Healthy Lifestyle Tips
The focus of my blog is changing to: HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TIPS. This will often include what are considered to be 'baby steps' but, for some people, they are major changes to a lifestyle that is all they know. Change can be scary.
As a complementary care professional and personal trainer, I've witnessed many clients' struggle to incorporate a major lifestyle change (example: radically change their diet, hire a personal trainer, put in a lot of effort toward almost unattainable goals) only to slip back to their former ways in a short timeframe. I've personally been through this process more than once so I have a lot of empathy with those who feel somehow that they are not as dedicated as someone else. It is not about dedication or stick-to-itness -- it is about setting attainable, rewardable goals that create success.
Because we, as humans, naturally prefer to be within our 'comfort zone' it is extremely difficult to make major changes. For most people, this is simply to overwhelming so they do nothing -- that's the best solution they can perceive. They worry about whether or not they can do it, whether their friends and/or family will approve, will people accept them if they change ... this is too much at an emotional level.
If we take 'little steps' on the 'roadmap to success' we will eventually attain our goal, albeit at a slower pace (the tortoise and the hare comes to mind here). This 'evolution' allows the acceptance of change by friends, family and peers giving everyone time to assimilate the ever growing you. Most importantly, the steps incorporated along the way have time to integrate and become part of who we are; the changes are acceptable within our comfort zone; we accept ourselves.
In a relatively short time we are able to look back and realize that we have adapted without pain. This gives us pleasure! Pain and pleasure are two major motivators -- by incorporating them into our plan, results are quickly attainable.
TODAY'S 'BABY STEP': Drink 1/2 cup (4oz) more water today than you did yesterday. That's it. Do not worry about how much you should drink, whether it is enough or too much (highly unlikely but possible). Just drink 1/2 cup more over the next 24 hours. Simple. Easy. Attainable.
To your success!
Comments
ohhhhhhhh Susan, I so need to do those baby steps.
Kevin Hogan
www.kevinhogan.com
Hi Sue,
I get frustrated when I get on a good track for awhile, then just fall of the wagon. I think I get seduced by ease. I mean, I like eating salads and fruit. But it's a minor hassle to make, and to eat quickly enough that it stays fresh. So I end up getting things from the vending machine. Or I stop drinking soda for awhile, only to start again. I think getting back on the path with baby steps, like you say, is extremely important.
Aaron
aaronagostini.vox.com
www.aarongostini.net
Kevin -- It is important to me to be able to 'reverse the steps to the goal' break them down into manageable segments and then, once the steps are acceptable to me and my lifestyle (or whoever I am consulting with), work forward from there toward the goal.
I do this whenever learning something new. ex: golf swing ... I need to know: what is my stance, what angle are my feet in relation to each other, how far apart, what angle is the club to my body, hand position on club, weight distribution on each foot (70/30 doesn't cut it either ... I want, forward, back, eversion, inversion, muscle groups, everything I can get from the instructor) ... as you can tell I'm a bit of a PIA. However, once I run it through a few times and build the links within the old brain, I can duplicate the swing reasonably accurately. This is how I teach (smaller groups of steps for some, larger for others) my courses as well.
Sue
I really like your focus about baby steps!
One, because it helps us to avoid overwhelm.
and it gives us a tangible FOCUS for our efforts.
By adding just a LITTLE change, it becomes cumulative, doesn't it? how marvelous!
indeed, for my Romantic Relationship seeking clients, taking the baby step of GO ON DATES THIS WEEK is a baby step.
it is also HUGE!
to actually GO ON DATES is the stuff of the foundational activity which LEADS to creating relationships we want complete with romance and sexual fulfillment.
Best!
April Braswell