FEELING FRUSTRATED?
Frus·tra·tion
/frəˈstrāSHən/
The feeling of being upset or annoyed, especially because of inability to change or achieve something. "I sometimes feel like screaming with frustration”
Can you relate to this? Are you frustrated with your progress?
Feeling frustrated or angry or sad even that you are not making the progress you expect is a totally normal and even healthy feeling! What’s not healthy is letting that frustration becoming something that paralyzes you or drives you to make extreme changes in order to see “progress.” And let’s be honest, I put progress in quotes because often this is about movement in one area alone, the scale. When the truth is progress is about many things and broadening your perspective can be the key to success. So let’s talk about how you can work through this frustration and come out the other side of it!
Identify What Is Frustrating You
Take time to dig into your frustration and identify what is driving it. How are you currently measuring your progress? What are you seeing or not seeing that might be causing your irritation? You may already know exactly what it is but you need to actually clarify it for yourself when it is a generalized feeling. Don’t just accept sitting in a general feeling of frustration. Try to dig into what exactly are the pain points that are causing your feelings.
Be Honest About What Progress Means
With this I don’t just mean what does progress mean to you right now, but how do you personally define the general concept of progress? It should not be based around something you see someone else achieving online! Remember that social media is a highlight reel that skews towards the positive but all of us have challenges, failures, and frustration. Take the time to build a deeper understanding about what progress means to you. A great exercise to help with this is to imagine what life looks like when you achieve the goals you have set for yourself. What are the things that version of you does on a daily basis? What habits do they have in place and what do they do to support them? This can help you define new benchmarks for where you are at right now!
Assess Your Current Plan and Actions
This part can be challenging because often when we are feeling the most frustrated it is because we are telling ourselves “I am doing everything right but I am seeing no progress!!” This is when it is good to take stock of what “everything right” means and assess if you are truly doing the things you need to be doing on daily basis consistently. In a previous two part blog I dive deep into how to determine if change in our plans are needed, and how to implement them. Check them out as they specifically address the topic of feeling stalled!
Build New Ways to Track Progress
In those prior blogs I encouraged you to think about progress beyond the scale! This should include physical and mental pieces as well, not just the scale. How are you feeling in general? How have your cravings reacted? How is your body moving? How are you performing movement-wise? Think about the areas you want to improve and clearly define what that improvement looks like so it is measurable by more than just how you feel about it. If your immediate thoughts feel vague, like you’re using the words “get better at…” a lot, be specific about what “better” means.
Focus Not Only on Action But Continual Assessment
With a clear focus on what progress means to you, and looks like on paper, you should also be identifying how you should track and assess that progress. Daily check lists, logs and worksheets, journals, and tracking apps can be very helpful here. How do you personally feel best about checking in on your progress? When goals are long term, breaking them down into smaller chunks, like 30 day progress goals or even biweekly assessment can be very helpful.
Let Go of The Things You Cannot Control
If being honest about how consistent you are being with your plans and actions is hard, this final step can feel like a mountain to climb. There will be times that our bodies will not respond immediately as we hope or expect. This is normal, and you are not broken. If you are confident in your action plan around nutrition, activity, and recovery, you may need to lean into the cliches and “trust the process.” Understand that progress comes from consistency not singular actions. We don’t get stronger after one lifting session and we don’t lose weight after one meal. It is about accepting that the common factor in all stories of success is time and yes, I will say it again, consistency. Getting even more frustrated over factors outside of your control is wasted energy. Energy you need for better things!
It is important to feel like an active agent of change in your life. I hope you see my suggestions here as ways for you do just that. And remember, it is completely okay to have moments of frustration as long as you see them as opportunities and not road blocks! This work can be challenging but can also open new doors for you as you work towards your goals. And also remember, if you need a helping hand with this, our team is here and ready to talk! Click here to find the right coach for you!
