We often hear about performance being 95% mental and the rest physical. Many of the most talented enhance their good work ethic with the humility to seek coaching and mentoring for self-improvement in their craft. There is even benefit in failing during practice to learn from it, to perfect your craft. You may find it strange that my postings on a health blog talk little about physical health and more about the health of the inner you, the guy you talk to every day, the guy with whom you share your most intimate secrets. Well, there is a reason for this. I chose to get as close as possible to the headwaters of what makes us function as humans. Despite our genetic gifts and abilities, our personal attitude and outlook on life, however they came about, drive the major decisions about our health and prosperity. “Genetics loads the gun, but lifestyle pulls the trigger.” Lifestyle is a function of those decisions we make about what’s important to us and what we are willing to fight for or just let happen to us. Those decisions are a function of our beliefs and attitudes. A lot of these dwell within us, fueled by our past experiences, current circumstances and our beliefs regarding what life can give us.
If our current circumstances and conditions are not what we want, we can change them. We must be willing to forgive the past and let it go. We can set up a new path by making daily small changes in the direction we need for our success. Procrastination is the thief of time. Attitude is either his accomplice or his vanquisher. Unless we alter our attitude, we are unable to make consistent changes or we soon undo the very changes we make. Negative attitudes from our past will always tell us “No, you can’t.” Changing that attitude is crucial to vanquishing procrastination and low self-confidence. We have already talked about developing a reading habit for self-improvement. We also need to list, in writing, opportunities for improvement. Make another list of strengths and positive attributes. Decide on areas where you will make consistent steps toward the positives you want. These should be small steps, not big often-overwhelming steps you can’t do consistently. Do them every day, not every other day or when convenient. It won’t be perfect in the beginning, but progress never is. However, if you review your progress weekly and correct your course, it will give you a better result.
Meanwhile, use your strengths to help bridge the gaps in your areas of opportunity for improvement. Set goals and dates to achieve them. I like using a calendar or journal to track progress. Then comes the fun part! Make a collage of what your goal will mean to you. If it’s weight loss or not smoking, what would that look like for you? Different clothes, running the hiking trails, happier relationships, healthier life? Lastly, spend about 10 minutes before bed and a few minutes before starting your day for quiet mental rehearsal of your life with these changes manifest, filled with the joy and excitement of living the goal! Write out a brief affirmation that encapsulates your project or the personal change you are working on. Add it to your mental rehearsal and return to it any time during the day when you feel discouraged or frustrated with your progress. Empower it with positive emotion. Keep it short and to the point with a “feel good” emotion. Inhale as you envision and recite the affirmation swelling your heart and mind with the positive emotion, then exhale slowly, savoring the feeling. This is a very powerful trigger for consciousness to keep doing the work of change independent of circumstances. Remember. In your consciousness, this exercise is happening in the laboratory of manifestation. Here, we harness the forces of creation and belief together to change attitude and outcome in our life. You will be tested anytime you attempt these types of changes. Your Ego has been comfortable with the way things are and does not want you to rock the boat, no matter how healthy it is for you when it comes to attitude and belief. Those are your headwaters of being who you are. Changing the flow means risking failure or disappointment. “Better to stay in the comfort and safety of life as you know it.” Not!
When you change, you will develop new baselines and comfort zones and they will be very much you. The old you? Well, that was then and this is now. Don’t get angry with yourself when you experience fear and resistance to change. It just means you are on the right track so push a little harder toward your goal. Envision and breathe. Smile!
