Category: Obstacles that keep you from exercising

Two Words That Can Motivate You To Exercise

 

Words that can motivate you to exercise

The words we use matter.  They can lift others up toward success or they can tear people down in a hot second.

The words we choose when we speak to others are incredibly important.  However, how we talk about ourselves and our own life is equally as important.  Words can create either a positive or negative perspective. The subconscious does not know right from wrong.  It simply records information, so it’s up to us to wire it for success.  Sometimes that includes changing old habits.

Years ago, a a life coach helped me change a habit that can hold you back from accomplishing your goals.  At the time, I was using  the phrase “have to” way to often.  We all have things we believe we “have to” do like taxes, cleaning out the garage, organizing the sock drawer, and for some people,  exercising.  The problem with approaching any of these tasks from the perspective of “have to”, is it comes from a negative place.  The phrase “have to” suggests to your subconscious that the task is an obligation and that it is required.  As humans we are wired to seek the positive.  If you are trying to operate from a negative point of view, it puts you in direct conflict with your subconscious.  This can cause procrastination, stress, overwhelm, and flat out rebellion.

The phrase “have to” is one that can subtly creep into our vocabulary without us even realizing it.  The truth is, there’s not much in life that we HAVE TO do but there is a lot in life that we GET TO do.  When you use the phrase “get to” you are coming from a place of gratitude and appreciation. It’s positive.

For example:

  • The house I have to clean is really the house I get to clean because I have a roof over my head.
  • The dog walk I have to do is really the exercise I get to do because I am healthy and have wonderful dogs.
  • The work I have to do is really work I get to do because I am blessed to have clients that want to work with me.

When I began looking at each task from a place of gratitude, I became way more productive, my follow through improved, and I was able to find the joy in the task.  Talk about a total mind shift!

Exercise is something we “get to” do and I recommend you pick movement that you enjoy.  However, even a routine that’s fun can seem like a chore if we look at it as an obligation rather than  a choice.  Next time you tell someone (or yourself) it’s time for you to exercise, remember to say I “get to” exercise today and see how your perspective begins to shift.

Life is a precious gift, a gift that is much more enjoyable when we choose to see it that way.

Here’s to a week filled with things you “get to” do!

Shared with love,

Jennifer

 

How To Start Something New And Succeed

How To Start Something New And Succeed

My husband and I are in the process of moving into our new home.   Moving can be very disruptive so I’m eager to get our house organized as quickly as possible.

At first, I was attempting to organize each item as I unpacked it.  However, in my attempt to “stream line” the process, I ended up a bit overwhelmed and paralyzed.  We have lived in this house less than two weeks.  It’s going to take some time to figure out what works for us and what doesn’t.

Once I gave myself permission to arrange and rearrange for the next few months, I began unloading boxes and momentum began to occur.  This method turned out to be way more productive than trying to get everything “just right” the first time.

While I was unpacking mason jars and bath supplies, I began thinking about how much my moving experience applies to health and fitness.

I believe it’s important to plan and I am most definitely a planner.  However, too much planning or waiting until the timing is right can keep you from moving forward.  Years ago, a wise mentor gave me some really good advice regarding working toward a goal.  His advice was to just get started and figure out what works as you move forward.  He wasn’t advising me to be reckless, he was simply recommending I start with what I knew I could do right away rather than not start at all.

I firmly believe his advice applies to health, fitness, and every other area of your life.  If you start with one or two things you know you can do right away, then momentum is sure to follow.  That may be  ten minutes of exercise a day or signing up for a meal delivery service.  Or, you may be ready to start cooking most nights of the week and exercising thirty minutes per day.  Whatever your “getting started” looks like is personal and that’s OKAY.

Adding new things to your life like exercise, meal planning, and meal preparation usually require adjustments in your schedule and the best way to figure out what works for you is to just get started.   It may seem a bit messy and chaotic at first so I recommend you remain flexible.  It’s important that you give yourself permission to abandon things that are not working and stick to the things that DO work for you.  Some ideas you may scrap for good, but other goals can be revisited at a later time.

If you’ve been “waiting to have all of your ducks in a row” before you get started on something, I encourage you to take your first step.  Don’t be afraid to experiment, always be kind to yourself, and enjoy the journey.

Make it a great week!

Shared with love,

Jennifer

 

 

Four Ways To Help You Stay Focused

iStock woman with list - focused

Does this sound familiar?  One minute you’re whizzing through your to do list, the next minute you’re watching cute puppy videos on Facebook or scrolling through your favorite retail store’s website. If it does, you are not alone.   A recent study by Microsoft revealed that the average attention span is eight seconds.  NO wonder it takes effort to stay focused.

Too many distractions can cause you to get behind on necessary tasks and deadlines.  Even the smallest of distractions can begin to add up and affect our lives in every area.  When you find yourself  playing catch up to finish the things that MUST be completed, it can begin to take away from your own personal time.  Based on my twenty seven years of experience as a personal trainer, I can confirm that exercise and preparing meals are usually some of the first things that get pushed onto the back burner when there is a time-crunch.  The good news is there are things you can do to limit distractions in your day and maintain your concentration.

How To Stay Focused

Here are a few tips on how to stay focused throughout your day and guard your precious time.

Take breaks.  Yes, breaks actually help you stay focused.  Give yourself a short break every thirty minutes.  Your body will thank you for it and taking a moment to stop and reactivate your goal can help you maintain your concentration.

Keep your cell phone ringer off while working on deadlines.  Technology is a wonderful thing and we all need to stay connected.  However, research is showing that receiving texts or phone calls can result in more mistakes during a computer task.  If you’re working on a deadline it’s a good idea to turn your phone to silent and then set a time when you will check your phone and return messages.  Keeping it on silent allows you to have it close by in the event of a true emergency.

Limit multitasking.  A recent study suggests that your brain can’t handle more than two big tasks at one time.  It can divide two tasks successfully but any more than that is too much for your mind to juggle.  Personally, I think it’s a good idea to experiment with multitasking.  Figure out what works for you.  You may be someone that performs best when you focus on one big task while passively performing another.  For example, driving while listening to an audio book is a great way to learn while commuting from one place to another.

Practice awareness.  If you notice your mind wandering off, take a pause from whatever it is you are doing at that very moment.  Whenever I’m supposed to be writing a blog post and find myself surfing Facebook, I look at the clock and check to see if it’s time to get up and move.  It usually is so I’ll get up and get some water, a snack, or even throw in a load of laundry.  During that time I’ll get my thoughts together and even give myself a little “focus pep talk” This helps me become more present in the moment and take back control of how I’m spending my time.  We all drift off from time to time; it’s being aware of it that helps us redirect our attention back to the task at hand.

When it comes to successfully completing tasks, focus and discipline are necessary ingredients.  No two lives are the same so I recommend you experiment with these tips and then figure out what works for you personally.

Here’s to being super productive and successful!

With Love,
Jennifer