Studies show that most people’s New Year’s Resolution would be out of the window by the end of Jaunary. (Sounds familiar?)
It has been found that one reason why we don’t attain our goals is that most of us put more focus figuring out the “how’s” or “what to do” (e.g. go to the gym) and not enough on the “why’s” (e.g. look great and feel good), which are the real motivators.
Did you know that getting clear of the “why I want to be well” makes implementing the “how’s” and maintaining the results much easier? So,start with the end result in mindand be really clear.
Compared to the “HOW” process, the “WHY” process takes very little time – but it makes a HUGE difference in the results that you will get.
Naturally what you reallywant would align with your life’s priorities… (e.g. you want to have a fresher mouth for your romantic partner because a loving relationship with him/her is a priority for you)
I invite you to reflect and to write down your life’s top five prioritiesand prioritize them on a list. Then write a list of thespecific resultsthat you want so as to be in alignment with that, e.g. quit drinking to be 5 kg lighter in 6 months, be in bed by 12 and be clearer in my thinking on the job, etc.
Now that you are REALLY clear of the WHY,work out an action plan(the HOW’s). The key is to write it down and be clear. And commit to a time frame!
Put your priorities, your intended results, and the action plan at a visible place – fridge door, desk top, your PDA…. Review these lists everyday. Better still, say it out loud to yourself often. You will find that these practices help you stay on track and will affect how you spend your valuable resources, like your time, and your money differently.
Now how can we make the process even more easierandenjoyable?
For a lot of us, we spend far more time in the fear of getting sick or whatever that we don’t want to happen to us, than what we really want. (Research shows that most of our thoughts are negative than positive)
Thanks to recent studies of quantum mechanics, it is now an established concept (which has its origins from ancient philosophies) that what you consistently think you will “create” in your life.
So what to do to be in the positive state of mind more?
Here’s a suggestion to start: take a moment whenever you can in your busy day to pause and notice your thoughts– whether it is when you are brushing your teeth, taking the MTR, chewing your food or whatever. As you become aware of those thoughts we can then choose our thoughts.
To remind you to pause and notice, you can make some of these activities as your “cue” – say whenever you pick up your toothbrush, or whenever you make your afternoon tea and looking at your cup, you practise thinking about WHAT YOU WANT and WHY you want it – and “think” with all your 5 senses – visualizeand experiencethe feeling when you have got what you want. You can also put it into your PDA as a reminder for you to pause at a convenient time of your day to do it.
If you can just take 10 minutes out of your day to do this you will notice a big difference in a few weeks’ time, if not sooner.
Make sure you state your “WHY” in the positive.For example, “I want to have robust health” because “I just LOVE the feeling of it”, instead of “I am afraid of getting cancer like my Dad did”.Going FOR something is always more enjoyable and empowering than running AWAY from something – so make your choice!
Lastly, share your goals and your action plan with supportive people or a coach who can inspire you and support you in your efforts. Don’t keep it all to yourself.
I promise you if you do all this achieving your wellness goals is going to be EASY and ENJOYABLE!
