Build Your Intention and Find Success

Have you ever been near someone and was amazed at their positive winning attitude about life? I bet you sat there thinking, Wow!  If only I had a thimble full of their energy.” Then, as time carried you on with this person, you probably started feeling inadequate about your own accomplishments and dismissed this person as annoying and over the top.

Is your intention and commitment not strong enough to prioritize your health both emotional and physically.  “Perfect health is above gold; a sound body before riches.”

 –Solomon

 

We need to understand that change has different stages and the first thing you need to do is find out why you won’t, or can’t, change to a healthy lifestyle. Is it because you need more information on the pros to making the change? Is it because you need more information to overcome your cons? Maybe you don’t think you have a problem that needs to change! Possibly you are just overwhelmed and feel like making change isn’t even an achievable task.

Well, the first step is to start doing some thinking. Yes, there is a thinking part to changing a lifestyle. You need to get in touch with and connect with your intrinsic motivator. Finding this intrinsic motivator will help you shift your ambivalence to commitment.

Take some time to think about how an exercise program or eating mindful meals will help you or hurt you in a sense of taking up your time, money and the obstacles in your path.  Make a list of pros and cons that might help you sort through your thinking and help you determine when to make the change if it is not right now! Sign up for Mind/ Body: Balance’s newsletter “Balancing Act” at www.mindbodybalance.com so that you can obtain information about a healthy lifestyle while you go through this process. Then, when something speaks to you, dig deeper.

Be an observer of those around you. Do you know someone who has declared (out loud) their success in adapting a healthy lifestyle? Observe how they do it, their determination, confidence, their ability to succeed and most importantly their attitude toward this healthy lifestyle! Now, don’t run right out and try to do their routine and think you can maintain it. They’ve been practicing this behavior for some time. Start small and build on that step by putting one step in front of the other.  Before you know it, you will have built a strong foundation on which to build your healthy lifestyle. Set yourself up for success! For example, start with just a 10 minute walk after lunch, then start doing a 10 minute walk after lunch and dinner, then start doing a 10 minute walk after every meal. Build consistence with these steps before moving on.

Visualize yourself being successful at each step before you actually set out to do it. Don’t focus on your fear of failure. Fear = False Evidence Appearing Real.  Chellie Campbell said “ Confidence sells –Fear Repels.” You are a winner, You will win and win big when you tackle your health and you deserve to have quality of health. Remember the three Rs: Respect yourself, Respect others, Responsible Living Today, tomorrow and always!

“Nothing transforms a person faster than changing from a negative to a positive attitude.” –Paul C. Bragg.  You have the ability to alter your life by choosing to change your attitude!

Change Your Attitude to a Winning Attitude!

“Sad facts: many people go throughout life, committing partial suicide –destroying their health, skin, heart, youth, beauty, talents, energies and creative qualities. Indeed, to learn how to be good to oneself is often more difficult than to learn how to be good to others.”  –Paul C. Bragg

A thought conceived over and over and over again becomes belief. Our thoughts then transmit or transfer a feeling in our body. This feeling then neurologically leads to a behavior. And the behavior leads to a result. Often times we’ve learned to get rid of a feeling by replacing it with food. Or, our thought of fear is bigger than reality which then leads us to the results we feel and see in our life. 87% of what we think about is made up, so why make our thoughts negative and self-destructing. If we can choose our thoughts, why not make them positive?  Let’s just go for the big pay off! The human brain fights everyday to be right. Your brain will fight to come up with ways to be right even if it’s made up.

Say you go into your favorite restaurant and you don’t know what you want to eat.  The server is standing there patiently waiting to take your order. Are you ordering a veggie omelet, side of fruit and some whole grain toast or are you ordering bacon, hash, eggs, pancakes and juice? Are you ordering shame, guilt, low self esteem, I’m worthless? Or are you ordering healthy, pride, and honor in your choice.

There is this thing called universal law or law of attraction. What you put your energy into you will receive. If you aren’t getting exactly what you want maybe you need to look at your thoughts. Maybe you need to change what you are ordering.

When a negative self defeating limiting belief thought pops up into your mind ask yourself these questions:

• “How does this thought honor you?
• What path does this honor?
• What payoff do you get?”

For example:

“I don’t see any evidence of physical problems, so my doctor must be wrong. The way I eat is not harmful to me.” Instead we could think: “I know mindless eating is not good for my body.  Although I was uncomfortable when my doctor pointed this out, I realize the impact unhealthy eating can have over the long run and I am aware of the consequences.”

“A strong body and a bright, happy or serene countenance can only result from the fine admittance of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity into the mind.”— James Allen

Today serve up exactly what you want!

Love Your Body!

It is Valentine’s Weekend! My sweetie is in another state but it left me reflecting on love.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance”

 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

I believe this was part of our marriage ceremony on May 29, 2004. Go back and read it again and were it says “Love and It” put your name in instead. I know my heart sunk a little when I did this myself. I have some areas that I need to do some work like irritable, patient, keep no record of being wronged. Ugh, I need to work on these!

If we can’t love our own bodies how can we give love to our friends and families around us? “Love is not a matter of counting the years —it’s making the years count” –William Smith. We need to treat our body with respect feed and care for it in a respectful healthy way instead of abusing it through unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles or if I cause it pain I must be working out the right way. You can accomplish a healthy diet and an active lifestyle through non heroic efforts.

I personally believe in affirmations. I have a master affirmation of “I’m creating a beautiful day for myself. My work as a business, owner, teacher, writer, speaker, classical Pilates teacher yoga master trainer and coaching is fulfilling. I am happy healthy fit successful and prosperous. Clients are aboundate they are everywhere I turn. My corporate well being programs are sought out by many. I have a wonderful relationship with my husband that continues to grow. Everything is as it should be. I can let go.” –Kimberly Searl  

I say this affirmation multiple times a day. If there is a particular area that I’m struggling with then I make a smaller one to repeat every time that fear or negative thought creeps into my head such as “ I always have plenty of money, I can let go, I am hot and awesome, I have a wonderful relationship with my husband” you get the picture. I say these especially during movement. Look, if you are on the treadmill listing all these negative thoughts on why you won’t be successful, why you can’t lose weight etc. then guess what? You are self sabotaging your efforts and you are right… you won’t accomplish your health goals. But, if you are starting a new habit (which takes 21 straight days of doing it by the way) then you need to list an affirmation in the present tense and then, when you are faced with the fork in the road, you can go back to that present tense affirmation and say, “I can’t control the past or the future. I can control the present moment. Will I make the choice to honor my affirmation or not?”

Please know that these blogs come, not from a perfect wellness professional who had always towed the line without falter or for whom life has always been easy. I’ve had to learn life the hard way through personal trial and error. I always try to learn from mistakes and do a self evaluation. I’d like to say I get it right after the second time down the street but sometimes it takes me a little longer to get the whole picture of taking a different street all together. I’ve been a victim throughout my life, paralyzed, depressed, drugged, obese I believe in not crying victim because repeating those stories over and over just keep me in the victim mindset and brings the wrong energy into my universe. Yes, I’ve shed many tears over some of my experiences but I know that it is a test of character and that in a year or two down the road I will be stronger for it. This is what gives me the strength and ability to relate because I’ve been there. This is how I know that you have the power, strength and courage in you to tackle your health no matter the personal circumstances you are facing today.

Here are some guidelines for making your own affirmation:

Affirmations are very powerful.  They are a powerful tool. Sometimes, when we make an affirmation, it makes no sense.  An affirmation is a positive statement affirming or asserting something to manifest. Think about the “Law of Attraction.” You get what you think about.  Your thoughts determine your destiny. To write your own affirmation, begin with “I.”  Eliminate “should.”  Avoid any negativity.  Avoid hope, wish, and try.  It should evoke a strong feeling in you.

Fear of Success or Fear of Failure?

Well, as you know in late December I started this blog and then it has been left neglected for several days now. I was overwhelmed I guess with a need for a daily posting. I started struggling to find this voice inside of me. How will I inspire someone daily just through a blog?

As a fitness professional, you inspire and give of yourself all day long, everyday.  Sometimes you forget to leave some inspiration left over for yourself. Thus, I’ve been searching for spiritual inspiration for myself this year. I seem to be finding great inspiration through: Chellie Campbel author of “The Wealthy Spirit”, Dave Ramsey (I love his rants), and the Bible.   Yes, as and adult, this year I decided to take on reading the Bible for my New Year’s Resolution and I’m finding it very enriching. I’m sure as the year progresses I’ll find more people to fill my spiritual/ inspirational cup and I will share them with you.

Today something wonderful happened to me and I am feeling it. I’ve found my voice for the blog and I’m inspired to write. I love quotes and I can’t seem to ever get enough of them.

“There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality, and then there are those who turn one into the other” –Douglas Everett

This quote rang true to me today because I always feel as though my husband is the dreamer and risk taker and, well, I’m the reality girl and not a risk taker. My mother-in-law, a great wise woman, has said to me recently that my husband (her son) and I make a great team. I suppose she is right. Why? Well, since we’ve been creating Mind/ Body: Balance it is the fact that we have different strengths to add to Mind/Body: Balance’s value that turns it into a success. A success that we can share with you.

Chellie Campbell wrote “We are all graduates of MSU (I immediately thought Michigan State University??) of MAKE STUFF UP!” We create a dream of what our life should be, what we are entitled to, what paths we follow etc. It leaves me thinking and wondering What is your intention to your health and wellness this year? Are you going to MAKE STUFF UP as to why you can’t succeed at your goal, your dream, as to why you can’t make it a reality! Write down what you’d like to achieve by year’s end.

Melissa Farr, my hairstylist for some time, knew I always wanted to be in business for myself (as did my husband) and, in her stylist way, one day said “Kim your not afraid of failure, you are afraid of success”. I left thinking that she was crazy but, you know what?  Some six years later, she was right. Nelson Mandela, in his Inaugural Address said “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.” My business isn’t about me, which is why I’m putting my business and my life on a bigger scale this year so that I can reach more people and overcome my fear of success.