I got lost, in terms of diet or exercise, this always guide me back to the path.

I believe that many failed to make progress in their health because they have the improper mindset or perspective that maintaining it or keeping at it is so hard. Trust me, I was one of them. I could not give up on my rice. You cannot blame me because I am Asian and rice is our staple.

Remember, fitness does not have to be that hard. It can be simple, as simple as 30 squats a day. If you need coaching or guidance, you can connect with me too. I would be so humbled and honored if you would give me this opportunity to be your partner in your journey to health, happiness and success.

And now, for the progress photo I promised.

Instagram : @damian_wanderer

Fitness Progress (Nov 2015 – Mar 2016)

Please pardon my pink boxer. LOL.

“If you are secured without yourself, you treat it very, very lightly. Because you asked yourself, ‘Am I really afraid of that man, or is that man, do I have any doubt within me that he’s gonna get me?’ But if I do not have such doubt, and if I do not have such fear, I would certainly treat very lightly.”
Bruce Lee

We are all on different missions and goals in our lives. Some of us have huge dreams that we would love to see it come to past. However, many of us are not yet satisfied at where we are at right now, including me. We are not exactly lousy or incompetent. We know we are good ENOUGH. But what exactly is stopping us from getting from where we are now to where we want to be? It is none other than doubt.

Why Do We Doubt?
It is human nature to be conservative. In fact, the only reason why successful people are successful is because they are willing to take certain risks in their lives. It was a do or die for many of them.

So why is it that we doubt? It is simple! Apart from those successful stories, which are the minority relative to the total population in the world, there are many who have tried and failed. These failures cause doubt to creep in. Instead of reaching forward, “lessons” from these failures cause many to back off and choose the “simpler” life, the more conservative one.

The reason why we doubt is because we do not want to experience failure, or to be laughed at and despised.

How Do We Fuel it?
You know what’s worse than doubting? By doubting even further and by feeding it. How do we feed it?

Every time when you compare yourself to someone else and think that you are not as good as him, or that you have not achieved as much, you are feeding your doubts. It makes you feel lesser of yourself, and makes you feel worse.

I am guilty of this too. However, I know too well that by doing this, I am only making it worse. I have been in situations where I have let this eat into me. I gave up on relationships just because I think that I am not good enough, and that someone else is better than me. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. It always happen the way you think. Not because you are not good enough but because you ALLOW yourself to not be good enough.

How to Overcome it?
This is the key, the most important part of this entire post. You overcome your doubt and dominate it by making yourself secure. Instead of feeding the doubts, build on small victories, build up your confidence, not in your skills or knowledge but in YOURSELF.

Instead of telling yourself that something or someone is better than yourself, try to work towards bettering yourself. You may not be as good but that does not mean that you are not good enough!

The key here is not to be the best at every thing, so as to overcome doubt. Rather, it is about being secure in yourself, having an assurance that even if you may not be the best at the moment, you know that you are GOOD ENOUGH, and that NO ONE or NOTHING can tell you otherwise. When there is support, you know you have strength. You can be YOUR support!

There is NO POINT in comparison. Just make sure that you are working on yourself, and that you are improving every SINGLE DAY! What matters is that you are better today as compared to yesterday.

What Now?
Start building on your confidence and self-worth. When we feel that we are worth it, no one can tell us otherwise. It can get lonely reaching the top or to be successful, but hey, no one says that it is going to be easy, not if you want to experience greatness.

I am definitely going to build on my confidence. I am going to challenge myself to say that I am good enough, and that I am worth it every time.

I really hope that this post is helpful to you. I know it is revelational to me. My mind got opened up as the writing unfolds. I am thankful. If ever you feel doubt, I hope that you can read back to this post and remind yourself SIMPLY that you are GOOD ENOUGH.

Success is not easy. Don’t let anyone sell you on the lie that it is. It is a constant battle between what you want and how much you are willing to fight for it. Success may not happen on the first few tries but if you let doubt set in and stop you on your tracks, it is guaranteed that you will never be successful.

Wishing you success always.

Damian (Follow me on my Twitter – @ithewinner)

Here is the link on some of the successful people who failed at first:
http://www.businessinsider.com/26-successful-people-who-failed-at-first-2012-7?op=1

Tag: overcoming doubt

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