Motivation Information |
Creating Your Best Year Ever
January is synonymous with resolutions and getting organized is high on many people's list. Unfortunately, perhaps some of us make a resolution, when what we really want is a revolution. Twenty years of accumulated excess weight to disappear in twenty weeks or twenty years of accumulated excess possessions, to find a happy home in twenty minutes. Maybe a more realistic approach would be an evolution -- "a process of continuous, natural change from a lower or worse, to a higher or better state," according to Webster. Human behavior is not like computer software. It cannot be installed. It has to be nurtured. To bring order into our lives, in whatever area we choose, whether it is loosing weight, managing our finances, spending more time with our family, or finding a more fulfilling job, we must nurture our own behavior. One area of my life that is a constant struggle is exercise and healthy eating. As a young child my body caused me lots of problems and I tried hard to ignore it. I subconsciously developed a sense of disdain for my body because it constantly seemed to let me down. I learned to mask some of the pain, at least temporarily, by eating. Several years ago while doing some deep soul searching, I recognized that until I learned to manage my body, I could not find the peace and self-respect I was seeking. So I made a commitment that I would begin to nurture a change in my attitude toward my body by applying organizing skills. In working with thousands of people over more than 20 years, I've discovered there are five components to successfully changing any habit: (1) Vision, (2) Attitude, (3) Time, (4) Tools, and (5) Maintenance. I decide to practice what I preached and apply that knowledge to my own struggle with exercise. Here's the scenario: Vision: My vision of a healthy body means wearing a size 12 suit comfortably, not having a backache, exercising regularly without inappropriate discomfort, and eating healthy food most of the time, so I can splurge periodically without feeling guilty. Attitude: In the past I always focused on my failures, but it isn't difficult to look around and find people who have much more severe physical problems than I do that have healthy bodies. I knew that if I was going to accomplish my vision of a health body, I would have to eliminate all my excuses about my lack of exercise and poor eating habits -- I don't have time, it's difficult when I'm traveling, it's raining outside, it isn't a safe neighborhood to run, there isn't anything healthy in an airport, etc. I began to use Noah St. John's approach of "affirmations." Instead of "affirmations"-- saying, "I have a healthy body." I began asking the question, "Why is my body so healthy?" Since your brain automatically seeks answers, it was immediately easier to keep looking for ways to be healthy! Don't ask me to explain how it works - just try it! Time: One of the interesting things I discovered in helping people to organize their homes and offices is that frequently it takes less time to be successful than people anticipate. Perhaps that's because we overestimate how long it takes to do the things we don't like and underestimate how much time we spend on the things we do like? I started out by using a system called Fit 10, an isometric exercise that takes 10 minutes a day. I knew that if I didn't have that much time, I wasn't really committed to my vision. A few years later, I decided to work out with a personal trainer. The one I wanted is 30 minutes from my house. I committed to two days a week. At the appointed time, I hopped in the car, popped in a audiotape, and by the end of the first side, I was ready to exercise. On the way home I listened to the end of the second side. Now I could exercise my body and my brain at the same time! Tools: One of the big advantages of Fit ten is that I can do it in my bedroom before I'm tempted by outside factors to postpone exercise. In addition, it fits in my suitcase, and I can exercise in my hotel room, eliminating the excuses of "I don't like to exercise in public," or "I'm not sure this is a safe neighborhood to take a walk", etc. Maintenance: Now the hard part -maintaining my resolve. My conclusion is that as long as I keep reviewing the first four factors, my vision now includes participating in a public walking event before I reach 60. I did Fit 10 alone for almost three years, but began to get bored, so adding the encouragement (and new tools!) of a personal trainer, put be back on track! What evolution are you looking for this year? Whatever it is, be kind to yourself, and make sure that you've covered all the five steps. Need some help? Find someone else who has a New Year's Resolution and do it together! © Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Motivation: Tearing Down Your Own Limitations Q.: I've always been sort of cynical about all this motivational stuff. The Reason Nothing Happens - Is Because Nothing Is Happening! I hear many clients declare how boring and stagnant their lives have become. As they disclose their concerns, the answer usually bubbles near the surface, but never quite makes it to the top. Life After Prison - The Road Home, Vanishing Dreams The basic trauma of being locked inside of a penal institution is often overlooked. The effect this system has on a person is very hard to imagine. About That Dream... About that Dream.. Making Things Happen We are all given the tools, but it is up to us what we decide to build and how magnificent it will be.Steven FerrelGoals are fantastic to have, but many times challenges surface that make it difficult for a goal to mature. Your Life Story: Whatcha Gonna Do? Write Your Life Story NOW before Its Too Late! Imagine this scene: Project yourself into the future. You are 87 years old and sitting on the couch in the living room of your house. How To Deal With Denial Denial is a coping mechanism commonly used when something happens that we really don't want to see. Doing this is actually quite natural. Are You A Visionary Dreams may seem unimportant in your quest for success. And it's true that ordinary dreams are often a mix of what happened during your day --plus some "wild" random associations. Courage "Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway." - John Wayne"Courage is the cliché hallmark attributed to the hero. Face Your Fears Yes, that's me up there! Interestingly enough, I used to be deathly afraid of heights. I'm not suggesting para sailing is the best way to overcome a fear of heights but it worked for me. Daily Motivation: 7 Methods Isn't a lack of daily motivation one of the biggest problems we face when trying to better ourselves? We often know what to do, or at least the first few steps. But we hesitate, something else catches our attention, or we just don't feel like doing what we need to do. How to Eat an Elephant I recently returned from a wonderful vacation in the U.S. Chasing Your Dreams! Friends, it is always a power of your dreams and a motive to move ahead, which is required to move ahead and to be successful in life. Does it sound, impractical; let me share with you, something practical and real. What is Your Challenge January is almost over.Why do most New Year's Resolutions fail?By now, many New Years resolutions would be thrown out,forgotten, shrugged off. Action vs. Apathy - Feeling Powerless? Get Moving! How many times have you felt truly defeated by the circumstances in your life? You know, the "I don't know why I bother to keep trying, I'm going back to bed and staying there" feeling. It happens to everyone - housewives, corporate executives, rock stars, actors, world leaders. Speed Reading Technique Four Brilliant Tips to Speed Read Faster than EverMany people, particularly students, would love to beable to take in information faster. However prior to retaininginformation, they've to go through the 1st stage oflearning, which is reading. What Google Can Teach You About Success I just finished dinner and the segment was about to start so I went over to the TV.The reporter was interviewing the 2 founders, they showed the company headquarters, and THEN they brought up something where I said BINGO. The Ultimate Kick-butt Motivational Lesson How often have you struggled with yourself over the work that needs to be done? How many times have you put off performing some task or other because it's too mundane?Not everything you do in business is going to excite you. There will be many times when you just can't get yourself sufficiently fired up to make the effort to start, develop or even finish a project. Understanding What Motivates People to Take Action So I wanted to buy a car. It was a tough choice but I decided that my next new car would be a Volvo. Why Holding A Vision Magnetizes Great Achievement The only reason some people enjoy success while others fail is because those who succeed persist in holding the vision of what they want.They succeed, in the first place, by creating a vision. |
home | site map | contact us |