Friday, December 29, 2017

December 29th, 2017 By Way Of Simplicity

December 29th, 2017 By Way Of Simplicity

Today: I maintained the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, and I stayed connected with support.

Mom was super-nervous about her dentist appointment today. She hadn't had a dental procedure like this since 1990, as best she can recall. But all ended well and she's back at her place, medicated and resting well!



















Relaxing for a few minutes after her procedure!

Monday starts a brand new year. It's a brand-spankin' new opportunity to create the year we most desire! But I will not make a New Years Resolution. I don't have a good history with New Years Resolutions.

Oh, I once proclaimed all kinds of New Years Resolutions--big, grandiose-- huge expectations, but mostly these resolutions were in name only--rarely was there a sustainable action plan to support these amazing declarations. Weight loss New Years Resolutions--oh my, never, ever worked for me--ever. My nine years plus experience along this road didn't start with January 1st--it was September 15th, 2008.

The high expectations I put on my shallow resolutions never resulted in the big positive changes I wanted--in fact, when the resolutions were shattered, I ended up feeling worse than before I made the resolution...and these negative emotions would keep me firmly in a down position until the next burst of inspiration prompted a repeat of this pattern that kept me over 500 pounds for almost two decades.

Wow-- this all sounds depressing!! Okay-- hold on, please--I have a point...

My point is...

If you make a New Years Resolution--awesome!!! But, the most important thing you can do is create an action plan that's supportive, sustainable, and in harmony with your goal. The action plan part was always missing for me on New Years Day. I'd make the grand declaration in front of everyone--then, I'd go to bed and expect to wake up a completely different person. And it doesn't work that way.

My best advice is: Consistency Beats Intensity.

And the number one way to achieve consistency is by way of simplicity. Keep it simple!!!

Simple, simple, simple...It is crucial to maintaining consistency. We're the ones who make the rules--if we keep the rules simple to follow--then our chances of maintaining consistency goes up dramatically. And as we develop along the way--we can get as fancy and as specialized as we want and need, when we're ready.

It's a natural evolution of good choices. Not a sudden and dramatic change where we expect to be a completely different person as soon as we wake up to our pre-determined start day.

Don't be afraid to start small. Starting small and simple is a path to sustainable and consistent positive results. If you'll apply the patience needed for this approach and forget about the time it takes, you'll discover something amazing. Your "You Plan" will evolve in a very natural fashion. Your consistent positive progress will make your positive visualizations more believable because you'll clearly see where this is headed!! And where you're headed is a place where freedom lives. All kinds of freedom; physical, emotional, psychological, and more!

My focus on consistency isn't long term. It's today. I want to make today a good day. I want to hit the pillow tonight, knowing that I gave it my best shot--my honest to goodness, best. Not perfect, mind you--rather, the best I could do today. I want to do that again tomorrow. It feels good!! 

Big-time accomplishments are not done all at once. It's a collection of much smaller accomplishments contributing in a positive way to the bigger goal ahead.

Set small, doable goals--and hit them square with everything you can. And acknowledge your accomplishments along the way. Feel good about you!!! You'll get back some wonderful results in return.

This whole thing is really the age-old tale of the tortoise Vs. the hare. You remember who won that race? The consistency of the tortoise beat the over-confidence and intensity of the hare. 

You get what you give. Just try to make sure what you're giving is something you can keep giving--something doable for you--something sustainable, something to get excited about!!!

Surround yourself with support. Be kind to you. Remember: This isn't about perfection, it's about progress. One of the biggest barriers can be that voice inside our own head--the mental chatter speaking negatives and untruths. You can shut that voice down when you take it slow, steady, small, and simple. You'll gain consistency and lose weight.

If your New Years Resolution is to lose weight--great!!! YOU CAN DO IT.

Think about this: Can you imagine this being the last time you ever feel compelled to declare this resolution?

Today's Accountability Tweets:


Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean
at

1 comment:

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