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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Self-Discipline

I hate exercise, actually I don't know anyone who really enjoys it, do you? But the fact is it has great health benefits, we all know this. Even with this knowledge, it takes loads of self-discipline to start and continue an exercise regimen. We can all relate to the self-discipline required for exercise but how does discipline show up in other areas of our life?

Often times we base decisions in our life purely on our comfort level, lacking the discipline to continue once we start getting uncomfortable. This is true of diets, exercise, relationships, money management, careers, businesses, and in most all areas of our lives.

If you would like to boost your self-discipline try these steps:

1. Start small. This may be as simple as hanging your jacket in the closet each day instead of throwing it across the back of the sofa.

2. Get clear on your emotions regarding discipline. If you feel discipline requires conformance and you are a rebel at heart, your sub-conscious will be in direct opposition to your conscious intentions.

3. Stop procrastinating and postponing, do things you dislike first.

4. Think long term. Realize what you do today will affect your life in the future.

5. Find help. An accountability partner can cheer you own, remind you of the benefits, and motivate you when you want to give up!

Where is lack of self-discipline hindering your life? Most goals and intentions are not reached simply due to a lack of self-discipline. This year develop your discipline muscle, you'll be glad you did!

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Time

Time...isn't it interesting that each day we all get the same amount deposited into our lives. Some use it as an investment, while others squander it away!

Monday, January 05, 2009

Letting Go

As I sit here on the first official work day of the New Year, I find myself exhaling. I am exhaling both the busyness of the holidays and the memories of the past year. I realize I must exhale in order to inhale. This makes me think of my life and how I must let go of things of the past in order to make room for things to come.

When I got divorced from my first husband I had to let go of not only him, but friendships we shared, a business we shared, and my idealistic, white-picket fence vision of love, marriage and family. It was extremely difficult to let go of 17 years of marriage and a lifetime of how I thought my life would be.

But just as the baby chick breaks out of the shell (and lets the shell go) we too must break out and let go of beliefs, things, thoughts, ideas, and sometime people.

What are you holding on to in your life that you need to let go of; old clothes that don't fit and even if they did they wouldn't be in style, your self-concept, relationships, past failures, past hurts, self-doubts, fears, limitations, expectations? The list goes on. When we hold on to things that no longer serve us, we in effect hold ourselves back. In other words, we don't hatch.

As I sit here I realize that I cannot hold the breath within, I must exhale, and then I must inhale and embrace what is, and what is to come.

Perhaps at the beginning of the year we should exhale that which holds us back as we inhale our intentions for the coming year.