Self Auditing

Areas I often see a disconnect for those that are struggling or repetitively getting stuck is awareness and accountability. As a coach, it’s my job to help clients make these connections so they feel in control of their controllables and confident in their capability to progress in any situation. There is an incredibly powerful and empowering tool we use that I’d like to share with you so you can also increase accountability and awareness, gain clarity and perspective, and have direction. This tool is self-auditing. 

Self-auditing is the process of examining your own thoughts, actions, and behaviors with a critical eye to gain insights into areas where you can make positive changes. It involves introspection, self-reflection, and an objective assessment of oneself. An important factor here is that you detach emotionality. Self-auditing is not about judgment or self-criticism. Emotions WILL be part of the process and that’s ok. It can actually be useful in various areas, we just don’t want them to be the main characters.

Some ways you can practice self-auditing:

Journaling. Maintaining a journal is a powerful self-auditing tool. Write down your thoughts, experiences, and reflections regularly. This practice allows you to review your entries over time, identify patterns, and gain insights into your emotions and behaviors. Don’t overthink it and just write your thoughts in a journal or notes app. Journal prompts can also be a helpful way of getting starting- if you want some of my favorite ones, email me!

Time auditing. A big complaint I hear often is, “I don’t have enough time. I wish there was more so I could do all the things.” The big issue that comes along with this is that the things that usually aren’t on the priority lists are things that would benefit you (that’s another newsletter in and of itself.) Running a time audit can be eye-opening to where your time is being spent so you can have direction to where time is being leaked. Set a timer for every 30 minutes. Each time the timer goes off, write down what you just did in the past 30 minutes. 

Feedback-seeking. Actively seek feedback from trusted people in your support system. Honest feedback from others can provide valuable insights and help you gain perspective on your strengths and areas that need improvement. This can be hard AND so expansive. Want to do this but unsure of where to start? Email me, and I’ll send you the directions and questions I like to use. 

And, in my opinion, one of the most helpful things you can do often is:

Start acting like a scientist. Scientists review the experiment or situation by looking at everything objectively. This is a key way to approach any situation, especially the ones you’re getting stuck in. Not sure what I mean? Let’s go over some common examples I see in coaching:

Example A.

Thought: I’m not making progress as fast as I want to.

Scientist investigation: It’s only been 1 month, sleep has drastically improved, the number on the scale is the same but I have only weighed myself 1x/week so there are a lot of missing data points, I have less cravings, I’m hitting my protein goal consistently, overall intake is inconsistent, I’m lifting more. 

Perspective & direction: I am in fact making a lot of progress in various areas. Seeing physical changes will take more time and consistency. Progress will continue as I continue hitting my protein, pushing in the gym, prioritizing sleep, and work to be more consistent with hitting my overall intake goal.

Example B.

Thought: I’m feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

Scientific investigation: I feel my best when I am communicating, checking in with my coach regularly, going on a daily walk, practicing a bedtime routine that helps me wind down at night, training with intention and purpose, eating nutrient dense meals most of the time. Right now I am in a reactive state vs. responsive state, I’ve missed multiple check-ins (and I’ve done that because I don’t want to see the reality), I’m walking and working out but am not present and am distracted during them, I’m going to bed later and spending time watching tv in an attempt to relax which isn’t actually restful, I’m eating out a lot more often and low on protein and fruits and veggies, and sometimes I’m using food as a coping mechanism. 

Perspective & direction: I see the gaps and why I feel this way. Now I can set some guidelines and check my systems to get back to feeling my best.

A few pitfalls to be aware of:

Self-judgment. Remember, self-auditing is not about criticizing yourself but about learning and growth. Be compassionate and practice self-acceptance throughout the process. I say this again because that self-judgment will creep in. Don’t be a jerk to yourself. It’s not productive. 

Ignoring blind spots. It's important to be open to discovering aspects of yourself that may be uncomfortable or challenging. Embrace these insights as opportunities for learning and personal development. Lying to yourself or choosing to put on blinders only holds you back.

Lack of action. Self-auditing is only valuable when followed by meaningful action. Use the information gained from your self-audits to implement positive changes and make progress toward your goals.