Fear of the unknown is one of the most common barriers that stands in our way of doing new things. When it comes to optimizing our health, it’s crucial we continue to take inventory of where we currently are, get clear on what goals we’d like to achieve, and take action to bridge the gap of where we are to where we’d like to go, which will always require us to come back to doing new things. 

While it’s normal to feel intimidated when we are going to do something new, it’s important we don’t allow that fear to take over and prevent us from taking action altogether. 

Doing new things to improve our health often feels exciting at first. This excitement leads us to make the decision to join a gym, start a new workout program, hire a coach, or follow new nutrition guidelines. Then, once the decision is made, it’s common for the fear that was waiting right on the other side of the decision to sneak in.

Putting ourselves in unfamiliar territory, like a gym for the first time, is supposed to be uncomfortable. Any time we step out of our comfort zone, we’re going to feel pushed to our limits. It’s easy to confuse this uncomfortability with thinking we’ve made the wrong decision, and this is what leads us to not following through. If we let this fear-fueled thought stick around, we will never take the steps required for us to reach our goals. 

A great way to combat this fear is to intentionally scope out what our next step is before we make it. Let’s say you’re planning to join a new gym that you’ve never been to before. Instead of going in on the first day with intentions to sign up for a membership and complete a workout, you could go to the gym with the intention of talking with an employee, getting a tour of the facility, and signing up for your membership. 

This will allow you to become familiar with the space, see if the workout you had in mind would flow well in the new environment, and leave you feeling less intimidated and more confident. 

This initial step of scoping it out often leads to us taking action on our original plan anyway. Just like putting on your workout clothes will often lead to you actually doing your workout, heading to the new gym with the intention of getting a tour and signing up for a membership will often leave you feeling confident enough to get some movement in before you leave. 

Regardless of what new thing you’re planning on adding into your health routine, it’s up to us to make sure we don’t allow our fear to get in the way of us taking action. Breaking our action steps down into small, manageable steps that help us build confidence and plan for the future is always an option, no matter what we’re doing. You could go drive the 5K course you’re debating signing up for, have a discovery call with a coach, or talk to the employees at the supplement shop before buying anything, but taking that first step is crucial to getting to the next one. 

It is up to us to prepare ourselves as best as possible to move toward health, and as Benjamin Franklin says, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Preparing to overcome the fear of something new will lead to your success.

Xoxo

Coach Maggi