As a Certified Health and Wellness Coach, I want to see you succeed in the mastery of your wellbeing. That means health and wellness for you in all things mind, body and spirit. The fundamentals of wellbeing are the same for all of us. What we do to get there, is different for each of us. My hope for you is that you find some new healthy habits that you are willing to stick with for the long term. Although you might start looking pretty good…the real prize is your health and wellness. How to Achieve your Goals in 7 Steps:
© Health Inspires.
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“We need dirt,” he said. “What? Why do we need dirt?” I asked. My 13 year old son replied, “We need dirt for our backyard so I can make (bicycle) jumps.” Ohhhhh….I thought as I now understood where he was coming from. I then said, “Sure, we can look at that.” Although I decided to make the calls and investigate bringing in dirt, I was mostly thinking, “That’s my guy…keeps my hopping, never a dull moment, and man… that child likes to spend some money!…On dirt this time! I think I will try and discourage him.” There I am…the supportive mom. A couple of weeks roll by and he mentions it again. My husband and son go outside to look at the greenbelt behind our house. It is full of trees and needs to be cleaned out. They were discussing and designing where the dirt should go. I am still thinking… “Really…dirt?” One of the things I consistently teach is that we have everything we need right now to take the next step in the direction we want to go. We allow inevitable challenges and obstacles to become the reasons of why we don’t finish something (yet) and accomplish little or nothing. Many times these “obstacles” are nothing more than a thought we allowed ourselves to think. A reason or excuse of why we haven’t done something. That happens sometimes, doesn’t it? Rather than waiting on dirt, waiting on me to visit Home Depot and asking for the dirt guy list of numbers, calling the dirt people, getting the estimate on dirt, who is delivering it? Really? I really do not want to spend my money on dirt. In the meantime, my son and his friend got to work. With our shovel, ax, hoe and their desire for and willingness to work to create bike ramps; they cleared a path in the greenbelt. They collected sticks and branches that had fallen from trees and piled them horizontally in one nice stack until it reached a reasonable height for a ramp. They found a piece of plywood and angled that plywood on that pile of branches. In another spot, about 15 feet in front of that, they found some large stones (probably from my garden), and used a smaller piece of plywood to create the first and smaller ramp. I was so proud of them. They used the resources they had, worked for what they wanted and created some jumps! Free! Complete! Now they can enjoy their jumps and feel amazing for making it happen; the reward for their efforts. Not to mention, saving the mother her time and money. Imagination. Creation. Accomplishment. Achievement. Success. These things can be measured in many ways. Some of those measures are not what you would normally think of. Those measures are that you kept your commitment to yourself, you stayed the course, you created your reality and did not allow something you made up in your head, a thought, keep you from doing what you wanted to do. You know what you need to do. Take that step, then the next, and the next. Take one day at a time, and get one in a row, then two and so on. Control what you can and understand that you can’t always control outside factors, yet you can control what you do to move forward. Most importantly you can control your thoughts. You may have heard the saying that if you believe that you can’t, then you are right. Stay peaceful, stay on track, take a deep breath and look at your choices when a challenge arises. What will you choose? Chip away. You can. Build your ramps. Those will take you where you want to go. Health Inspires. The real you is waiting. You know you are in there! You know how good it feels when you are doing your best, feeling purposeful and when everything is clicking in your life. Keep that feeling, self awareness, joy, happiness and connectedness by practicing these 5 ACTIONS to the REAL YOU.
Take time to stay in love, in kindness, in prayer, in gratitude and on your path. We all benefit from this. Health Inspires. Not everybody practices the rituals of the Lenten season. Lent is observed by catholics and many Christians, and is a time to reflect and make positive changes in their life for the better; through prayer, fasting and charity. Lent means "spring" or "new birth." It is so often that we “give up” something for the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Holy Thursday, and then we go back to the same routine. Many people during the spring season engage in the same behaviors as those observing Lent, or vice versa. Many of us make springtime goals to be better, more organized, nicer to to our families, lose some weight, start an exercise program, stop drinking coffee, no more wine, no bread...essentially “give something up”. The desire to make yourself better and practice more control of your choices is good. Writing down the necessary action steps for success and having your response prepared when obstacles occur; even better. Create a new habit: I have been writing about habits and behavior change since 2008, and believe that habits dictate most of what we do. Growing up with a father that touted repeatedly “30 days to make or break a habit”, sinks in over time. Change requires willingness to change, self discipline and simple, achievable steps. We tend to take extreme paths that are not sustainable. We fast, cleanse, and diet in preparation of summer, or after the holidays. The energy, time and money it takes us to get our brains wrapped around starting a “new program”, starting, achieving the goal and then somehow coming full circle is the definition of insanity. You may have heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Doing things repeatedly the same time everyday helps create a habit. If you typically grab a diet soda in the afternoon, replace that with green tea. If you are not drinking enough water, then find a time that you will add 8 oz. to your day, if you are drinking too much coffee, then drink one less each day this week and go from there. If you have been enjoying a high calorie snack in the afternoons, replace that with a healthier choice, like an apple. You might discover these actions are more your habit or routine rather than your true desire to have whatever it is. Use Lent or spring as the time to create those new habits that will last a lifetime. Change one thing at a time, be specific with your goal, make it measurable, achievable, realistic, and time bound. That is a S.M.A.R.T goal. It is formed in the positive frame of what you will do, not what you won’t do; i.e., not what you are “giving up”. Here are some of examples of S.M.A.R.T goals:
Delay immediate gratification: I agree it is way more exciting to see 5+ pounds come off in one week! It is not way more exciting to hear about the toll that takes on your physical body, body chemistry and organs…yo-yo dieting is not helpful. It is harmful; both physically and mentally. Changing one thing at a time may take more time for results, but the results will show up. The benefits of your achievement go far beyond the physical. The “I can’t have that” extreme diet plan takes the fun out of dining with friends and not allowing yourself to enjoy one glass of wine or one piece of bread with your healthy meal. One piece of bread or one glass of wine, paints a picture of moderation. One of anything, and only sometimes (depending what it is), is the right practice. It is a good approach for all of us; (one cup of coffee (not 3), one glass of wine (not two or three), 6 baby carrots (not chips-except at Friday lunch, for example). Life is about choices. We cannot have everything all of the time, and we certainly should enjoy the good times, and practice moderation, and moderation in moderation at times. So, if you are planning for your spring renewal, whether through Lent or in your regular spring ritual, play for life this time. Take baby steps and make it sustainable. Ultimately, the picture is bigger than your summer body. It is truly about your health and wellness....and of course, your summer body;), that lasts through the seasons! See more of my blogs on this topic for encouragement. Ready for change? Dive in! http://www.healthinspires.com/3/post/2013/08/what-makes-a-person-believe-they-can_______.html http://www.healthinspires.com/3/post/2013/11/top-12-super-foods-super-easy-super-nutritious-super-transportable-and-super-kid-and-adult-friendly.html Health Inspires. What is the greatest investment you can make in yourself that requires no cash outlay, 150 minutes per week, gives you an edge, makes you feel stronger and happier, saves you medical expenses, promotes your good health, provides you with energy, inspiration and confidence? Answer: Exercise. Exercise is a natural antidepressant. Physical activity enhances your overall wellbeing. One good thing positively affects another. We truly cannot compartmentalize areas of our lives; and that is the mind, body, spirit connection. Most of us know exercise is good for us. The hard part is getting started. If you are thinking about getting started and looking for motivation, keep reading. Focusing on what you want is a good strategy. Allow me to build a case for you. Why are we sedentary?
What does that mean, in general?
What is recommended? The American Heart Association recommends 30-minutes of moderate activity most days, or 150 minutes per week. There are other options such as being active for three 10-minute periods a day and that is almost, but not quite as beneficial to your overall physical fitness as one 30-minute session. The ten minute push is about getting started, and that something is better than nothing. Ten minutes is achievable, it gets you moving, and success breeds success. Getting started and achieving will help you sustain. There is a natural progression in taking one healthy step, literally. Good things follow. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans describes “Physical activity” as any bodily movement that enhances health.
Proof: The Women’s Health Study, published in April 28, 2008 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at 39,000 women free of Cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes at baseline. The study found that women who were normal weight and physically active had the lowest risk of developing Coronary Heart Disease over more than 10 years of follow-up. Next up with good results were women who were lean, but not physically active and then finally, women who were overweight but physically active. It is worth pointing out that the findings demonstrated that having a healthy body weight might have more significance in your health than physical activity, although both play a role in lowering the risk of heart disease in overweight or obese women. YOU WANT TO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE YOU START ANY EXERCISE REGIMEN. SEE YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. After you are cleared, your goal is to start and sustain. How to start and sustain:
All activity counts. Find what works for you and focus on how good you feel after achieving. Find your meaningful motivator to get started. It could be those hard dollar cost savings, or it could be that you feel amazing, or that you look and feel sexy! Top 5 Reasons and Motivators to Exercise:
What's your motivator? Health Inspires. The overarching umbrella to all other things are principles. Living by principles tells the story of who you are. It certainly feeds our emotional, intellectual needs and even our spiritual needs. It affects our relationships for better or for worse. It is the very soul and conscience of who you are and who you want to be. The peaceful feeling, knowingness and energy you will have tells you that you are living right by your principles. Making decisions based on correct principles cultivates wisdom, integrity, trust, sincerity, honesty, confidence, perseverance and dependability. All good things. We are all busy, and have life demands, circumstances and situations that test us. Reacting to those situations isn’t peaceful. Living and practicing a principled centered life is essentially “doing the right thing”…and we all know that is sometimes the hardest thing to do. Here are some great reasons to stay on track and live right. 10 Benefits of Living a Principle Centered Life:
10 Actions to Peace:
Health Inspires. You know how it goes if you have ever tried to lose weight. You might have that one unsuccessful day when you fall off the wagon... How did you speak to yourself when that happened? Was it kind? If you have experienced that one unsuccessful day, then you might also be familiar with the weight coming off…Yea!!!...and then back on…Boo!! After all of that hard work?! How did you speak to yourself then? Was it kind? Why is it that we find it easier to be kind and supportive to others more than to ourselves? As you kick off your weight loss News Years Resolution like thousands of others, I would ask that you consider your first News Years Resolution to be “I will be kind to myself”. Then implement these 5 tips for success, being kind to yourself every step of the way. Most of us already know what it means to eat healthier. Eating more fruits and veggies; less fats and sugars. Actually doing it, and doing it consistently, is an entirely different story. What could be missing is a little accountability, support and coaching to help you achieve. Old habits die hard. Creating new healthy habits take time and yes, commitment. Taking the time to create them will evolve into a lifetime of healthy habits. Although the following tips apply to overall wellness, and I firmly believe you can achieve overall wellness, these are specific to your weight loss goal for your sustainable weight loss. However, I encourage you to use them broadly for a healthy mind, body and spirit. It is all tied together anyway!
Examples of S.M.A.R.T Goals:
Most importantly, whether you are trying to lose weight or not, be kind to yourself. Say it out loud: Be Kind to Myself. Happy New Year from Health Inspires! |
Kathryn ScoblickMy passion and purpose is helping people reach their full potential and master their wellbeing. Categories
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Disclosure: Always consult with your physician or other qualified health care provider before beginning any diet or exercise program and ask whether you are healthy enough to engage in a diet and exercise program. Never disregard, avoid or delay in obtaining medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider concerning your overall health and wellness, including your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. It is your choice to follow the suggestions, opinions and advice given by a Health Inspires wellness coach.
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