The time is now — it seems a simple enough phrase. All too often, I hear people living in the past or in the future. So much of our lives are uncertain. We’re born with the power to manifest greatness, yet somewhere along the way, we get sidetracked. Why do some people succeed, while others futilely see success slip past them? As a fitness and wellness expert for over a quarter of a century, I have helped many men and women realize their wellness goals. That’s not to say I haven’t had my share of clients that try as I might and sweat as they should, failed to realize or maintain their wellness goals. The difference between success and failure is often so slight, yet seemingly so unattainable.
Before one embarks on a fitness/wellness regime, you need a plan of action. You need the following:
• A set of realistic goals
• A timeline
• A fitness and nutrition program that will suit your lifestyle
• Motivation and behavior modification
The first three points are quite obvious and on the surface, easy to identify. The last step, motivation and behavior modification are often difficult to harness and overcome. Failure to recognize and implement all four steps above will sabotage the surest wellness plan. There’s a kind of symbiosis between motivation and behavior – when both are in sync, they make “beautiful music” together. However, behavioral aspects of your personality are often mired in the past — self-doubt, self-loathing, self-worth. “I can’t work out,” “It’s too difficult to eat healthy food,” “I’ll never look like ______? Turn the negative into positive affirmations: “I will try my best to move my body every day,” “I will be mindful of the things I eat and drink,” and “I will strive to love my best self.”
Many people live most of their lives as if they were robots, going through the motions at work and in their relationships. They feel little inner passion. It’s not that the passion isn’t there; they are just not tapping it. If only they tapped their passion, their lives would become so much more fulfilling.
People often fear passion. It is misunderstood and sometimes applied in the wrong way toward the wrong things. But the clearer your path and the stronger your passion, the greater your chances of success.
Inner passion makes life much more clear, easy and meaningful. When you live your passion, everything falls into place, and it opens up energy for you to pursue your wellness goals of eating healthy and exercising. We all have to find our passion, strive for the best and most importantly, live a fulfilled life that exudes goodness and spirituality. We are all born with amazing possibilities and potential.
I have suffered through a lot of adversity in my life. Once I realized the precious nature of time, I also decided that my life was too short to waste on negativity. True, every once in a while I have a bad day and feel down because of it. But rarely do I ever allow myself to stay down for long. It’s a waste of time, and I’m in better health because of it. I am also blessed with the two most amazing daughters — my little angels — and just a smile and hug from Emilia and Francesca is enough to lift me out of the darkest place.
Negative emotions — anger, jealousy, depression, frustration, worry, anxiety, you name it — all drain your energy, and they all put you at a higher risk for disease. Some things are worth feeling sad about, but many are not. You need to find a way to get your inner peace in order.
So how do you change your emotions? By slowing down, noticing them and taking corrective action. The Chinese have a phrase, pu shih, which means you accept what comes in life, whether you perceive it to be positive or negative. You create negative emotions when you fight this acceptance. Once you embrace this philosophy, as I have, you will see that anything is possible. All you need to do when you meet a barrier — any barrier — is examine it, break it down, and deal with it one step at a time.
(This post taken from David’s blog at huffingtonpost.com)