This is a guest post from Matt Garland of Healthy Lifestyle Design.
Do you have what it takes to unleash your inner Grok?
Everyone does. It’s inherent in our biology. And yet many don’t, not because of physical obstacles but mental ones. Such barriers manifest as false and misguided perceptions of Primal living’s complexity, difficulty, and restriction. Alas, these devilish traps inhibit many would-be Groks from realizing their full potential.
So, how do you evade these ensnarements and unleash your inner Grok?
You stop worrying about “how” you’ll live Primal and start thinking about “why” you should.
The “why” is essential. If you don’t know why you should adopt Primal living then you never will. How come? Because the “why” gives meaning to what you do. And when you have meaning you have the strength and resolve to succeed.
This simple 1-2-3-4 forumula will guide you to “why” Primal living is right for you. Have fun with it and get ready to unleash your inner Grok!
1. What do I have to lose?
People fear what they don’t understand. And I believe it’s safe to say that many don’t understand the reasons, science, benefits, and intentions of Primal living in the modern world. Hence, your inner Grok will remain scared and buried within under a blanket of misguided beliefs.
This is tragic because much of what conventional wisdom teaches you about Primal living is in fact untrue. Curiosity isn’t enough to overcome this insidious inertia. To unleash your inner Grok and fully reap the bounty of Primal living you must first define your fears.
This may sound like psychologist-talk and that may be true. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. And how it works is by putting your fears into blunt perspective. Fears are often grossly overstated and over-dramatized. Bringing them down to earth is a powerful means of controlling your fears – thereby not letting them control you.
So, what are your fears of living Primal? And what do you have to lose if you try?
Let me tell you what you WON’T lose:
- You won’t lose your “health” to hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, etc.
- You won’t lose your family
- You won’t lose your personal relationships
- You won’t lose your job
- You won’t lose your mind
- You won’t lose your freedom
- You won’t lose your self-identity or self-confidence
- And you definitely won’t lose your life
Put plainly, there aren’t any substantive, decisive, permanent, or dangerous reasons to not try out the Primal living philosophy.
Once you see this, acknowledge this, and believe this you will unleash previously unknown and untapped wells of curiosity, motivation, and determination for greatness of health and life.
2. What do I have to gain?
You’ve defined your Primal living worst-case-scenarios. You’ve discovered that they aren’t the apocalyptic crises propagandized by many. In fact, the costs are meager, even trivial in many cases.
But lose-framing alone won’t do the job. You must define all that you can gain from trying the Primal living lifestyle. Take this seriously because understanding benefits is a much greater force for inspiration and courage than merely acknowledging the low costs.
So, what all can you gain from trying to live Primal?
Think rationally but think big! Grok certainly did. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- I’ll have real-world experience to evaluate the Primal living philosophy on its merits
- I’ll become more self-confident by allowing myself to try something new to improve my health and life
- I’ll cultivate more energy and focus as I ween off of energy-draining processed foods
- I’ll gain more peace-of-mind and personal freedom from Primal living’s simplicity
- I’ll feel better as I allow my body to perform activities and functions that it was built to do
- I’ll reclaim my right to be the full authority of my personal health and happiness
- I’ll have fun trying new foods and new activities as well as by building new social relations that share the Primal living ideals
- I’ll develop much improved wellness from elevated quality of sleep, nutrition, relaxation, etc
Feel free to pause your analysis here and compare your lose-list with your gain-list. The dichotomy is surely profound – illustrating the incredible ROI of a Primal lifestyle.
Okay, break over. Time to carry on!
3. What do my friends and family have to lose and gain?
Humans do not live in isolation. We are social creatures. This relationship, network-building skill is a defining characteristic of our species responsible largely for our survival and evolution.
Grok knew this well. No member of the tribe was more important that the tribe itself.
Fully understanding this axiom is the next powerful means of unleashing your inner Grok because you’ll see that your choice to live Primal won’t only empower yourself but your tribe as well.
So ask your family members and dear friends about their thoughts on Primal living. Share your lose-versus-gain analysis. Describe your beliefs in unleashing the power of your true Grok.
And compliment the feedback you collect with your own thoughts about how your friends and family will benefit from a Primal you. Maybe you’ll determinate that:
- My friends and family will have a stronger, healthier, more energized me to be around
- My friends and family can learn from my learnings about Primal living
- My friends and family will gain more respect for me as I confidently pursue greater health
- My friends and family will become inspired by my example and want to try Primal living too
- My friends and family will better understand me and my beliefs in living a remarkable life
Such determinations are deeply personal to you. Make them meaningful and make them count.
And don’t be shy. Some won’t understand. Others won’t agree. That’s okay. Be respectful to all opinions but firm in yours. And always remember, “the sure path to failure and misery is trying to please everybody.” – Tim Ferriss
4. Can I take it for a test drive?
Hopefully by now you’ve seen the logic and benefit to Primal living and are ready to try. If so, let’s get to it!
But if you’re not, here’s the final step in unleashing your inner Grok – just TRY it!
Choosing to try Primal living is not a permanent, all-binding decision. There is no fine-print to be weary of. You’re in control, remember? So relax and simply take Primal living for a test drive.
Evaluate your progress mentally, physically, and emotionally after a few weeks. Like what you see and feel? Awesome! Keep going! Don’t like what you see and feel? Then pause and re-evaluate. Or even stop if you so choose. The choice is yours.
But do yourself right and give your Primal living trial a fair go. One week isn’t adequate enough. Aim for two. Nothing happens (positive or negative) overnight.
And lastly, you need not go “all-in” on Primal living at the start. Radical lifestyle changes have a much higher degree of failure. So it’s perfectly acceptable (even encouraged) to start slow. Adopt a few of the Primal lifestyle elements to begin with. Evolve from there.
What do you think?
Why is Primal living important and meaningful for you?
What obstacles have you evaded on your Primal lifestyle journey?
What advice would you give those just starting to unleash their inner Groks?
Please share your thoughts in the comments because all Groks (young and wise) will benefit!
(Photo: stuckincustoms)
About Matt:
Matt Gartland is a healthy lifestyle geek extraordinaire, blogger, world traveler, lifestyle entrepreneur, lifelong kid, bookworm, athlete, and more.
He writes at Healthy Lifestyle Design (HLD), where he unleashes his passion for remarkable and unconventional living propelled by amazing health. Follow Matt on Twitter and join the HLD Tribe on Facebook.
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