That Thing You Should Be Doing: DO IT
Welcome, welcome, welcome to everyone coming over from my interview on YourGreatLifeTV! I hope you enjoy the site! (Haven't checked out my interview? Go see what I'm talking about by clicking here! I've been struggling with increasingly tight shoulders for the past few years now.They pop when I reach overhead. They don't bend in certain directions.I always put off foam rolling and stretching because it didn't really affect me or my workouts in the immediate sense. I had just learned to live with it.This was the wrong move to take... or not take.I'm now being woken up by an intense tingling sensation multiple times every night.I sleep on my stomach in a sort of walk-like-an-Egyptian pose. No matter which way I turn, I get woken up a few minutes later with arms still asleep.I'm going to see a sports chiropractor this week so he can get all the junk out, but why did I have to wait until now to do so? Why did I have to wait until money needed to be spent to fix it? GAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!Do you wait until things get unbearable to make changes? Or worse, until it's too late and you can't do anything about it?Do you keep putting off that one thing you know you need to do that will keep you from more pain in the future?Why?Fear, right?Damn fear. Always getting in our way when we want to do important sh**.Well, friends, let's stop waiting, shall we?Let's make a pact right here. Right now.This week, we will take those actions we've been putting off, and stop living in denial that they won't come back and bite us in the ass in the future!This applies to those things you know you have to do like:
exercise
stretch
eat right
drink water
sleep 7-8 hours
take responsibility for your actions rather than blame others
call your family
And those you know you need to STOP doing like:
biting your nails
smoking
drinking
being rude to people
shouting at your husband
throwing tantrums
Here's how to start/stop doing those things that you know need to be taken care of:Use fear to your advantage.Fear aint goin' anywhere. We know that.Those people who are out there living crazy awesome lives doing the things that we want to do? They aren't just weird people who don't experience fear. They just know how to use it to their own advantage.That's what we're going to try to teach you today.
We let fear talk us out of taking so many actions, but we don't let it talk us INTO taking very many.
When we accept fear as a given, rather than try to resist it or cower to it, we can use it as a tool to take positive action and change our lives.Notebook time, boys and girls. You thought the kiddies were the only ones going back to school early...
1. Write down that thing you need to do
That one thing that keeps nagging at you that you know you should do (or stop doing), write that down here. Common ones are in the list above.Concentrate on one habit at a time and it's more likely to stick.
2. Write down why you don't do it
This is your last chance to write down every excuse you have for why you don't take action.Here are some common reasons for some of those actions on the lists above:
I don't exercise because I don't have time, I'm too tired, or I don't like it.
I don't eat mindfully because I don't have the time to prepare healthy food, I don't know what to eat, or I just can't stick to it.
I haven't stopped smoking because it's too hard to quit, it relaxes me and I'm so stressed out, or I just like doing it.
I haven't stopped being rude to people because I'm just so tired all the time and "nice" takes effort, I know I probably won't see them again, or I don't care enough to try.
3. Write down why you should do it
Why should you do those things that you know will enrich your life? Obviously, you think that this action would add joy to your life in some way, so list that joy here.For the same actions as above, why's could include:
If I exercise, I'll feel more energized, look better, live longer and perform daily tasks more easily.
If I eat mindfully, I'll stop having energy slumps, look better, live longer, and teach my children by example.
If I stop smoking, I'll be able to breathe better, live longer, probably look and smell better, and be able to exercise/perform daily tasks more easily.
If I stop being rude to people, I'll feel better about myself and add love to the world, instead of fueling negativity.
4. Choose to Do It
We all know I'm not a big fan of "should-ing," so let's scrap that and go with some concrete "choose-tos."Those shoulds you listed above? Put them in the present tense and make them choices you can take or leave.For example, the above list would turn into this:
I choose to exercise to stay energized, look better, live longer and perform daily tasks more easily.
I choose to eat mindfully so that I don't crash midday, I'll live longer and teach my children by example.
I choose not to smoke because I want to breathe better, live longer, look and smell better, and be able to exercise/perform daily tasks more easily.
I choose not to be rude to people because I feel better about myself when I'm not, and I want to be a positive influence in this world, rather than fuel the negativity.
Realize that taking these actions is all up to you. No one is going to force you to live the life you deserve. You have to do it yourself.When you reframe the "shoulds" as choices, you rid yourself of that nagging voice we all fight against, and instead makes each action an opportunity to achieve greatness.The bottom line is that if you put off taking these small actions, it's not a matter of the chance that bad things will happen; it's a matter of when.Every action listed can better your life in the present as well as in the future. Why wait to take this opportunity?You'll feel better.Your future self will thank you.And maybe you'll even save some money. :)