Why You Feel Stuck: Your Brain is Taking the (Frustrating) Path of LEAST Resistance
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You know that STUCK feeling I'm talking about. We've addressed a few times recently and it's because I keep hearing you use that exact word!
So WHY does it actually happen? And what's going on in our brain when we feel that way? We're answering those questions today because I find that when we understand WHY something is happening, we can find our way out. Let's do this.
Often we end up where we are because, in the past, we took the path of least resistance for so long it became our norm.
But what is "the path of least resistance"?
It’s doing what is easy or comfortable over what isn't usually our norm. Over what we know we should be doing.
Our brains are wired to opt for what's safe, comfortable, and easier, but that does not mean we can't override that innate desire. It's just hard to do.
When we keep at that path of least resistance over time, we end up getting to a point where we realize we don’t feel good and we don’t like the way that we’re going about doing things...
But it can feel insurmountable to pivot from the way we’re living because we’ve been at it for so long.
It takes that effort to change the course of that moving train from the path of least resistance to a new one. A lot of effort.
But it is possible by taking your focus from BIG picture and all that you need to change… to a focus on moment by moment choices. Because it is in EACH choice that you begin to slow down that train and put it on a new path.
Are you ready to go from overwhelmed and stuck to disciplined and consistent in your journey?
Book your Starting Point Session and let's get you on track to your healthiest life!
FULL TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] You know that feeling I'm talking about feeling. Stuck. We've addressed it a few times recently. And it's because I keep hearing you using that exact word. So why does it actually happen? What's going on in our brain. We're answering those questions today because I find that when we understand why something is happening, we can find our way out, ready to learn.
Good. Let's do this.
Hey, mama. Welcome to the tough love mom podcast. I know you're here because you're ready to get consistent and finally lose that weight. And you're not afraid of a little tough love, you know, what to do to lose weight. But following through on those things feels impossible. You wish you could just feel like you're strong, confident self again, and want to be a good example for your little ones, but you get thrown.
By mom guilt and the unpredictability of motherhood. It's frustrating taking on your journey. Postpartum is hard, but it's not impossible. [00:01:00] Hey, I'm Liz and I've been where you are. I gained a lot of weight in my pregnancies, 90 pounds, and then 60 pounds. I needed to lose that weight to take control of my health.
And honestly just wanted to feel like myself again, with the sustainable approach to weight loss. Simple consistency in working on my mindset. I lost it all in just over a year, both times. And I'm here to help you do the same. I believe that we have an ingrained ability to figure out what we need to do, make it happen and do it in a way that AWS the world, if you're ready to stop falling off the wagon, create solid routine and healthy habits and finally feel your best inside and out all while enjoying D nuggets on your salad, you are in the right place.
We're about to transform your journey. My. Get pumped up. It is tough. Love time.
We've all been there, feeling stuck. The scale's not moving. Maybe you're in a rut with your routine. It might feel mundane. Your workouts are getting boring, [00:02:00] et cetera. And often it leads to falling off because you feel close enough to the old habits. You, that, that feeling. It's just like a feeling, you know, those old habits, when you weren't in any type of routine, you.
Consistent you weren't feeling really healthy that had like a feeling over it. And when you start feeling stuck, that feeling can come back up. When that happens, it's easier to go back to what's comfortable than to press on through that stuck feeling. Like I said, we've all been there. Me too. So why does it happen?
Often? We end up where we are. And that stuck place, because in the path, in the past, we took the path of least resistance for so long that it became our norm. And this is how our brain is wired. What is this? So let's talk about what is the path of least resistance? What does that mean? Doing what's easy or comfortable over what isn't usually our norm.
So doing what we're used to doing, what our habits are doing, whether the habits are good or bad for us doing what's [00:03:00] easy doing what's comfortable. instead of things that challenge that things that are out of our comfort zone. Okay. In our brains, this is, this will give you a comfort here. Our brains are wired to opt for what's safe, AKA, comfortable, AKA easier.
Our brains want to do that. They're innately, wired. To go. Mm. I would rather, you know, go to the pantry when I'm stressed, because that's what I'm used to doing. That's what's comfortable gives me a quick dopamine hit. Like, I feel better when that happens. That's very normal. It's how our brains are wired because it wants to do what's safe.
And comfortable and easy what we're used to doing, but that doesn't mean that we can't override that innate desire. It's just hard now over time, when we keep at that path of least resistance, when we keep doing the easier thing, we end up getting to a point where, I mean, everyone does where we realize we don't feel good.
And we don't like the way that we're going about doing things. And we know it's not best for us, but it's, what's [00:04:00] comfortable. It's what's easy. You know what I'm talking. There's probably something in your life, either in the past or right now where you're like, I know this isn't what's best for me. I know this isn't what's healthy, but I don't know the way out.
It's like, you're so deep into it. It's such a ingrained habit in your life, which is normal, that habits, you know, what we do over and over again, becomes a habit, but it's so deeply entrenched that you're like, I don't know how to get out of this. I don't know how to change. What I'm doing, and it can feel insurmountable to pivot from the past or what you're doing right now.
Been on that path of least resistance for so long. So I'm saying all of this, not to make you feel bad. I, if you're feeling that way right now, didn't drop it, like drop that feeling. I'm just helping you be aware of what's going on in your brain. A lot of this is again, your brain wired for wanting to do what's safe and comfortable and easy for you.
And so when you're, when you're making that choice day in and day out or week to week, it's gonna be a lot easier for you to keep doing that. Does that make sense? So [00:05:00] it's just how your brain is. Doesn't mean anything good or bad about you? The cool thing is your brain has what's called neuroplasticity, which is basically the ability to change, which is a beautiful thing.
Like I said, a few minutes ago, though, it's just hard. It's hard to make those changes, cuz it's not what our brain is wired to do. So it can feel insurmountable when you need to pivot from what you've been doing to doing something else. When you've been doing that old habit, that thing you wanna change for.
So. Long. It takes a lot of effort to turn this moving train, like picture a big old freight train rumbling down the tracks. Boy, mom, life right here, but and I can do it. I was about to go Cho ch ch I'm not gonna do it, but you picture this big. This big train, moving down this path. That's, that's your habit.
That's what you're comfortable doing. That's this thing that you're like, I know this isn't, what's good for me, but I've been doing it for years. Okay. That's that train moving down. And the longer you've been doing it, the faster it's going, the [00:06:00] more momentum this big, heavy freight train has. It's gonna take a lot of effort to stop that and pivot it down a different path.
it's gonna take a lot of effort, a lot of change. It's gonna take a lot of resistance to slow that train down and move it onto a different path, but it is possible. What you need to do is take your focus from big picture. Oh my goodness. This is gonna be so hard because I've been doing this for so long.
And I try to look like what, what we do a lot of the times when we're trying to change something in our life is we see where we're at now. Which, when we look at it, we're looking down and we're, , we're taken, we're taking inventory of our moment by moment choices, what our day to day looks like. And then we look up and we see the big picture of where we want to go, which can look like a thousand miles away.
It can look like a totally different life. And that can be really overwhelming, right? Because you're. Nutrition's different. Your mindset's different. Your body probably looks [00:07:00] different. Everything is different from where you're at right now to where you wanna be. And that's overwhelming because you know, and it's true, but logically, you know, that's gonna take a lot of change, a lot of effort, and that's often why we.
We don't even start. And so what I want you to do is take your focus from that big picture down to the moment by moment choices, because it's in each choice that you begin to slow down that train and put it on a new path. If you keep focusing on the big picture of all the changes you have to make, you're gonna get really over.
And your brain's gonna keep wanting to take the path of least resistance, but when you can slow down your, your thoughts, slow down your mind, slow down that anxiety and frustration that comes in. When you think about all that you have to change and you take a second to look at the moment you're in and say, how can I make this one choice different right now?
What can I do slightly differently to make this path [00:08:00] of least resistance? Not my norm anymore. What can I do to make a small pivot? In this habit, so I can be different months from. That's all I want you to do is start focusing on the moment and making a slightly different choice because when you do that, that big move in freight train, that's going hundred miles an hour is gonna start slowing down and eventually you're gonna be able to turn it onto a new path.
How cool is that? I just love it. So if you want quick hitting reminders like this, make sure to join my totally free text list. It's a simple way to stay connected, to chat and get reminders. Stuff like this, so you can stay the course and start slowing down that train. Okay. Sister. So just text tough love.
Two words to 2 0 5, 8 0 9 7300. And you'll hear from me each week with a little bit of encouragement and empowerment to keep taking on your journey and to. Stay consistent in the meantime. Go get after it before you go. Thank you for spending this time with me on the tough love mom [00:09:00] podcast. If this episode encouraged you in any way, the number one way you can thank me is to leave a review, letting me know how the show has impacted you.
Then. Send this episode to another mom friend, or take a screenshot, post it on social media and tag me so I can personally thank you for helping me on this journey to impact thousands of moms. I'm so grateful to be on this journey with the sister until next time. Get after it.
