Day 4: Consistency & the Environments We Choose

Over the past few days we’ve been discussing the importance of consistency when it comes to meeting our health goals (or any goal). On day two we talked about input/output – what we choose to feed our brains and how it can either help or harm our efforts. Yesterday, we discussed our associations – the people we spend time with. Do we spend time with people who are on a similar journey toward health (or are already healthy) or do we hang out with people who continually drag us into an unhealthy place? Today we discuss environment.

Darren Hardy says, in “The Compound Effect”, “The dream in your heart may be bigger than the environment in which you find yourself. Sometimes you have to get out of that environment to see that dream fulfilled.” This may be where you live, the restaurants you frequent, or even the gym you attend.

That last one might shock you but let’s consider the gym for a moment. Is your gym one in which people go primarily to socialize or is it one in which people go to exercise? I’ve been in both. There is nothing wrong with socializing or making friends at the gym. Hey, I’m glad you’re going to a gym – but make sure it’s one that meets your goals. And make sure it’s an environment where you are comfortable. Sometimes this isn’t the $10/month gym – it’s the $49/month gym.

What about your house? Is this a place you can succeed with your goals? Or is it filled with junk food? Or your office desk, do you have a candy bowl on your desk? If you have the candy bowl and you’re constantly taking a little bit every day – get rid of the candy bowl. Another environment which often derails us is the restaurants we visit. If you’re always choosing the place with great BBQ and those delicious little rolls over the place that has amazing, healthy salads, you’re going to the wrong place.

So choose your environments carefully. Make the places you hang out most work for you. If where you spend your time is causing you to not meet your goals and keep you in that unhealthy, overweight, sick and tired place it’s time to change.

So today, think about the places you find yourself in. Do they help you get healthier, thinner, more vibrant or do they keep you unhealthy!

Here’s to a day filled with healthy choices!