by Michaeline on June 30, 2009
What inspires you? Do you wait for external things to inspire you or do you inspire yourself?
Don’t wait for external motivators…rely on yourself to make changes that last.
Here are some strategies that will inspire you as you travel the road to personal change adapted from an article in Women’s Life Style Magazine (April 2009) by Janice Lynne Lundy.
1. Give yourself a morning infusion.
Rise 15 minutes early to engage in “good” activities to start your day. Meditate or read and focus on things that are positive.
2. Choose the company you keep.
Spend time with those that support your desire for change.
3. Make an honest assessment.
At the end of the day take time for reflection. Make observations of the successes and lessons learned to help move yourself forward.
Begin your daily journey with positives and inspire yourself into greatness.
by Michaeline on June 27, 2009
Remember the children’s story “The Little Engine That Could”? Be that engine… If you focus on the good stuff the quality of your personal and professional life will improve.
Here are some more tips from Wolf J. Rinke found in his book Make It a Winning Life: Success Strategies for Life, Love and Business (Achievement Publishers 1992).
Commit to:
• Fake it until I make it.
• Give more of what I want.
• Accept that how I feel is my choice.
• Treat mistakes as exceptions and success as the rule.
• Live by “if it’s to be, it’s up to me”.
These are just some of the things suggested to achieve a positive attitude. Of course, I picked the ones that struck a chord with me…join me in the commitment to a contagious positive attitude.
by Michaeline on June 23, 2009
I recently attended a breakout session at a conference entitled “Positive Attitude: The Key to Success in Nutrition and Dietetics”. Wolf J. Rinke presented the session. One of his success action steps is: Whenever anyone asks “How are you?” Answer “GREAT!”
He suggests that you do this with enough enthusiasm to convince yourself and others that you really mean it. As with any habit, developing the attitude of feeling great will take 21 days.
I have actually been practicing this step and the reaction that I am getting has been interesting. Actually, most people are surprised when I respond “GREAT!”
So surprise yourself and others… YOU ARE GREAT!
“Your self-image controls your life.” ~ Wolf J. Rinke
by Michaeline on June 16, 2009
Although you can’t control some things that cause stress like losing your job or a parent’s illness, you can take steps to control the negative effect of stress on your body.
Take charge of stress by: [click to continue…]
by Michaeline on June 13, 2009
Are you last on your list? Do you devote time on a daily basis to take care of yourself?
Exercise, meditating, journaling, reading are all important things to help you achieve balance in life. What else is important to you? When was the last time that you thought about it?
We continually go through this busyness called life taking care of of the important tasks on our list. But many times we foget the most important thing that should be on our list: self-care.
Self-care is not selfish. Self-care is not something for someday soon. In order to have enough energy to take care of important matters you first must take care of yourself. Is your tank full or empty?
So think about the things that fill you up and list them. And then commit to spending time on at least one thing each day to care for yourself. Take this one baby step and then well discuss more. So what will it be today?
by Michaeline on June 9, 2009
Consistently exercising has been a challenge for me and I am pleased to say that I had an ‘aha’ moment about exercise the other day that I wanted to share in hopes that it will also help you.
I was walking for my cardio exercise on a nice crisp Michigan morning and thought “I am almost done with my walk and I will be able to get started with my day”. And then the moment of awareness hit me enough to make me stop short.
I have been struggling with the habit of exercise because I do not think of it as part of my usual day. It is something to get done and get out of the way so I can move on to the important stuff. No wonder consistently exercising has been a challenge for me.
So here some actions I took to change my mental message. You can use these tips as a template for any topic.
- Develop an affirmation and use it that addresses exercise as part of my lifestyle.
- Complete visioning activity that includes exercise as part of my usual day.
- Create an action plan for making exercise part of my usual day.
- Just do it.
This process can be summarized as: ask, believe and act. So what mental message has you stuck and what can you do to change it?
by Michaeline on June 6, 2009
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” ~Chinese Proverb
If you have read any of my previous posts you will notice a trend of encouraging you to take small steps or baby steps. Think about it…that’s all it takes to get started toward your greatness. One step. Then another.
Do you look at your life, your “to do” list, your incompletes, your clutter, your body, your career and feel so overwhelmed you do not know where to start or even know how to begin. The more overwhelmed you feel the harder it is to get started. That’s why all you need is one baby step into your future.
So in order to get started…the secret to moving your life forward…is to begin where you are now. Begin with accepting where you are right this minute. Start by looking at yourself in the mirror and giving yourself a compliment out loud. And commit to sending positive messages to your mind and you will become what you believe. So step up to the mirror…you look MARVELOUS!
by Michaeline on June 2, 2009
Yesterday I visited the website of my coach, Janet. I have been following her preparations for her “Journey to Higher Ground”. Yesterday she began her journey with simplicity and by addressing tolerations. To read more visit http://nourishyourlife.com/2009/06/01/today-day/ .
Also, if you would like to read a little more about what I have written on tolerations check out my post What are You Tolerating (http://clutterbustingcoach.com/2008/08/26/what-are-you-tolerating/).
By becoming aware of the things you are “putting up with” you can start your own journey. Make today the day…join Janet and me on the journey.
by Michaeline on May 30, 2009
Are you constantly setting goals and action plans for yourself…for the life you think you want?
Don’t get me wrong. I am a big proponent of visioning, goal setting and action planning. In fact, my life coaching practice relies on those techniques. Setting goals gives you focus and ensures that you are using your time and energy efficiently. It provides you with a sense of purpose…a direction. Yet life happens. We have unexpected things occur such as a car accident, a loss of a job, or the flu. These things outside of your control require you to adjust to a new set of circumstances. Even positives such as a new baby or winning the lottery require you to be flexible and to reconsider your plans. [click to continue…]
by Michaeline on May 26, 2009
What are you hanging onto? Stuff? Beliefs? Habits?
In order to get rid of things you no longer need you must also consider the mental clutter that has become a part of your life…
Let go of:
• Feelings of inadequacy. Don’t compare yourself to others. Appreciate yourself for who you are and what you contribute.
• Mistakes and regrets. You have to be willing to fail in order to succeed. Don’t waste energy on reliving things that didn’t work. Focus your energy on finding new ways to be fulfilled.
• Feeling the need to be secure. If you stay in your comfort zone you will never grow. Imagine the possibilities and leap. You might be surprised at what you find on the other end.
• Unhealthy assumptions. Don’t let negative beliefs hold you back. Create your intention…. your reality.
So lighten your load and intend that you will let go of things that no longer serve you whether it be stuff or thoughts. What will that first thing be?