Currently I’m in the process of reading a few different books, the well-known book by Napoleon Hill, “Think and Grow Rich,” the latest and greatest in the yoga world, Baron Baptiste’s, “40 Days to Personal Transformation,” as well as “Buddha’s Brain- the practical neuroscience of happiness, love and wisdom,” by Richard Hanson, PH. D. and Richard Mendius, MD, and “SPARK- the Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain,” by John J. Ratey, MD. It’s probably clear what the common thread is with all of these books… the brain and its connection to exercise and transformation.
The first step in any kind of program, or any life change, is getting your thoughts in order. Knowing where you want to go and what your objectives are, fully believing that you can do it and that you can achieve your goals. Then, there is the evidence that to keep your mind healthy, you need to exercise and maintain physical activity. Keep your body healthy to keep your mind healthy. Keep your mind healthy to keep your body healthy. It seems that it is a continuum, a circle that can bring you closer and closer to your aspirations. However, transformation is always about the process, the journey, with multiple destinations. So, how do you get your mind in line with your ambitions? What do you do if in the back of your mind, you don’t have faith in yourself, or don’t feel motivated?
Here are some tips to get your thoughts aligned with what you really want:
• Identify your reason for wanting to make the change. If you really don’t have the desire to change, it will be very difficult to find the motivation to hit your target. Do you want to look better more than you want to eat Doritos? Do you want to have more energy to be able to be there for your family more than you want to sit on the couch for six hours? Do you want to live a quality life more than you want to take that next puff?
• Make priorities and make time to do the necessary things. I tend to be a procrastinator on things that I don’t really want to do or that are not important to me (like unpacking, transferring things from an old purse to a new one, putting clothes away), so I need to make the important things a priority (work, time at home, exercise, writing) and then set aside times to get the less important or less fun tasks, such as unpacking for 30 minutes.
• Really take the time to envision your ideal life. Meditation, prayer, guided imagery, all can help you visualize what you want to achieve. Creating things like vision boards and even written lists of what you want to accomplish, that you look at on a regular basis, can help you get your mind focused.
• Get support. Whether it is a family member, a friend, or a personal trainer or wellness coach, find someone to be accountable to, as well as someone that can be supportive and encouraging. If your family or friends seem like they aren’t ready to accept the changes that you want to make, you may want to find other support systems. Things like your employer’s Employee Assistant Program, or counseling services, or even online support that is offered by many insurance companies can be a resource to you. If you are struggling with issues such as anxiety, depression or addiction to alcohol, drugs, food or anything else, seek out help to work through the barriers that you are facing so that you can move past them and get where you want to be.
Liz Jones is a wellness professional in Rockwall, Mesquite, Wylie and surrounding areas. She is a writer, certified yoga instructor, personal trainer and wellness coach. She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and Strategic Management, with a graduate certificate in Ethics and Leadership. Her undergraduate studies included communication, business, writing, art, fitness, and dance. Liz Jones can be reached at: [email protected].