Persistence is steadfast continuance in a course of action, despite difficulty or opposition. It's one of the most powerful traits for achieving your bone health goals. And fortunately, it's one that you can cultivate.
Without persistence, you're vulnerable to the only true failure: giving up. For Savers, that's just not an option. We're dedicated to building strong, resilient bones that support us in living our best life.
Today you'll get six strategies you can implement to develop persistence. Add them to your daily practice and you'll soon be unstoppable.
1. Envision Your Goal
Know what your goal looks like and hold that picture in your mind. Be specific– fill out the scene with sensory details including how you'll feel when you've gotten to where you want to be.
When you feel your perseverance starting to flag, return to this image. Sit with it.
Reconnecting with your goal and visualizing yourself accomplishing it is a great way to keep yourself motivated and heading in the right direction.
Maybe your goal is to reduce your consumption of sugar to help stabilize your energy levels (and protect your bones). See yourself eating a delicious low-sugar snack, and feeling steady consistent energy that allows you to live each day to the fullest. Imagine what you're doing, where you're going, what you're wearing, and how you're feeling. If you can paint that picture in your mind, you can bring it to life.
Synopsis
Use visualization as a source of motivation. Imagine yourself accomplishing your goal in vivid sensory detail and work toward realizing that version of yourself.
2. Plan For Setbacks
Progress is rarely a straight line. Be prepared for deviations from your plan, setbacks, and failures. These are not interruptions to the process of achieving your goals– they are an intrinsic part of the process.
If you know setbacks will happen, then when they arrive you can meet them without panic or dismay.
Remain calm and remember, that these setbacks are evidence of the progress you've already made, and proof that you're capable of continuing to make progress and ultimately achieving your goals.
Maybe you miss a week of workouts because you get sick, or because you just don't have the energy. If you think of that deviation from your plan as part of the stop-and-go nature of progress, then you can set aside any shame or disappointment and simply resume your workout schedule.
Synopsis
Progress includes setbacks. Instead of seeing setbacks as failures, consider them a necessary part of working toward a goal. When you remove the element of shame or disappointment in yourself, you can more easily get back on track.
3. Be Your Own Cheerleader
When you go to a football game, the cheerleaders never do chants that disparage their team. Likewise, you must be a powerful positive force for yourself.
Making changes to your habits and lifestyle can be a significant and challenging disruption. Weathering that change requires self-kindness. Be easy on yourself. When you start to feel self-critical, make a conscious choice to instead choose self-encouragement.
Make time for celebrating yourself and your progress each week. Add it to a calendar or to-do list so that you don't forget. When the time comes, try writing out your positive affirmations. Name at least three ways you met your expectations, and repeat statements that affirm your ability to achieve your goals.
Synopsis
Cheer yourself on. If you start to feel self-critical, choose to encourage yourself instead. Make celebrating your progress and affirming your ability to succeed part of your regular schedule.
4. Understand The Stakes
When the going gets tough, it might start to feel like quitting would make everything easier. Be sure you have a deep understanding of the consequences of giving up on your goal.
The benefits of achieving most goals are twofold: they provide positive outcomes and they avoid negative ones. Get specific about the negative effects of giving up on your goal.
For Savers, the consequences of giving up are dire. Bone loss can increase the risk of fracture, and oftentimes, fractures can strip us of our mobility, our independence, and even the full span of our lives.
One form of giving up is giving in to doctors and Big Pharma companies who insist that an osteoporosis drug is the answer. But Savers know that this “quick fix” has been proven ineffective, and comes with the potential for devastating side effects that include atypical femur fractures and osteonecrosis of the jaw.
Facing the very real risks of giving up on our goals can help us to stick with our bone-healthy habits.
Synopsis
Learn about the negative consequences of giving up on your goals. For Savers who are striving to build stronger, healthier bones naturally– without drugs– the potential consequences of giving up are fractures and a loss of independence, and even years of life. Giving up on a drug-free approach also has negative consequences that can be quite dire in the form of severe side effects.
5. Follow Your Bliss
Sometimes we can become preoccupied with the hard parts of our journey. Flip that on its head. Give time and attention to the parts of pursuing the goals that you love. That will help you to enjoy your journey and will make the difficult parts feel fewer and farther between.
For Savers, that could be cooking a favorite bone-building recipe, choosing a workout that makes you feel good, or finding a particularly beautiful spot for a walk.
Synopsis
Don't focus on what's difficult. Instead, give time and attention to the parts of pursuing the goals that you most enjoy.
6. Find A Supportive Community
Join a network of people who know what your goals are and can help provide positive non-judgemental support. People who are on the same journey as you will understand the challenges you face and the feelings you're experiencing.
Sometimes being heard and understood is all we need to keep following our pursutis.
Plus, there's no bond so strong as the one forged in the fires of perseverance. Those powerful and supportive relationships are treasures, and they lead to the uniquely joyful celebration of succeeding together.
Synopsis
Join a community of people who share your goals. The support of others who understand the challenges you're facing can make the difference between giving it your all and giving up.
What This Means To You
Persevere on your journey to build stronger bones, avoid fractures, and live your healthiest and best life. The Save Institute is dedicated to providing you with all the tools and knowledge you need.
Make full use of the comprehensive plan in the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, and don't forget about the additional support of our online workout platform SaveTrainer, our bone-buildling cookbook Bone Appetit, and the value of being part of the Saver community.
You're not alone. Other Savers are reading this article right now, going on the same journey you're going on, facing the same challenges, and achieving the same successes.
Together, we can make meaningful changes in our habits and lives that will lead to stronger bones and lasting health.
Comments on this article are closed.
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Thank you so very much for your ongoing
support. I truly value the info you provide.. -
Thank you so much for your wonderful information. I took prolia and before that fosomax for a total of 4 years. How can I be certain that not using these medicines is helping me. Now I am only on diet and exercise.
Thank you for your wisdom
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I stopped prolia for a year and had 3 thoracic fractures. I am still recovering from from these fractures. I am afraid to stop prolia injections for fear of further fractures. I have some bone loss in upper molar teeth. I am 72 and need to know how to stop my osteoporosis. Thank you for your reply
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Thank you, Ita.
My doctors keep pushing me to take injections for osteoporosis. They think I am crazy when I say diet and exercise is more important. I would like to give them a quick written explanation! Can you please send that to me?
Also, is Greek non fat yogurt good for my bones? Is TruOsteo good for my bones? I have never received a response from this, and would appreciate if you could send me an email and respond.
Thank you so much