Need a new hobby? Thinking of something zen — like meditation — to reduce your daily stress, but with more results, like pilates? Something that you can do anywhere — like run — but that’s not too time consuming…out of options? Then let me suggest Identity Toning. Identity Toning is the conscious process of strengthening one’s mindset on autogenous and external concerns. This is not a hobby for the weak and pessimistic looking for glass half-full solutions. It’s a boundless practice connecting one’s mind to their body to produce a favorable personality upgrade through three main areas of practice.
First off, you need to evaluate the type of person you are in comparison to who you want to be. You can be perfectly content with yourself, but there is always room to practice good habits, and I promise, the results are every bit rewarding. So where do we start? I like to use that analogy that Identity Toning is a traffic light. There are three categories. Reflection, Perspective, and Direction; red, yellow, and green respectively. Reflection deals with self. Stop and identify your areas of weakness. Do you struggle with self-doubt, lack of motivation, FOMO (fear of missing out), or any insecurities? The things that go on inside your brain hold you back from being the best version of yourself. It goes with the saying, “You cannot love others if you do not love yourself first.” Likewise, although these things happen securely locked inside your mind, they manifest character traits that are detectable and unfavorable in the work environment. This includes hesitation, questioning, apologizing unnecessarily and so on. This is a daunting practice because you need to catch yourself in the act of negative thoughts and rewire the way you think and see yourself. Replace doubt with trust, and never say, “I have to…,” but rather, “I choose to…” You don’t actively do all the work yourself, little things like this enhance the levels of your “happy brain chemicals:” Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and endorphins, and they’ll help you out.
Once you get past your thought processes, which may have been holding you back (red light), you can focus on perspective (yellow light). Perspective is moving into the action phase on your way to success. This is how you choose to see your world and opportunities, and what you decide to do with them. The list goes on and on, but to give you an idea, this category involves eating habits, sleep patterns, time management, organization, power posing, exercise, who you choose as your friends and their impact on you. You can’t have a healthy mind without concerning yourself over a healthy body. Body and mind are two parts of a whole, both need to be on the same track if you wish to succeed. This stage involves research and physical motion, but you are still in the yellow; to get to green you need direction, and that is your drive for success.
Direction includes goals, ambitions, stress-managements, mood-management, overcoming challenges and staying focused. Direction is all about mindset (green light) as opposed to thought process (red light). A strong mindset is the GPS to your trip; without knowing who you want to be and where you want to end up you cannot set out to get there. This is when you want to be inspired. Watch TedTalks, or search Pinterest for relevant infographics such as “13 Foolproof Ways to Improve Your Life” and “How to Look Confident Even When You’re Not” or even “Crafting Your Personal Vision Statement.”
How you train is up to you, but just like any hobby, sport, or recreational activity, it takes practice. You cannot decide to try Identity Toning, then give up. Make it a routine, and eventually a lifestyle. Become the successful person you want to be on your own account. Inspire yourself; challenge yourself; drive yourself, and — as always — hard work pays off.