You can't change what you don't acknowledge . . . .

Are you getting real with yourself about your life and everybody in it? Are you being truthful about what isn't working? It's time to stop making excuses and start making results. If you are unwilling to acknowledge a thought, circumstance, problem, condition, behavior, or emotion--if you won't take ownership of your role in a situation--then you cannot and will not change it. If you refuse to acknowledge your own self-destructive behaviors, not only will they continue, they will actually gain momentum, become more deeply entrenched in a habitual pattern of your life, and grow more and more resistant to change. 

If you hope to have a winning life strategy, you have to be honest about where your life is right now. Find the strength and courage to ask yourself the hard questions, and to give yourself realistic answers. You cannot afford the luxury of defensiveness, and you cannot afford the luxury of lies and denial. Denial, after all, is what kills dreams. It kills hope. It kills what might have been a real chance to overcome a problem had the solution just been pursued in time. If you are unwilling to recognize a problem, you won't take the necessary action needed to correct it. Period. 

What isn't working in your life?.....your attitude, career, ongoing anger, fear, your weight-----whatever it is-----if it's not working, acknowledge it, then change it. 

From the book

Life Strategies


"Face it so you can replace it."

Are you always running late? . . . .

You know you need to be somewhere in an hour, but you always end up losing track of time, often because you think you can squeeze in one more thing before you leave. It never fails. It took you longer than you thought it would, traffic's bad, and now you're late. Aaargh! It's such a common stressor! 

It is always my intention to be on time; early as a matter of fact, but it doesn't always work out that way. It helps when I put myself in the shoes of the person I'm meeting. I imagine how they feel, sitting there waiting for me. I know their time is just as important as mine, so I don't want to seem disrespectful. Not to mention that it may look as if you're completely unorganized. If you're habitually late, it can even make you look selfish, and can begin to damage your relationships. Now, with the luxury of texting, do we feel like we're off the hook if we can send a quick note saying we're on our way? It's true that it can relieve a little bit of anxiousness, but for me, I can still feel my heart rate begin to rise when I can't be there on time.

We live in a busy society....that's no secret, but I'm thinking we're just overbooked! Instead of scheduling 10 things a day.....try 8. Remind yourself of the reality of just how much you can truly get done.......productively. Allow more "in-between" space when scheduling your day. Assume everything will take longer than planned, because most likely, it will. Give it a try. You may even be early for a change! You'll be able to catch your breath, and that's always an awesome feeling!

"How did it get so late so soon?"

-Dr. Seuss

What is it about New Year's resolutions that cause people to discard them so quickly? Is it because they feel it's just another promise they make to themselves that they know will be broken by the time March rolls around? It's so self-defeating to think of them that way! I came across a quote recently that said, "A New Year's resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other." Oh my goodness, that is SO true for SO many. I've already noticed that the gym isn't quite as busy as it was on January 2nd! But it doesn't have to be that way! I have a sign that I keep in my sight that says, "Do something today that your future self will thank you for." I love that! That is such a huge motivator for me because I KNOW that "that future" will be here before I know it! You have to at least BEGIN to do something differently if you want change in your life. How can your life be better a year from now if you don't even get started? Doing nothing is the easy route. Do you come home tired every night and end up on the sofa? Don't do that! Starting today, don't do that! As someone who exercises a minimum of 5 days a week, I too am often tired when I begin my workout, but I promise, it doesn't take long before I am feeling so much better, completely energized, and mentally stimulated. Require more of yourself! This much I know.......nobody's going to do it for you. Be accountable for the decisions you make every day. Dr. Phil McGraw says....."Starting now, begin each and every day of your life with the question: 'What can I do today to make my life better?' Ask it, answer it, and then do it, every day."

If you continue to do what you've always done,

you will continue to have what you've always had.

If you do different,

you will have different.

Happy Friday!

Have an awesome weekend! 

Are you sabotaging your own goals? . . . .

What are your habits saying about you? We all have good intentions when it comes to our goals, but how many times do we sabotage those goals with our own bad habits? We know what we want, right? We're anxious to change, but the truth is.....we are what we repeatedly do! So if we're repeating bad habits, those habits prevent us from succeeding. You have the power to enhance your life by letting go of repetitious habits that prevent you from moving forward. . . the ones that put us in a holding pattern, and prevent us from experiencing positive change. It takes will power and discipline to develop new habits. Once you discover what it is that you want in your life, look also for someone who lives that life, and emulate their habits. Use your will power to create those new habits. It's not easy at first, but the best way to break an old habit is to replace it with a new one. If you can do it consistently, you'll be on your way to living that life! Never lose site of your goals. You deserve to reach them just as much as the next person, but it's up to you! Step into a life of smarter, healthier choices, and become a perfect example of the person you wish to be! 

"First we make our habits,

then our habits make us."

- Charles C. Noble