Stop, Pause, Drink, Think

This is a favourite tool of mine to use when you’re feeling overwhelmed or continuously making decisions on auto drive. Habits that you’ve been doing for years are harder to break but not impossible. It’s about bringing conscious thought to your actions to help you create awareness.

Awareness is one of the key determining factors in your progress. Anyone can follow a plan and do what they’re told, but without the tools to apply to your daily life, when it comes to end of the programme you may feel lost and revert back to old ways.

Here is one tool we use in the Beyond Strong programme to help you generate a pause in your life. Two minutes is nothing in the grand scheme of your day, but it pulls you away from the hamster wheel and brings power back. The more mindful you are and in touch with what you actually need, the better your decisions will be and the closer they will align with the person you’re becoming. 

The point is to keep this super simple, so you can apply it right now in anything that you’re doing.

It works like this: 

You’re at work and you find yourself feeling hungry. You reach out snacks that don’t align with your current nutrition and fitness goals.

STOP 

That’s right. Stop exactly where you’re at. What you’re doing. Whether you’re about to purchase something in the shops or reach in the cupboard, and begin your ‘f%ck it’ mindset approach. Instead just stop - do nothing.

PAUSE

Take two minutes to pause. Again, do nothing. Pause where you’re at, no scrolling on your phone, no distractions, just connect with your thoughts. What am I reaching for? Do I need this? Breathe. Find your calm in this moment to connect to and ask yourself: ‘What do I need right now?’

DRINK

Nope, not that kind of drinking. Get a glass of water and drink it (around 300ml is enough). You’re not only getting your hydration in, but you’re also giving yourself some extra time to figure out if you just need a drink, if you’re actually hungry, or perhaps just bored.

THINK

Now this is the moment you get to take charge of your mind and body. The decision that you make is not only a vote for the type of person you’re becoming but it’s for what you ACTUALLY NEED. Not what you want out of boredom, out of habit, or just because it’s easy.

By bringing yourself into conscious thought, you’re able to align your actions to more of what you want. It doesn’t mean you’ll be perfect every time, but the goal is to progress with it to create more awareness in your actions.

The only thing to do now is trial it out. When this or a similar situation arises in your day, apply the Beyond Strong Method’s ‘Stop, Pause, Drink, Think,’ to lead your day with more clarity and make better decisions on your health and fitness journey. 

If you need support in your journey, accountability because you’re feeling you have an all or nothing approach then let’s connect and create a plan for more structure in your life to achieve your goals! Enquire for 1-1 personalised online coaching at Beyond Strong

Join hundreds of women who have been through Beyond Strong Method to transform their way of thinking, living and achieving their goals!