4 tips to help you prepare for your SIBO protocol

When you're about to embark on a challenging protocol like the SIBO elimination protocol, there's a fair bit to consider in the preparation for doing it - not to mention the mental endurance required to stick it out. 

Here's a few things that might help you out. 

1. Do hard things
2. Be ok with ok
3. Brain dump
4. Time block

Do hard things

When you are feeling burned out, broken down and maybe a bit beat up, it's easy to drop into flight-mode and look to bail on any and all challenges. 

There's some challenges that are HARD, but not dangerous or bad for you...in fact...there's some things that are hard to do but really, really good for you and will make a big difference in your life. 

We are all programmed and our behaviours and habits are seemingly permanent and difficult to change - it's hard work changing habits or adopting new ones. When we identify something that we are repeatedly doing that isn't serving us anymore, we CAN change - it's sometimes tough...but there's tricks to help you.

I never used to like going to the beach. I would actually say that I HATED it! 

Strong word hey?

But I did. I loathed it. It made me feel disgust, anger, frustration and annoyance. I have sensitive skin and sometimes got rashes and itchy skin and eyes. The sand and the water weren't enjoyable to me. 

But I knew that some people liked the beach, and I decided at one point that I didn't like hating the beach - I chose to enjoy my experience instead. 

Now, going to the beach every morning is a highlight of my day and I LOOK FORWARD TO IT! 

Me! 

Looking forward to the beach!? 

I can hear my Family and Friends saying: "You've changed, Chris!" or "Wow, you're so different now!". 

The biggest tip that I can give to go from hating to cherishing, is to regularly remind yourself of the benefits and to remind yourself that the discomfort is only very fleeting/short duration. 

Your SIBO treatment protocol is NOT long-term, it is temporary. It is challenging. It is good for you. Stay focussed on your reasons for doing the protocol and find a way to regularly remind yourself about that reason/s.

Be ok with ok

Striving for perfection is a very common mindset program in our burned out clients. When you combine a desire for perfection with a desire to please others, you can sometimes fall into a pit of shame or guilt or disappointment when your performance doesn't match your expectations or those of someone else. 

Being ok with being ok means to let go of attachments to perfection and to accept your outcome NO MATTER WHAT! 

If you go through your day and you follow your protocol imperfectly, accept that and allow yourself to move on and not be attached to that outcome. 

Just because you had one imperfect day doesn't mean you have to have an imperfect week. 

An imperfect morning doesn't mean the rest of your day is going down the toilet. 

An imperfect meal doesn't mean you have to FINISH the imperfect meal...you can let it go and go and get something else to sate you!

Be ok...because I think you're ok :) 

You're actually more than ok...I hope you know that :) 

Brain dump

A brain dump is when you lift the top of your head off...like a kettle opening up...and you pour your thoughts and ideas and to-do lists and intentions and goals and dreams and ramblings and thingsthatdon'tmakesenseandifanyonereaditotherthanyoutheywouldn'tbeabletounderstandwhatyouaretalkingabout...

Hehe

Take a pen and a blank page. Pull up a chair and write down what you are thinking about. 

The end. 

That's it. 

I have a saying, that thoughts are better on paper than in the head...that way you can re-read them, coach yourself, teach yourself, work through your thoughts and get a greater sense of clarity - rather than stew over things or have things run through your mind without release. 

An anxious mind, a mind of a person in the middle of a SIBO protocol feel like spaghetti sometimes. A really good idea is to get that spaghetti out of your noggin and onto some paper so you can make sense of your mess and bring some structure to your thoughts. 

Anything you're thinking about - anything - can be dumped out onto your page. 

Who cares if it's not perfect, just get it out and make some room for more productive thoughts and ideas :) 

Time block

Time blocking is a great idea when you feel like you don't have time or don't know when or how you're going to get things done. 

Grab a calendar - electronic or paper - and set aside blocks of time in your week to do the important stuff.

I call these things your ROCKS. 

Have you heard the rock, pebbles and sand analogy? - I think Stephen R. Covey came up with it first?

That's where I got the term ROCKS from :) 

You can do anything you want in life! It all comes down to how you manage your time. 

So. Take some time, block out the important ROCKS in your life FIRST! Then...all the little things that have the potential to take up your whole life will either fit in...or...just get done tomorrow! 

I hope that helps! 

If you'd like help implementing some of the above strategies, our membership programs allow us to support you and work with you to save you time, energy, money and emotion. 

To find out more about what we do and how we can help, visit our Work With Us page to find out more info. 

Chris