Have you ever thought about the way that you talk to yourself? Whether we realize it or not, the most important influence on our self-confidence is not the way that others see us, it is the way that we see ourselves. If you have a positive image of yourself, then nothing that anyone else thinks about you is going to be able to affect your confidence in yourself.
The simple act of speaking to yourself kindly will go a long way, especially while you are trying to change something as personal as the way you are eating. You will have times when eating paleo is a struggle, there will be times when you will likely stumble on your healthy eating journey. How will you talk to yourself when this happens? Will you be angry with yourself for being human or will you be patient with yourself and determined to do things differently from this point forward? The way you react to your struggles will play a huge part in your success on the paleo diet. If you make the decision to be kind to yourself while remaining determined to reach your goals, then you will be more likely to find success. On the other hand, if you get upset with yourself when you struggle, then you are telling yourself that you don’t deserve success.
You will also have people questioning your new paleo life. Some will be supportive and excited for your new journey. Still, others will be a bit skeptical, they will not understand why you are staying clear of grains and may think it is a bit silly that you no longer drink milk. Yes, these people will just have your best interest at heart, but unsupportive comments can make you question whether paleo is right for you and may even make you so self-conscious that you completely stop eating paleo simply because you can’t take the reactions of those around you. If you aren’t being supportive of yourself, if you aren’t speaking kindly to yourself and rewarding yourself when you do well, then you are more likely to let the words of others dictate your healthy eating journey, even if it is not a journey that you feel is right for you.
Your journey to health is yours. It is not up to your paleo community or the community of people in your personal life to tell you what choices you should be making for yourself. If you are not making the decision to speak to yourself with positivity and love, then you are likely setting yourself up for failure, no matter which healthy eating path you have chosen.
