|
Building Confidence Through Action: Agency, Neuroplasticity, and the Power of Small Steps
Many individuals struggle to take meaningful action toward improving their health. Contrary to popular belief, this struggle is rarely due to a lack of willpower or desire. Instead, it often stems from deeper internal barriers—belief systems, identity patterns, and diminished self-trust.
In our Functional Medicine approach here at Mint Health, we frequently observe that patients wait for an external force—a supplement, medication, or motivational breakthrough—to generate the energy needed for change.
However, sustainable confidence and vitality do not “fall from the sky.” They are built through action!! While targeted medical support can absolutely help, it is rarely a substitute for action.
By understanding neuroplasticity, reclaiming personal agency, and embracing small, consistent steps, YOU can transform both your health and your self-belief.
The Myth of External Energy
Energy is frequently the result—not the prerequisite—of movement!!
For example, returning to exercise after a long hiatus can feel overwhelming.
This happened to our very own Renee Beyer Boudreaux, APRN, IFMCP in adjusting to family life with little kids. From Renee:
“I was very active until about five years ago. We adopted my son who is now 6 and my daughter is now 9. It was like a crazy whirlwind of life after that. My son wasn't sleeping. It was just very busy. I just got really tired. And I didn't figure out how to make it happen with two kids. It just broke the habit. So I had to get back into it. I used a commitment to a race with a partner to really drive me and force me to do it. And it was hard, but it worked. I just started. Nothing magical happened. I had to start with ten push-ups that I couldn't even finish without taking a break. But now, less than a year later, I feel really great about the training I’m doing and the benefits it has had for my physical and mental health. Check out my homemade training course.”
Confidence is not discovered—it is built. Each small action and tiny success becomes evidence that change is possible. Over time, these actions accumulate into renewed self-trust and increased physical and emotional energy.
Neuroplasticity and Self-Talk
Functional medicine emphasizes neuroplasticity—the brain’s capacity to reorganize and adapt. Your body responds not only to physical inputs such as nutrition and exercise but also to internal dialogue. When we repeatedly tell ourselves, “I can’t change,” “I’m inconsistent,” or “I’m stuck this way,” the brain and body internalize those messages.
Even worse, comparing ourselves to others (whether in person or on line) can reinforce feelings of inadequacy. But, meaningful transformation does not require drastic beginnings!! Starting with a single habit—such as drinking water upon waking, going outside in the sunlight, making a worry journal, or adding protein to breakfast—creates a positive feedback loop. The brain registers success, self-doubt weakens, and larger changes gradually feel attainable.
This incremental process demonstrates that self-belief is not fixed. It is shaped and reshaped through behavior. Each completed action, no matter how small, becomes neurological reinforcement that growth is possible.
Reclaiming Agency in Health
A central principle in functional medicine is agency—the understanding that each of us has meaningful influence over our own health.
Modern healthcare systems, along with pharmaceutical and food industries, unfortunately can erode this sense of personal power. We may believe that the ONLY option we have is to follow the status quo and become reliant on more and more prescriptions/interventions.
This certainly happened to Dr Buchert, after her bike injury and subsequent fallout:
“ I had the plates in my arm, and everything went crazy with my spine and my body felt twisted and painful. I knew something was wrong. I went to doctor after doctor after doctor for several years, and so many physical therapists. Eventually that led to getting large amounts of Botox injected into my paraspinal muscles for a diagnosis of dystonia. I was told I would need the Botox every 6 months for the rest of my life and likely have a spinal fusion. That recommendation scared me and put me on a tremendous path of making huge changes in how I manage many areas of my life that have calmed my whole system down, and allowed me to get stronger, straighter, and healthier again. I feel more in control over my situation now, even though I have to plan and take daily action steps, it’s doable without meds and without surgery. A big part of working as a functional medicine provider is helping other people navigate those kinds of situations.”
Certainly, medical technology and pharmacology have their place and can be life-saving. But, at the core of long-term wellness lies our own personal engagement and responsibility. Even in complex or chronic illness, we can each benefit from identifying where we retain control, especially with mindset and follow-through.
The Value of Doing Hard Things
Discomfort is often interpreted as a signal to stop. Yet growth frequently lies just beyond discomfort. Engaging in challenging but manageable activities builds resilience.
Over time, repeated experiences of doing hard things reduces fear and builds momentum. Even if symptoms do not resolve immediately, our own belief in our ability to improve strengthens. That belief becomes a catalyst for continued action.
Surrounding yourself with providers and people who believe in you and support you is paramount! We practice what we preach at Mint Health, and share our efforts with you so you can tap into your motivation and stay connected with what we can all work on together – Check out our Mint Health Instagram page and see Dr. Buchert lifting or Renee's Recover Green Smoothie or all of us sharing and enjoying our Mint Health style Valentine Sweets!
Identity and the Illusion of Fixed Traits
One of the most limiting barriers to change is identity. We often define ourselves in rigid terms:
- “I’m someone who has chronic pain.”
- “I have a slow metabolism.”
- “I don’t have energy.”
- “I’m not athletic.”
- “I don’t cook.”
- “I’m just introverted.”
While personality traits and biological tendencies exist, many self-descriptions are reinforced habits of thought rather than concrete truths. The belief that one is permanently defined by pain, fatigue, or temperament can quietly dictate behavior and restrict growth.
Neuroscience suggests that far fewer aspects of identity are fixed than once believed. Through repeated behavioral change and cognitive reframing, we can reshape how we see ourselves!
Conclusion? Take a Step
The overarching message is simple but profound: take a step. And then another one, and another one.
Confidence does not precede action; it follows it.
Energy is often generated by movement, not dropped from the sky beforehand.
Self-belief is not a fixed trait but a skill developed through consistent effort.
Neuroplasticity allows the brain to change in response to behavior, meaning that even long-held identities can evolve.
In health and in life, transformation rarely begins with a grand gesture. It begins with one small, deliberate action. That action becomes evidence. Evidence builds belief. Belief builds confidence. And confidence sustains change.
The first step may be small—but it is POWERFUL.
—
Elizabeth Buchert, MD, IFMCP and Renee Beyer Boudreaux, APRN, IFMCP
Mint Health
________________________________________
Ready to Take the Next Step? Check us out!
| 
