I am on vacation all week with no big plans which is fabulous. I am sitting at my computer with the window open and a beautiful cool breeze blowing in thinking about what things I do want to accomplish while I have some time. I am formulating a new healthy life plan: Cutting out the bad things (fast food, soda) and adding back the good ones (regular attendance at the gym, cooking more meals at home). I have set goals about losing weight, paying off my credit card and saving money. I feel like concrete goals are easier to take steps to attain than general ideas, right?
I watched a few minutes of a lifecoach last night on TV talking about his system called "Excuses Begone!" It was basically asking you to challenge your negative self-talk and replace it with positive self-talk. For example: "I can't lose weight because it will be really difficult and I don't have the time." Are you 100% sure it will be really difficult and you won't have the time? No, that may or may not be true. "Losing weight will be easy and I will have the time." Are you 100% sure that's true? No, but it may or may not be true as well. So if those thoughts both have an equal chance of being true, why would you internalize the one that gives you no chance to reach your goal over the thought that does potentially move you closer to your goal?
Am I going to pay $300 for the system? No, and I am 100% sure of that! But it was engaging enough to get me thinking about it. So I am hoping to really do it this time, rather than think about how I could do it and keep putting it off.
I tend to think in black and white so new goals tend to be easier for me to conquer than most people. I make them out to be simple and define my target goal as well as how I'm going to get there.
ReplyDeleteI haven't always been like that. I thin my biggest achievement was to not procrastinate and set up reminders for myself. They aren't always notes, most of the time they are objects (i.e.: I write notes on my alarm clock sometimes. Though I'm an Atheist, I have a Book of Mormon on my desk a missionary gave to me to remind myself of self-discipline and adherence to professed scruples. Professional reminders include an Obama button hanging up to remind myself of effective advertising and marketing).
A good example is that I want to cut back on going out to eat. I tell myself I will only spend so much on food a week (groceries and dining included). If I go over, it cuts into next weeks budget. If I go under, I take what's left and at the end of a three week period, I go out to eat with it. Simple. Not easy, but simple.
Try to find what works for you and stick to it. I'm sure you can conquer anything! High five!