Is obtaining a healthy lifestyle making you stressed?

Are you portraying your authentic self or are you trying to be someone that you believe you should be?

Recently I overheard, “I am going to set myself up as an anti-influencer, one that tells people to do what they want, wear and eat what they want and no pressure. I do not have the energy and I am fed up with being made to feel guilty about it.”

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement and believed she was onto something. This lady is intelligent, well-accomplished, attractive and within the prime influencer age bracket. Obviously frustrated with the extra pressure she was feeling to be something that she was not nor wanted to be. She was frustrated with feeling guilty for eating her food of choice and forcing herself to the gym had become a punishment. The expectations she felt for this lifestyle had become overwhelming.

As a society, we are surrounded by images, quotes, and memes all self-promoting and putting pressure to eat raw, be a yogi, live in the moment and be zen. Although, is the pressure to be zen causing more stress than inner peace?

“Yoga is designed not to tighten your arse but instead to get your head out of it.”

Has a healthy lifestyle become competitive rather than doing it for oneself? To be fit, healthy and feel good is great but if you are stressed about the outcome then you are possibly doing more harm than good.

As a more mature person, my Instagram feed is not full of these very impressive poses and images but there is no avoiding them. I applaud these people for achieving and doing the best in what is important to them. My concern is the people doing it because they feel they should rather than they want to. Or even worse never try it because they believe they will never achieve a headstand.

So many people put off trying something new because they fear not being perfect from the outset. A coach will help you with the confidence to step out of your comfort zone and feel accomplished every step of the way.

I am a confident person; I love my life and am proud of my accomplishments, yet I have found myself questioning if I need to hike up Pen y Fan to be enough. And men are not exempt from this pressure - to be buff, go the gym and love cycling. Or to be emotionally intelligent, empathetic, manly - the list goes on.

Being calm, confident and in control comes from the inside and cannot always be found on a paddle board. Learning to control your inner voice, recognise your accomplishments and celebrate being your authentic self is the healthiest way to live.

If you are pursuing a lifestyle because it feels good and right for you, then fantastic. But if you are pushing yourself to live a life that does not fill you with joy, it would be wise to take a step back, self-audit and explore other options.

I recall one client who had an extremely stressful job and worked extensive hours. To relax they started to grow their own herbs, dried them to make tea and gift bagged them for friends. How wonderful is that, it suited them perfectly.

A professional coach will support you to identify and follow your own path. To empower you with confidence and help guide you to find what works for you. To step out of your comfort zone and achieve your goals whether they be to enjoy simple pleasures or a take on a life-changing challenge.

With my clients, I enable them to manage their anxiety so they can think clearly and have the energy to embrace themselves, their health and their life. No matter your aim I will give you the non-judgemental space, guide, support and be your biggest cheerleader.

My message is to live your life the way you want to live it, be confident in your choices, admire others and their accomplishments but be true to yourself first and foremost. Embrace and learn to love being you and live your life your way!