10 {tangible} tips for becoming CONSISTENT AF
In today’s post we’ll chat thru…
① ONE YEAR BIRTHDAY of The SELF CARE Sisterhood Podcast
② MY SUPERPOWER…
③ 10 Tips for Building CONSISTENCY
LET’S DIVE IN. 🖤
Hello hello friends! I’m pretty hyped today bc it’s officially been ONE YEAR OF THE SELF CARE SISTERHOOD PODCAST. 🤍🧁🥳
If you’ve been here with us from the start…first off…THANK YOU. And second…you might remember that it didn’t really start as a podcast. Do ya’ll remember that?! We started this space as a YouTube video series called “Mid Week Motivation.” You might wonder WHY and the honest thought process was I didn’t have a fancy microphone for the podcast (yet) and I wasn’t really quite sure of the steps to take to START a podcast and make it relevant for you, but I knew that as I stepped back from coaching women in their wellness journeys and mentoring other women to build online businesses where they did the same…I MISSED teaching. There was a gap between the desire to start a podcast and the actual end goal, which would be starting the podcast, right? And in the gap I decided was a great place to PRACTICE + TRY + GET BETTER at my craft.
So the original first 10 episodes were all on YouTube (you can still see them there today!) but the last 40+ have been right here in the podcast space. And real talk…the podcast was never really the goal. I just knew that there was a gift I had that I wasn’t using. Teaching. And I knew I needed to find a platform that allowed me to share that with others. I hope for someone out there this is already a word. If there’s a GIFT YOU POSSESS and you are NOT UTILIZING IT IN YOUR DAY TO DAY…how can you bring it out? You weren’t made to sit on or hide your skills, talents, and gifts. You were meant to share them with the world. And we all have them…so what is yours and how can you SHARE IT?
Okay but that’s not even the true topic of today. Just a friendly reminder. 😉
WHAT I REALLY WANNA TALK ABOUT TODAY IS…
Commitment. Consistency. And the art of showing up to things even when the emotion has long left the building.
If you asked me what my superpower was it would be a no-brainer. I’m CONSISTENT AF. You’ve probably heard me say “you can’t beat the person who never gives up” and I LIVE by that rule. I’ve always been a tortoise on my journey. Never the overnight success or the person who “got it” right away. But the woman who decided to see what it would be like if she didn’t give up. The one who tries. Fails. Gets back up. Tries again. The one who takes action in alignment with her goals over and over and over again.
I also like to think of myself as the kind of person who just figures things out. I don’t need a lot of hand holding in my life and maybe that’s you too. You see a problem and the process of figuring out how to solve it is honestly just as exciting as actually solving it. I LOVE the behind the scenes stuff. I love peeling back the curtain and seeing the HOW and not just the WHAT at the end.
And if I could put those two things together - being the kind of person who doesn’t give up paired with being the kind of person who enjoys the process of getting something right…it’s seriously not a mystery why consistency is my superpower. But I get that consistency is a tough topic for so many. The mystery of HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY BECOME CONSISTENT? HOW DO YOU ADOPT A COMMITTED MINDSET? HOW DO YOU SHOW UP EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE IT? I wanna dig into this with you today and share 10 TANGIBLE things that have helped me get to a place where I’m not just celebrating ONE YEAR of podcasting, but ONE YEAR of showing up CONSISTENTLY week after week after week in a new, and often times, uncomfortable space.
10 TANGIBLE TIPS FOR BUILDING CONSISTENCY:
① FIGURE OUT WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU
Here’s the truth - YOU’LL NEVER BE CONSISTENT AT SOMETHING YOU HATE. Being consistent doesn’t mean I haven’t given up on things over the last year. Case in point, I started working on a digital journal and realized “that is not my jam” and decided to lay that project down for now. If I tried to keep going with something I didn’t enjoy, it would be THAT MUCH EASIER TO THROW IN THE TOWEL. I have to find my own mission inside of the process. That’s when I’m able to build consistency. So maybe it’s not that you have a consistency issue…maybe you’ve been trying to force yourself to do things that aren’t all that enjoyable or aren’t really for you. Ask yourself questions like:
What specific parts of achieving this goal resonate with me?
Is this something that I can LEARN TO LOVE THE PROCESS?
What values am I honoring by pursuing this goal?
② MAKE THE GOAL ACHIEVABLE + THEN BUILD FROM THERE
When I started the podcast I could’ve easily said “I’m going to do TWO EPISODES PER WEEK” and then quickly burned myself out of the whole thing. I had to first consider what was actually ACHIEVABLE for me as a beginner and then build from there. There’s a reason I started with zoom and YouTube. I already had a zoom account and knew how to record and upload those videos into YouTube. It took part of the learning process out for me and I was then able to focus on the things that were newer and more uncomfy. I also decided to only do solo episodes (minus a couple cameos from my hsuband Charles) in the first calendar year. This was so I could get comfortable with my craft and the process of making a podcast from start to finish. Heading into the new year I decided that I was ready to add interviews. And maybe one day I’ll decide I’m ready to bump up the content I push out each week. You hav e to find the balance that works for YOU in the season you’re in. Consider:
if you’re going from working out ZERO times per week, maybe a 7 day plan is a little much, right? What about zero days to 3 days? Or maybe it’s not a daily goal but a minutes of movement per week you track.
If you’re going from reading ZERO pages of a book, maybe trying to read 10 min a day is a stretch. What about listening to a book on audio while you commute? Or maybe you set a goal to read one book per month instead of a daily goal?
Okay one more example…if you’re going from ZERO moments of spiritual practice a week, maybe daily devos + prayer are going to be hard to remember. What if you decided to watch church online once each week (Sunday would be fabulous!). Or maybe you listen to a sermon podcast on your commute and then grow from there.
The idea is to add complexity + depth into your goals vs throw too much at yourself, too fast and burn out.
③ REMEMBER THAT GOOD ENOUGH ACTION WILL ALWAYS BEAT PERFECT IDEAS.
A perfectionist mindset can often be a source of tremendous stress and anxiety. We set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and become frustrated when we can’t meet them. I’ve been there and it’s not that I’ve totally gone the opposite and decided to be lazy…it’s that I adopt a “good enough” mentality surrounding my work. For example, I have a typo in my original journal that I sold on Amazon. A typo, ya’ll. And guess what…ZERO REVIEWS MENTION IT. ZERO PEOPLE HAVE POINTED IT OUT TO ME. It was “good enough” to publish. Another example. I have episodes of my podcast where the editing isn’t perfect AND episodes where you can 100% hear Grace bark in the background that I accidentally didn’t edit out. Again…ZERO LISTENERS HAVE MESSAGED ME UPSET BY MY MISTAKES. The episodes were GOOD ENOUGH. I’ve had sound issues, typos, moments when I say something that years later I no longer believe to be true…
And it’s been GOOD ENOUGH for this moment. And I have confidence that I’ll grow + develop my version of GOOD ENOUGH as I grow + develop as a human.
Let’s not get so stuck on things having to be “perfect” before we place them out into the world. All that does is rob you of the chance to GROW + GET BETTER along the way. Every mistake is a lesson if you choose to see it as such. I don’t want to be the person who goes to their grave with lots of perfect ideas. I want to be the woman remembered for showing up and sharing them with the world. Good enough and all.
④ DEVELOP ROUTINES
Ya’ll. Consistency thrives on routine. And before we’re consistent at something we usually don’t have a solid routine, YET. I was super uncomfy when I laid down my fitness business and started this space bc the DAILY ROUTINES felt foreign to me. And even worse…for anyone listening who is an entrepreneur…you know this pain - the pain of having to figure out your own schedule and business. For me the hardest part of becoming a fitness coach was looking at my planner and figuring out WHAT TO DO WITH MY DAY AND WHERE TO PUT THE THINGS. This happened all over again when I started The SELF CARE Sisterhood. Like a freaking fish out of water.
For me, the quicker I could adopt a ROUTINE, the quicker I could become consistent. So this looked and looks like giving things days/times. I’d write my podcast script on Mondays, record/edit/upload on Tuesdays, and then share about the episodes on Wednesday when they’re released. Creating a solid routine to give me structure helped me know what to focus on and when…and the same can be true in whatever you’re working towards.
⑤ EXPECT NOT TO FEEL LIKE IT.
This is the ONE that derails us, ya’ll. And I think if we can go into our journeys EXPECTING THAT there will be days when we simply don’t feel like it, we’ll recognize it as normal and part of the process instead of an indicator to stop. You’re gonna get off this episode juiced up and excited to get after whatever that thing that’s on your heart is. Maybe it’s waking up tomorrow and cultivating a morning routine. You know you’d benefit from it. You’ve tried before. And you’re ready to make this the time when you give it your all.
Except you’re gonna wake up tomorrow and the motivation will be gone. The excitement has worn off. And all you’re left with is this resistance, negative self talk, and a warm bed + snooze button that seem like a better option for you in the moment. What do you DO when the feeling of excitement wears off? Friends. First…expect that it’s gonna be like that. This is the process. And second…take action. Action is the number one thing you can do to develop consistency.
I’ve referenced the book Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert here before and I wanna share another story I LOVE from that book:
She tells a story of one of her friends who was an aspiring writer who wanted nothing more than to be published + recognized for his work. But despite his determination, the only thing in his mailbox were rejections. As time went on, the young writer got more and more discouraged, eventually putting down his pen and paper and giving up. He stopped writing. And Elizabeth Gilbert explains that the young man stopped writing bc he wasn’t willing to eat the shit sandwich. Can you see why this has stuck with me for all these years? Ha!
But what’s a shit sandwich? The shit sandwich is a concept she borrowed from Mark Manson..who is also an author…the one who loves to swear in his writing (maybe you know some of his books - The Subtle Art of Not Giving an F, being one of them). Anyways, the idea goes that anything worthwhile comes with its own stinky brand of shit sandwich. Every relationship, every city, every job, every profession has disadvantages.
“Everything sucks, some of the time.” You just have to decide what sort of suckage you’re willing to deal with. The question is not so much ‘What are you passionate about?’ The question is ‘What are you passionate enough about that you can endure the most disagreeable aspects of the work?'” What are you passionate enough about…or what goal do you want to work bad enough towards that you’re willing to SHOW UP…even when you don’t feel like it?
⑥ BE A STUDENT OF YOUR CRAFT
This is HUGE for me and one that I talk about a lot in this space. Continuous learning and developing your skills are KEY to building consistency. Some of my fave ways to become a student of your craft are:
Seeking out resources, courses, or mentors to expand your knowledge and skills. I’ve done this with online communities, live retreats + events, growing my network of business besties I can lean on + be inspired by, and taking online classes/courses. YES…I paid for + took a course when I launched this podcast.
Remaining open to feedback and constructive criticism. I know I said before that “good enough” is fine, but I also want to be excellent at my craft. So when I notice an error or I have an opportunity to get feedback, I embrace opportunities to raise my bar on what “good enough” is.
Embracing a growth mindset that views challenges as opportunities for learning and development. If the voice in your head begins to tell you that YOU are a failure when something doesn’t go right, it’s time to reframe it and course correct. I’ve done this before. Where I translate a failed attempt or mistake as I AM A FAILURE. Two very different things, friends. And if you don’t check your self talk…consistency is a real hard game to win bc a negative inner narrative will cause you to quit every time if it’s the voice that’s loudest.
⑦ VISUALIZE WHERE YOU’RE GOING
Here’s the thing…small beginnings can be very humbling. And no one really likes to be a beginner…small and not really all that great yet. This is often where many people throw in the towel and where consistency becomes a challenge. We want to be better than we are and so our ego causes us to quit to save face. For me, it helps to visualize where I’m GOING with this freaking thing. Like…what will it be like ONE DAY?
Because you’re bad at something UNTIL you’re excellent.
You’re misunderstood when you start the idea on your heart UNTIL you’re celebrated for your ideas.
You’re small + unseen UNTIL you’re a big overnight success.
Your ideas are crazy UNTIL they are mainstream.
There’s always an UNTIL in our stories, friends. There’s one waiting for YOU and there’s one waiting for ME. The question is…will you GO AFTER your until? Will you visualize where you’re headed even if you’re not all that good yet, misunderstood, small, unseen, and a little crazy? If you can’t visualize where you’re going, then when these feelings of inadequacy come up…and they will…you’ll be less likely to keep consistent towards the bigger picture. In order to GET your UNTIL you have to GO AFTER your UNTIL. And you can only do that with consistency.
⑧ DON’T ALLOW INSPO TO TURN INTO COMPARISON
Have you ever walked that fine line? It mostly happens for me on social media. I’m following an account bc when I found them on my feed I was immediately INSPIRED by them. Whether it was the DIY-er that INSPIRED me with her before and after reveals. Or the FOODIE who INSPIRED me with her delish dishes and gorgeous photos. Or the MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER that gave me JUST THE RIGHT WORDS WHEN I NEEDED THEM MOST. Inspiration is all around us and I freaking LOVE it. I mean…my brand IS “inspirebeautybritt” for a reason right? 😜 But there’s a FINE LINE, friends. Bc what once inspired me about the woman with the beautiful home is that now I’m no longer content with the way I designed mine. I look around and it isn’t HERS, so I start to feel jealous + small. Or the FOODIE who used to inspire me with her meals makes me SECOND GUESS the way my food photos turn out, so I stop sharing recipes. Or the MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER who has the right words makes me think my words don’t matter so much…so I shrink, and hide, and stop posting bc it’s not as “INSPIRING” as hers.
Do you see what happens when we walk that line a little too far? We start to fall from inspo into comparison and comparison traps us. It becomes an inner lie that makes us reduce. And in this space it can be really easy to compare myself to all the others who’ve gone before me…the ones I was once INSPIRED BY to start and the ones I compare myself into quitting. Have you done this in your journey? In your goals? Started off my feeling inspired to do the thing she did…but then get discouraged bc you don’t measure up? Become aware of when inspo turns into comparison. And when that feeling pops up…unplug, stop the scroll, get back to YOU and YOUR GOALS and YOUR MISSION.
⑨ RETHINK YOUR DEFINITION OF COMMITTED
I heard a definition of committed recently that I underlined in a book probably 17 times and put hearts, brackets, and stars next to. I adjusted it a bit to fit this community and it goes like this:
“Commitment is falling in love with someone or something and then adopting + building a system of behaviors surrounding it for those moments when your love falters...bc it will.”
Think about it 👇🏼
Falling in love with something.
Then adopting actions, patterns, behaviors, and routines that support it.
Especially for the moments when you don’t love that thing so much.
I love this concept. I used to think of commitment as only the PROMISE we make. But that’s a ONE TIME THING. Commitment is really the PROCESS, not just the PROMISE. I made a promise to myself that I would listen to God and leap into this business and space. It was a one time thing…but in order to hold up to that promise I’ve had to create a PROCESS that keeps me in the game when I struggle or grow tired. This is changing EVERYTHING for me and I hope it’s resonating with you, too.
Think of it like in marriage. You PROMISE to to love this person for the rest of your life. Til death do us part, right? But what actions, patterns, behaviors, and routines have you ADOPTED that support a thriving marriage? Especially for the moments when marriage is hard? If you don’t have a system of behaviors that support your marriage, it becomes a lot easier to break that one time promise when things get tough…and they will. Commitment is less about the PROMISE and more about the CHOICES we make to fulfill that promise.
✨ CELEBRATE SMALL WINS ALONG THE WAY
All of these come DEEP from experiences over the last year, but this one hits even deeper. Not too long ago we hit 1K listens/downloads on the podcast. Leading up to this I knew it was coming and I wanted to buy some balloons on Amazon to celebrate this milestone. But I did exactly what we talked about a second ago…my INSPIRATION turned into COMPARISON and I got in a really bad head space about it all. I actually WENT to buy the balloons as we were inching closer to 1K and before I clicked “PURCHASE” I took my gaze off of my mission + purpose and started looking at what others’ were doing.
I looked at other podcasts that grew faster.
I looked at other podcasts that had higher numbers.
And I didn’t buy the balloons.
I spiraled into a really bad headspace bc I felt like what I was doing was “small” and “slower” than others. But that headspace wasn’t serving me and it certainly wasn’t serving YOU…the ones who GOT US TO 1K listens. I’m seriously SO grateful. 🥹🫶🏼 At some point I got my head out of my behind and remembered that this podcast was created to DO LIFE + OUR JOURNEYS TOGETHER. A space where we didn’t feel so alone on our journeys and that we could get real and raw about the WHOLE PROCESS. Not just the shiny, “social media worthy” moments. And that involves celebrating EVERY MILESTONE we have. Bc if we don’t celebrate ALONG the way…we’re missing out on like 99% of the journey, right?
Often we shy away from this bc we don’t want to appear prideful or braggy, but I think if we took a second to pause and acknowledge the PROGRESS we are making simply bc we STARTED and KEPT GOING…I think we’d be a whole lot more excited to show up and be CONSISTENT.
I hope after today’s episode + a YEAR of The SELF CARE Sisterhood Podcast, that you remember consistency isn’t just for some. It can be for YOU too if you adopt the right mindset around it.
It's about embracing the FULL journey. Celebrating the small victories. Navigating challenges + setbacks with resilience and determination. Every tip came from my trenches of building this podcast, but they are 100% translateable into YOUR LIFE + JOURNEY…in whatever things you’re going after right now. I want you to remember that perfection is not the goal; PROGRESS it. Embrace imperfection. Allow yourself to be “good enough.” Learn from setbacks. Build the routines. Expect the resistance. And redefine commitment to help you stay the course even when the going gets tough.
Alright friends…I hope you know that whatever you’re working on…whatever is laid on your heart, I’m ROOTING FOR YOU. Like forever and always. Once you’re done be sure to take a screen shot of this episode and share it on social. Let me know where you’re listening to this and what you needed to hear MOST today. I LOVE seeing what stands out to you each week and I love growing TOGETHER. I love you. I see you trying + showing up. I’m rooting for you. And I can’t wait to see you back here next week on The SELF CARE Sisterhood Podcast. 🖤🤟🏼
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