Accomplishment Through Baby Steps!

It's awesome how we can become conscious of how much we appreciate those around us who are moving forward.

I was with my sister having lunch when I recognized how her accomplishment of losing over 20 pounds has given her not only better health but confidence. She talked about signing up for mountain biking and white-water river rafting on an upcoming trip. Now, if she had told me she was attempting this 6 months ago, I would have thought I was in the twilight zone.

My sister has been struggling with her weight for over 20 years but as we get older, we have been able to share concerns about our health rather than our image. Hence, she explained having to finally take the necessary "steps" to get healthy.

However, this is not really a health topic more than it is a matter of accomplishment. It is BECAUSE she lost over 20 pounds, she now feels confident she can take on active activities. What small act are we attempting to lead us to the bigger goal? Are the bigger dreams really too difficult to overcome?

I was amazed but very proud that whether she realizes it or not, her baby steps can lead her to perfect health and a very active lifestyle someday. A lifestyle not even I had envisioned for her until now.

RADICAL CHANGE!!!

"Radical changes require a different type of thinking from the crowd. Being autonomous is a powerful force. However, it can be lonely at first, because you find you are swimming alone, against the current.

In most schools, we are taught to think a certain way, memorize endless facts, and always agree with the teacher. Going against the grain and being an original thinker in education is not encouraged. Conformity is rewarded with good grades and credentials. At graduation, everyone dresses in the same graduation gowns, wears the same kind of hat, and gets the standard diploma. If they are lucky, they will get a job that will be an 'acceptable profession.'

Instead of conformity, we should be encouraging people to be different!...Do we really want to be like everyone else? What if we all looked the same, acted the same, and had the same jobs? Would that be stimulating? Would you want to marry someone who is exactly like you? I certainly wouldn't.

We have to be willing to risk public humiliation, to be unique and go after what we want. The road to your unique self is not crowded! Have the courage to be yourself. The more authentic we are, the more powerful we become. However, we must be willing to go at it alone, like the shark."

Sharkie Zartman
Shark Sense

I HATE working out!!!!

OK - there you have it! I hate it!

Why have I managed to run 5k's and even one 10k? (Oh man! And that’s nothing!) Running was a way to think, do something entirely on my own without anyone bothering me (seriously) and it was an excuse I think to get out of the house at the time.

I visited a nice gym and noticed I could relax in their Jacuzzi and THAT, I liked. I found the stairmaster (what was I thinking?), which was the machine closest to the women’s only section and I gradually started using it. I would listen to my walkman at the time (now I’m dating myself) and escape to a different place; thinking, breathing and watching other people in the gym.

I then started a routine of using all the weight lifts in order of how they were placed and slowly I started to create a habit. I remember going there on Friday nights as a way to escape. I loved sitting in the steam room, breathing in a different sort of detox. It became soothing. I began to meditate on things, people and understand why a good steam bath was really good for my skin and lungs.

What later happened was people noticed the veins in my arms, the muscles in my legs and that built my self-confidence. I was a healthy anomaly.

I then began to take on 5k’s, enlisting whenever I could. I would pair up with people who I was introduced to and did races with them. They would push my limits

What I have a habit of now doing is exercising - whatever it is, noticing that when I don’t, I am unmotivated, frustrated, unwilling to take on the tasks of the day. When I don’t exercise, I don’t eat the right things and meditation becomes very difficult.

My husband doesn’t like exercise either. He hated the thought of going to the gym because, to him, why would he want to when the beach is just right there? However, I know what he feels because I feel that too. I started going with him on Friday nights as a date although he would just sit and watch me. What happened was, he started to take his ipod and try different cardio machines. He started a habit of not just using one but several machines for 20-30 minutes each time he went! He started noticing his waist line as people commented on it and slowly after about 20 days or so, it became a habit.

I remember what drove me to exercise. Now, I’m a slave to it – realizing that if I don’t, I suffer in for it. Tony Robbins talks about this and I can relate. He always talks about the importance of exercise to allow the blood to flow through your brain and throughout your body to get you thinking, creating and having the energy to “do.” “The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results.” – Tony Robbins

How did you start your habit?

Let's DO IT!!!

I'm so ecstatic to be finally doing what I absolutely LOVE!! To think that I've put off so many years of working hard to be able to sit in front of the computer and just write for hours and hours from the moment I wake up till the moment I fall asleep!

Sure, I'll take breaks to eat and go to the grocery store but it's just me, the computer and now possibly hundreds if not thousands out there I'd like to have a conversation with.

What I've come to realize after months (I'm just starting folks) of reading, listening and watching personal development coaches is that it's not easy to dig deep and just do what we're good at for most of us. For those of you who have learned to do what you love, I bet there was some kind of challenging time that you just broke through and surpassed all your expectations of what you thought you were limited to.

However, this is not for you. This is for the countless people like me who have ideas -- great, wonderful ideas to contribute to society -- but because of fear, lack of support and a constant worry of what other people think of us... we are left behind; trailing others successes because of our unwilling to take risks.

So what if you really wanted to try basket weaving even though it's the joke of college courses? So what if your spouse, mate, partner, significant other leaves you because you've decided to take your first step with something new? What if? What could be the worst case scenario that can happen?

Imagine it. Smell it. Feel it. Accept it -- as you put your first foot forward.