Robyn Spurr

Personal Health and Weight Loss Coaching For Women

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5 Questions For a Focused New Year

questions for the new year

“The act of speaking our intentions aloud shifts them from wishful thinking into action.” ~ Michael Thomas Sunnarborg

I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. We set them, then don’t take them seriously, then forget about them in a month.

Lame.

What I DO love is setting my intention for the year each January.

Often, I’m guided by a single word. Sometimes it’s a quote – or a feeling – or a goal. My intention always seems to find me – not the other way around.

This year, two words presented themselves – loud and clear.

: Mindfulness

: Quality

We can’t achieve what we want without first getting clear.

Feeling a little swirly + unfocused + nebulous about 2015? Try asking yourself these 5 simple questions – courtesy of Alexandra Franzen – one of my favorite people on this planet.

1. What am I bored of?

2. What do I want more of?

3. What can I let go of?

4. What would give me peace of mind?

5. What am I devoted to?

My personal answers:

1. I am bored of — wasting time on the Facebook newsfeed. I can check in once a day, at the end of the day – and that’s plenty. Reading about other people’s lives keeps me from living my own. Done.

PS – Did you know you can create interest lists on Facebook? So awesome.

2. I want more — time to focus on my coaching business. Time to create + deepen + elevate. I’ve decided to stop taking on new personal training clients – for good. Big, huge decision that’s been weighing on me for some time. I’m beyond excited.

3. I can let go of – trying to do it all. It’s time to focus on doing what I love most. Creating. Coaching. Reading. Learning. Loving. Cooking.

4. A clear focus/direction for my business – would give me more peace of mind. Check!

5. I am devoted to — quality. Quality work. Quality time. Quality experiences. Quality chocolate. Quality > Quantity.

xo ~Robyn

Robyn Spurr is a Once Obese Chick, Eating Disorder Survivor, Certified Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of Chickadee Weight Loss.

She helps women learn to manage their emotions without food and reach their healthy, natural weight without all the diet craziness.

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One Small Change (the power of micro-goals)

microgoals

The new country is where you are called to go. ~ Henri J.M. Nouwen

I finally joined a book club – after years of contemplating + debating + hemming and hawing.

Here’s why.

I wasn’t getting the result I wanted – to read at least 40 books/year.

And I wasn’t getting the result I wanted, because I was doing the SAME OLD THING.

  • Facebook
  • Too much TV (although I do NOT regret Game of Thrones – not one little bit)
  • Pinterest!

If you’re not getting the result you want, you have to replace what you’re currently doing with something new.

You don’t necessarily have go out and join a book club (or a gym). Start with one small change – like reading instead of watching TV for 15 minutes each night – or eating just one serving of veggies a day – or walking for 5 minutes at lunchtime.

Micro-goals are small but meaningful daily actions that can lead to accomplishing bigger goals.

I stumbled upon this journal entry by Catholic priest and writer Henri J.M. Nouwen a few weeks ago – and man oh man, did it resonate.

“You know the ways of the old country, its joys and pains, its happy and sad moments. You have spent most of your days there. Even though you know you have not found there what your heart most desires, you remain quite attached to it. It has become part of your very bones.“​

As the New Year draws near, and visions of diets + detoxes + calorie counting begin to swirl around in your head – consider your past results.

Doing what you’ve always done will get you more of the same old same old.

Wandering about in the old country will never lead to exciting new adventures or meaningful change.

One year from now you can have the outcome you crave. Whether it’s permanent weight loss – or something else entirely – like reading 40 books a year.

Each time you do something differently, you’ll feel successful – and that will inspire you to do it again. Small changes add up – one micro action at a time.

Ready to make a commitment to yourself and your health in 2015? I’ve got two openings for 1:1 Weight Loss Coaching starting in January. 

XO ~Robyn

Robyn Spurr is a Once Obese Chick, Eating Disorder Survivor, Certified Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of Chickadee Weight Loss. 

She helps women learn to manage their emotions without food and reach their healthy, natural weight without all the diet craziness.

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Top 3 Books to Inspire Hope + Change in 2015

Top 3 Books to Inspire Hope + Change in 2015

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ~Charles William Eliot

Self-help books are a billion dollar business. Amazon runneth over – like a warm Coke in a frosty glass.

I’ve read my fair share over the years. Many are unremarkable – but there are some shining stars out there well worth your time and hard earned cash.

If you want to change + grow + thrive in 2015, here are three of my recent favorites.

Add them to your holiday list – quick quick quick.

#1 The Antidote: Happiness For People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking

“Oliver Burkeman introduces us to an unusual group of people who share a single, surprising way of thinking about life. That there is an alternative path to happiness and success that involves embracing failure, pessimism, insecurity, and uncertainty – the very things we spend our lives trying to avoid.”

#2 Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace

ADORE + LOVE + CHERISH Anne Lamott!

“Anne Lamott offers a new message of hope that celebrates the triumph of light over the darkness in our lives. Our victories over hardship and pain may seem small, she writes, but they change us—our perceptions, our perspectives, and our lives.

Lamott writes of forgiveness, restoration, and transformation, how we can turn toward love even in the most hopeless situations, how we find the joy in getting lost and our amazement in finally being found.”

#3 The Art of Asking; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help

“A beautifully written inquiry into why we have such a hard time accepting compassion in all of its permutations, from love to what it takes to make a living, what lies behind our cynicism in refusing it, and how learning to accept it makes possible the greatest gifts of our shared humanity.”

Happy Reading!

XO ~Robyn

Robyn Spurr is a Once Obese Chick, Eating Disorder Survivor, Certified Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of Chickadee Weight Loss. 

She helps women learn to manage their emotions without food and reach their healthy, natural weight without all the diet craziness.

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Practicing Self-Compassion

self-compassion

“Lack of forgiveness causes almost all of our self-sabotaging behavior.” ~Mark Victor Hansen

Everyone struggles with self-criticism. EVERYONE. Isn’t that a relief?

  • I’m a failure.
  • I’m a bad person.
  • I’m so messed up.
  • I’m a bitch.
  • I can’t get it together.
  • I’m too sensitive.
  • I screwed up – BIG time.
  • Something is wrong with me.

The human experience is difficult for everyone. Life isn’t meant to be goldendoodle puppies and fairy dust 100% of the time. But when things go wrong in our own lives, we tend to slip into isolation. We tend to falsely believe we’re alone in our suffering.

Self-criticism feels crappy – but there is nothing more painful than feeling cut off and isolated.

  • Everyone else is living a normal happy life.
  • Everyone else has it figured out but me.
  • Other people don’t beat themselves up like I do.

Instead of trying to STOP self-criticism altogether (which is impossible), begin to practice self-compassionate thoughts…

  • The human experience is hard for everyone.
  • This is a moment of suffering. Suffering is part of life.
  • The human experience is imperfect.
  • This will get easier in time.
  • It’s not just me – everyone struggles.
  • Everyone says unkind things to themselves from time to time.
  • Life goes wrong sometimes.
  • I love you anyway.

One of the biggest obstacles to practicing self-compassion is the belief that beating ourselves up is motivating. The research points to the opposite.

Self-criticism almost always leads to feeling discouraged – and discouragement is NOT a motivating state of being.

Self-compassion on the other hand, is linked to increased well-being. Rather than encouraging self-indulgence, research supports the idea that self-compassion enhances motivation.

In other words, self-compassion will NOT lead to sitting on the couch all day consuming pint after pint of Rocky Road ice cream.

If beating yourself up isn’t working for you (and I can pretty much guarantee it’s not), why not give self-compassion a whirl?

XO ~Robyn

Robyn Spurr is a Once Obese Chick, Eating Disorder Survivor, Certified Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of Chickadee Weight Loss. 

She helps women learn to manage their emotions without food and reach their healthy, natural weight without all the diet craziness.