Just do it already!

Sometimes, when contemplating a change, we spend far too much time thinking about it and it never actually gets done. Why? Because we want to do it perfectly or not at all. We research all of the diet plans that we can to find the "perfect" one for us. We don't want to go to the gym yet, because we need to lose a few pounds before we can be seen in our workout shorts. If we finally take the plunge and then have a bad day, we feel worthless, convinced that we don't have what it takes to make this change. How self-defeating is that?

No matter what change you are making, it is about taking it one step at a time. Yes, you should do a little research before you begin- read a few articles or books orconsult with someone who has already made the change. This can give you a sense of confidence and help you to set goals for yourself. But please don't get stuck in this stage!

Ultimately, making a change is not about perfection. It's the little things that you do that add up day after day. If you can choose a new behavior 80-90% of the time, your life will shift in dramatic ways. So think about the quality that making this change will give you. If your goal is to lose weight, the quality you may be trying to attain is healthy and moderate in food choices. Visualize what this looks like. What choices is a healthy person  making? What are they eating? Where are they eating? What do they do when they are offered seconds? Choose one of these behaviors and try it on for size today. As you do this more and more often, it will become comfortable, exercise the areas of your brain responsible for delayed gratification and impulse control, and help you develop confidence in your ability to control your weight and your health.

Today, choose one healthy behavior and practice it. See how it feels. See whether you feel like doing it again tomorrow.

What Are You Doing To Move Closer To Your Goal?

Albert Einstein is famously quoted as saying that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." What he is essentially saying is that we can't expect our life to change if we don't change. What goes on inside of you affects your outer circumstances.


Let's take the example of weight loss, as this is a goal that many people have. If you are overweight and eating the same foods and engaging in the same behaviors, yet hoping to lose a few pounds, you will drive yourself crazy! In order for change to happen, you have to change. And it is amazing how fast change actually does occur when you take even a tiny step in the direction you want to go.


What does a tiny step look like? Perhaps you talk to someone who has lost a lot of weight and ask  how she did it. Maybe you buy a magazine that is health or fitness oriented. After you have done this, maybe you experiment with making a healthy meal or research 5K training plans on the internet. After you do this, you begin following the training plan, increasing your distance each week until you feel confident enough to actually sign up for the 5K! Within a year, you have completed a half marathon. It can seem absurd, but baby steps lead to more baby steps, and eventually you will have reached whatever goal you have set for yourself if you are persistent and create a plan.


Sometimes you may have no plan, and that is okay. Maybe you know that you want a change in your life, but you are unsure what it is. My suggestion is to do something, anything. You could research free seminars in your community- you never know when you attend something and meet just the right person that can catapult you into a new hobby or career. Maybe you try a yoga class and discover a new passion that you didn't know you had, which has a ripple effect on your life, creating greater peace in every situation you encounter.


Shake up your life! Get clear on what you desire and choose one small step you can take to move you closer to this desire.