Throughout the day, along the way, we find that some things in life seem hard while some things in life seem easy. The things we like to do feel a lot easier than the things we don't. Obviously. But, let's face it, we have a lot on the "to do" list that is required--things that we might not like and might be hard.
One way to get through the hard stuff is to dig deep first and ask yourself the all-important questions:
WHY?
WHY should I do this?
WHY is this important to me?
IS this still important to me?
WHY do I care?
WHAT do I want?
The answers to these questions makes the work of self improvement make sense. Losing sight of the WHY, or finding yourself in a position to redefine the WHY is important as time marches on. Things change. So do we. So do our goals. So do our priorities. So do our life circumstances.
Sometimes the things that we find hard one week can become easy another week, and visa versa. It is easy to eat a quick, filling, protein-packed breakfast during the week. You have to move on with your day. It becomes a little harder to do that on vacation in a pancake house with butter and bacon everywhere. It is easy to go out for a long walk with the dog when the weather is pleasant, and it becomes harder when the weather is not. It is easy to dress for the day when all the clothes in the closet fit. It is harder to dress for the day when we are frustrated because only a few of the clothes fit.
Let's remember that not living the life of our dreams costs us something. It may cost us disappointment, sadness, stress, frustration and limited opportunities. That life feels hard. The cost of a life well-lived will include sacrifices and effort, no doubt. It will also come with the priceless gift of freedom. Freedom that is earned, little by little by redefining what's hard and what's easy and revisiting the many reasons WHY that matters.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
Being Mindful With Hidden SmartPoints
There are lots of hidden SmartPoints lurking in juice containers, coffee mugs, cocktail glasses and "pint" beer glasses. One of the problems is that these SmartPoints go down so easily and are so forgettable. Our challenge is to right size our beverages the same way we right size our food choices. Of course, that really means down size.
While plates and bowls have gotten so much bigger over the years, drinking glasses have gone the same route. A can of coke at 12 ounces used to be the norm. Now, that a 12 ounce can of coke is 9 SmartPoints, we have to reconsider the options and look at coke as a treat--not a beverage that slides down along with a meal.
The same is true with juice and sports drinks. Juice is a pointy beverage that we need to choose--not just let happen. As for sports drinks, they are not necessary. Water will rehydrate just the way it is supposed to.
The coffee shop can be a minefield if we aren't savvy. Small drinks are called "tall." If there is anything like cream, whip, half and half and flavor shots, SmartPoints are running down the drain.
When it comes to alcoholic drinks, we need to be informed and make choices before the drinking happens. Once we are drinking alcohol, our inhibitions may start to evaporate. We might not make as many healthy choices that we would otherwise. A big part of our success is to stay focused on what we really want, no matter where we are or what we are doing. Furthermore, drinks are larger than they used to be. Technically speaking, there might be two mixed cocktails in that martini glass. A "pint" in a brew pup is actually 20 ounces not 16. That means more points. Darker, thicker beers are even more points than lighter (as in color) beers.
So how can we down size our beverages without skipping them altogether? Practice. Practice. Practice. The more we acquaint ourselves with right size portions and the more aware we are of our coffee shop/restaurant/bar behavior, the more likely we can approach these settings with the confidence that we can get what we want--and no more. Enjoy it. Be done. Count SmartPoints wisely.
With summer weather here, be especially savvy. Oftentimes, we are even more inclined to relax into the casual nature of the season. Stick to your goals! Drink lots more water and decide in advance when and where and how much any alcoholic beverages will be consumed. Then, stick to the plan and enjoy.
While plates and bowls have gotten so much bigger over the years, drinking glasses have gone the same route. A can of coke at 12 ounces used to be the norm. Now, that a 12 ounce can of coke is 9 SmartPoints, we have to reconsider the options and look at coke as a treat--not a beverage that slides down along with a meal.
The same is true with juice and sports drinks. Juice is a pointy beverage that we need to choose--not just let happen. As for sports drinks, they are not necessary. Water will rehydrate just the way it is supposed to.
The coffee shop can be a minefield if we aren't savvy. Small drinks are called "tall." If there is anything like cream, whip, half and half and flavor shots, SmartPoints are running down the drain.
When it comes to alcoholic drinks, we need to be informed and make choices before the drinking happens. Once we are drinking alcohol, our inhibitions may start to evaporate. We might not make as many healthy choices that we would otherwise. A big part of our success is to stay focused on what we really want, no matter where we are or what we are doing. Furthermore, drinks are larger than they used to be. Technically speaking, there might be two mixed cocktails in that martini glass. A "pint" in a brew pup is actually 20 ounces not 16. That means more points. Darker, thicker beers are even more points than lighter (as in color) beers.
So how can we down size our beverages without skipping them altogether? Practice. Practice. Practice. The more we acquaint ourselves with right size portions and the more aware we are of our coffee shop/restaurant/bar behavior, the more likely we can approach these settings with the confidence that we can get what we want--and no more. Enjoy it. Be done. Count SmartPoints wisely.
With summer weather here, be especially savvy. Oftentimes, we are even more inclined to relax into the casual nature of the season. Stick to your goals! Drink lots more water and decide in advance when and where and how much any alcoholic beverages will be consumed. Then, stick to the plan and enjoy.
Monday, April 11, 2016
It Takes a Village
In the game of life, we know that we are not alone, nor do we want to be alone--especially when tough times come calling. Even our introverted friends need valuable connections with others to keep them feeling vibrant and part of a bigger picture. When we start something new, pursue a new venture at work or home, take on a new responsibility or role, we usually ask others who have done this before for their help. Help can come in the form of advice, personal experience, testimony and sometimes a sounding board.
As we evolve and set the bar higher than it was before regarding weight loss, healthy habits, fitness and fulfillment, we are walking down a path that many have gone down before and many continue to go down. We will have lots of company to keep us supported and inspired. There is so much information, advice and how-to's in the world nowadays, that we don't need to look far for a bright idea to try with a new recipe, exercise technique or social group to keep us interested and curious.
But what about the people closest to us? What about the ones who "should" be supporting us from the very start and all the way through? Why do those people sometimes seem like saboteurs instead of cheer leaders? Who knows is the answer to that question. Unfortunately, even our nearest and dearest do not always "show up" for us the way we'd like them to. Maybe they don't believe our self improvement efforts are real (this time). Maybe they are secretly jealous of us. Maybe they wish they could do things like say NO to chips and salsa on a Mexican vacation or say YES to the gym at 6AM. Maybe they fear that if we change, then we might be expecting them to change. Whatever the reason, we know that when we don't get positive feedback from the ones we love, we need to move on to other people for that kind of support.
It does take a village to keep going. It takes people from all circles who are working on bettering their lives, one day at a time, to keep up the energy and enthusiasm for the work that's involved. Sometimes by seeing a complete stranger with a lot of weight to lose, working out at the gym, inspires me. I realize that we are all in this together. No matter where we are in the journey, we all have the same job to do.
Get up every day.
Show up for your life.
Be present and mindful of your behavior.
Make a small change at first and then let that grow into a bigger difference.
As we evolve and set the bar higher than it was before regarding weight loss, healthy habits, fitness and fulfillment, we are walking down a path that many have gone down before and many continue to go down. We will have lots of company to keep us supported and inspired. There is so much information, advice and how-to's in the world nowadays, that we don't need to look far for a bright idea to try with a new recipe, exercise technique or social group to keep us interested and curious.
But what about the people closest to us? What about the ones who "should" be supporting us from the very start and all the way through? Why do those people sometimes seem like saboteurs instead of cheer leaders? Who knows is the answer to that question. Unfortunately, even our nearest and dearest do not always "show up" for us the way we'd like them to. Maybe they don't believe our self improvement efforts are real (this time). Maybe they are secretly jealous of us. Maybe they wish they could do things like say NO to chips and salsa on a Mexican vacation or say YES to the gym at 6AM. Maybe they fear that if we change, then we might be expecting them to change. Whatever the reason, we know that when we don't get positive feedback from the ones we love, we need to move on to other people for that kind of support.
It does take a village to keep going. It takes people from all circles who are working on bettering their lives, one day at a time, to keep up the energy and enthusiasm for the work that's involved. Sometimes by seeing a complete stranger with a lot of weight to lose, working out at the gym, inspires me. I realize that we are all in this together. No matter where we are in the journey, we all have the same job to do.
Get up every day.
Show up for your life.
Be present and mindful of your behavior.
Make a small change at first and then let that grow into a bigger difference.
Monday, April 4, 2016
The Things that Weigh Us Down
I am just back from a spring break trip to Mexico, and I packed my workout program, my clothes for it, my beachwear and summery clothes. I had my sunscreen for protection along with a big hat. I had comfy sandals for long walks after dinner on the "malecon" (boardwalk in Puerto Vallarta). What I didn't take with me was worry.
This got me thinking about how heavy it is to carry worry--and what that does to my perception of happiness, self satisfaction and wellbeing. Of course it is easy to be happy on vacation in a sunny spot with the guy you love...when all your creature comforts are met in grand fashion. The whole point of vacation is to get away from it all, take a break from the routine and busyness of daily life to relax, recharge, renew. Unfortunately, however, vacation is only one or two times a year. The rest of my time is spent living my "real life."
This too got me thinking about how important it is for me to "lighten the load" and only carry what I can handle. I started mulling over the things that weigh me down in daily life. Worry, anxiety, sleeplessness, expectation, fear, feeling less than... For a yoga instructor and a health coach, I talk about these things all the time. They are truly front and center in my mind. But, I am still finding myself burdened by some of these "weights."
I decided that while there are problems and issues to cope with regarding my family, the world, etc. I am going to make a concerted effort to not worry over them. It doesn't mean I won't be caring about them, but it does mean that I am consciously unpacking these things so they don't cast a dark shadow over my day, my sense of happiness and wellbeing. I hope that this will be a gift from this vacation, i.e. the freedom to not be weighed down by excess baggage.
What might be weighing you down more than you think? Of course, pounds on the scale are the obvious thing. But, those pounds didn't get there by themselves. The things we carry, the places we go, the people we deal with are part of those pounds. I am encouraging us to look a little more deeply at what might be behind heaviness on the scale. What might be getting in the way of living a lighter, more carefree life? What might it take to "unpack" some of those things and lighten your load? One day at a time.
This got me thinking about how heavy it is to carry worry--and what that does to my perception of happiness, self satisfaction and wellbeing. Of course it is easy to be happy on vacation in a sunny spot with the guy you love...when all your creature comforts are met in grand fashion. The whole point of vacation is to get away from it all, take a break from the routine and busyness of daily life to relax, recharge, renew. Unfortunately, however, vacation is only one or two times a year. The rest of my time is spent living my "real life."
This too got me thinking about how important it is for me to "lighten the load" and only carry what I can handle. I started mulling over the things that weigh me down in daily life. Worry, anxiety, sleeplessness, expectation, fear, feeling less than... For a yoga instructor and a health coach, I talk about these things all the time. They are truly front and center in my mind. But, I am still finding myself burdened by some of these "weights."
I decided that while there are problems and issues to cope with regarding my family, the world, etc. I am going to make a concerted effort to not worry over them. It doesn't mean I won't be caring about them, but it does mean that I am consciously unpacking these things so they don't cast a dark shadow over my day, my sense of happiness and wellbeing. I hope that this will be a gift from this vacation, i.e. the freedom to not be weighed down by excess baggage.
What might be weighing you down more than you think? Of course, pounds on the scale are the obvious thing. But, those pounds didn't get there by themselves. The things we carry, the places we go, the people we deal with are part of those pounds. I am encouraging us to look a little more deeply at what might be behind heaviness on the scale. What might be getting in the way of living a lighter, more carefree life? What might it take to "unpack" some of those things and lighten your load? One day at a time.
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