You are old enough to know better!

Of course I’m talking about knowing yourself!

 

When it comes to making changes in your lifestyle or habits, it really helpful to do a little self-examination.

 

 

With our attention being tugged on all day long,  taking time to reflect on your past successes and failures is  time well spent.

 

For me, something that I learned about myself is to NOT buy self-guided programs.

 

I LOVE to learn, read and get better at lots of things like fitness, nutrition, business, and being a better, more spiritual person overall.

 

I also have a tendency towards “shiny ball” syndrome which I am constantly reeling in! Shiny ball syndrome is like a dog in training school always being distracted by a different squirrel.

 

This syndrome always cost me time and money because I’d buy self-guided programs on things that I knew – yes, knew!-  would help me grow, plus it was always interesting stuff so it was fun.

 

The problem was that it was self-guided. While that’s usually the appeal because you can do it “on your time”, “anytime you want.”  In fact, that is always in the sales pitch!

 

But, that last time I bought something…and didn’t do more than one day of looking at it, I took some time to think and realized I HATE self-guided stuff.

 

I like to be around people when I learn! I like that back and forth banter or q & a. Plus, I’m completely focused when I learn “live”.

 

Now, I know that’s not everyone’s style, but I wouldn’t have realized it if I didn’t spend time quietly thinking.

 

Okay, so what’s this got to do with health and fitness?

 

When you want to start getting healthy and, let’s say, you need to change your eating habits, knowing yourself and how you work best will help you succeed.

 

Are you the “All In” type of person who needs to go cold turkey on all the junk food and even the stuff that some sources will tell you is healthy or fine if it’s in moderation?

 

Or, are you the type of person who needs to take things slowly, looking at the long-term and make one small change at a time.

 

I’m a little of both when it comes to food and exercise. Sometimes I need to ease into  change and other times it’s got to be cold turkey.

 

How do you work best? Cold turkey or one-thing-at-a-time?

 

If you are not sure here’s your action step:

• Mark your calendar, even it it’s jut five or 10 minutes, where you give yourself permission to do nothing but THINK
• Go somewhere that inspires you and get away from a space that makes you want to do other things (I like to go for a walk, especially at a park or in the woods, when I need to do some thinking)
• Think back to times when you were successful and times when you weren’t so successful. Did you go cold turkey on that ice cream or did you cut back to only three times per week and slowly wean yourself?
• Remember that you might be both types and that every success and “failure” is a learning opportunity.