Below are some short exercises that can help you decide if your time spent on "things" is worth keeping these "things" in your life.
1. Think about and write down how many hours a day you spend on unhealthy behaviors. Some of these might include: overeating, time spent preparing or driving to pick up unhealthy food, drinking too much alcohol (wasted "hangover" days), smoking, thinking/talking negatively. These can also be things like spending too much time watching TV, on the computer or just doing nothing at all - being a little lazy.
2. Look at those hours and think about the exciting things on your to do list NOT the chores or honey-do's but your bucket list. For instance, learn to cook, plan a trip, learn a foreign language, take a photography class, work in your yard, play more golf, train for a race, spend more time with friends and family - whatever is fun for you.
3. Ask yourself this,, "What would my day look like if I replaced the unhealthy, unwanted behaviors with a healthier option or something on my bucket list?"
4. Go back to # 1 and really evaluate the hours of your day. What behaviors that create guilt and frustration in your life can you change or cut out ? What behaviors are unproductive? If you are having a tough time with this, have a friend look over your list and help you decide - a good, honest friend of course!
5. Visualize yourself in a new day (today!) replacing those behaviors or activities that bring you down with activities or behaviors that bring happiness and excitement to your day.
6. Formulate a plan, write it down and yes, just do it. It's the only way you will achieve your goals. If you want to eat healthier you have to make a plan to do that, if you want to exercise more make your plan and do it. No one else can do it for you, no one can make you do it. Others might be able to help you and inspire you and those are of course the people you want in your life. Make a plan.
7. Look over your plan every morning and stay focused on your goals. Life has a way of getting in the way, we all know that. It is up to you to make sure that doesn't happen. Stay in the moment and create the desire for a better lifestyle and it will happen. It cannot not happen if you truly want change.
I remember watching Oprah one afternoon, a few years ago, when Madonna was a guest on the show. Oprah was asking Madonna about her new love of yoga and how she stays in shape and most particularly, how she stays so thin. Madonna's response was quite simple, if you want to be thin, you will be thin. There is no secret or magic diet - it is your desire. I love Madonna.
We know that being healthy is more than just being thin. It is a combination of eating well, keeping our bodies active and living a positive lifestyle. Good luck and have fun with this!
~One Body, One Life~
Jennifer
