The Power Within: Why True Transformation Comes from the Inside

Mindset
Written By Heather Lee

Imagine this: you look in the mirror and love what you see. You feel confident in that cute swimsuit on your vacation. You never feel like you have to sign up for another 30-day beach body program again. You have more energy than you ever had before, and your back pain is gone. You feel happy, confident, and most of all, FREE. For the first time in a very long time, you’re actually starting to love yourself again.

Sounds too good to be true, right?

Wrong!

I’ve worked with so many clients who have felt stuck in their own body, unable to make any progress no matter how many calories they cut or how many steps they hit in a day, and the ones who understand one concept are the ones the most likely to achieve this utopian reality.

What concept, you ask?

True Transformation Comes from the Inside

Those that understand and live out this truth are more likely to achieve their long-term goals than those who don’t. 

You see, there’s a difference between external changes – new diets, new workouts, new supplements – and internal changes. With external changes, your progress becomes reliant on the availability of those external factors and your ability to execute on them. 

On the other hand, internal changes become a part of your identity and thus you will never lose them, no matter your circumstances. This type of transformation allows you to live your best life, experience true freedom and live life more fully than ever before.

Internal Factors that Drive True Transformation

So what are these internal changes? There are a lot of factors at play here. Transformation is a complex, nuanced thing and is different for everybody, but some common factors include:

  • Self-awareness

The first step in making any type of change is self-awareness. How can you expect to change if you aren’t aware of what needs to change? Being self-aware is the first step.

  • Growth mindset

Without the right mindset, change is impossible. It’s imperative to adopt a growth mindset if you want true transformation. A growth mindset allows you to recognize that your behaviors and beliefs can change. It allows you to learn and grow, and it helps you develop emotional resilience – otherwise known as grit.

  • Identity

Last but certainly not least, true transformation is impossible without a shift in your identity. Your identity is simply who you believe you are. It’s important to recognize not only what your identity is, but also how your identity shapes your behaviors. Your identity shapes your perception of yourself, your beliefs about your abilities, and your feelings of self-worth.

Cultivating Internal Transformation for Long-Lasting Results

While it does take significant time and effort to uncover these internal factors in your own life and use them to drive your transformation, the good news is it’s not impossible. You have more control over your inner self than you may realize! 

The first thing to do is to increase your self-awareness. You can do this through practicing self-reflection with journaling, meditation, or even therapy. A skilled therapist can guide your journey to understanding who you are and why you do the things you do. In fact, having a professional mindset coach is so important, it’s part of Warrior Fit Academy’s core structure. Our licensed therapist Paula helps our Warriors dig deep and get to the root of their eating habits, mindset obstacles, and identity crises while giving them practical tools to overcome.

The second thing to do is to shift your mindset from a fixed mindset – “This is just who I am” – to a growth mindset – “This is who I was, but I can work on changing.” One of the best tips I’ve learned for shifting my mindset is “Catch & Release.” 

Catch & Release

When you notice yourself thinking a negative, destructive, or spiraling thought, you need to first identify it. “Catch” it and stop it in its tracks. Next, release the thought. Recognize it as the lie it is, and reject it. Sometimes it helps to physically “throw” it away by shaking your arms or body and taking a few deep breaths to clear your head. 

Finally, replace the thought with something that is true. Positive affirmations or a manifesto can be helpful in providing thoughts rooted in truth that you can use to replace negative thoughts.

The path to shifting your identity

The last step in cultivating your internal transformation is to shift your identity. Think of shifting your identity as the culmination of both becoming more self-aware and shifting your mindset. This is the final stage in your permanent transformation. 

As a believer, my identity is first and foremost rooted in Jesus, and who He says I am. By meditating on scripture and receiving the identity as a daughter of God, I can begin to shift my identity away from my accomplishments, physical appearance, or even my relationships. My success as a person no longer rests in what I can do for others, but who I am to God.

Shifting your identity is a long process, but one that will almost certainly result in permanent transformation. In a later blog post we’ll cover in more detail how to begin to shift your identity and what that looks like, but if you’re interested in learning more, check out these resources:

The Ripple Effect

Internal transformation will not only grant you freedom from limiting beliefs and enable you to love yourself as you are, but it will also empower you to transform your body from the inside out – once and for all. 

No more need for 30-day programs or fad diets. No more money wasted on supplements that gather dust in the pantry, or fancy workout gadgets to help “melt” off the fat. Remember that scene we imagined at the beginning of this post? All that is within your reach. 

Are you ready to take it?

Do you struggle with investing in yourself? I created a program just for you!

Our 6 Week Feel Good Program is a BRAND new program designed just for you! You’ll get:

  • daily support 

  • custom meal plans

  • weekly calls

  • app access with custom workouts

  • mindset support

And MORE all with no long-term commitment. Don’t wait; invest in yourself now!

Heather Lee
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