All of us have things that we know we are supposed to do, but that we somehow neglect to do. Drinking enough water, getting enough exercise and sleep, or eating healthily. We learn about things like this from a class, a friend or a good book. And it is as if we fall in love. We start doing exercise or meditating and we love it and the way that it makes us feel.
This lasts for some time and then slowly the initial thrill wears off. We still know that this thing is good for us and that we should do it. We even feel good when we do get around to it. But by and large the fervor is gone. And it seems to become a constant battle to not neglect doing it.
In many cases we just give up, but the guilt and knowledge of what we should be doing never goes away. So what to do if you don't want to play the guilt and shame game? Here are some of the remedies that I have experimented with.
Confess!
I have often been re inspired by simply talking my slackness through with someone else. Someone that you respect works best. But a good friend with similar interests will also work. I sometimes just get too wrapped up in my own problems and dramas. Simply 'putting it out there' is often enough to burn off the smog.
Just do a little
Cyclist Greg Lemond used to tell himself that he would just train for 20 minutes and would give himself permission to turn around if after that time he still did not feel like training. Invariably after 20 minutes he would be having fun and complete a full training session.
I have had some success with the same approach with writing, meditation and healthy eating (tell yourself that you will have some of the healthy stuff first). With a bit of luck you discover that the hardest part is to get yourself to start.
Remind yourself why
Many times we simply forget why we embarked on this discipline in the first place. Take some quiet time and ask yourself why you started running or reading good books in the first place. Chances are that you will remember that you really love it or that it makes you the kind of person you want to be.
In Haruki Murakami's "What I talk about when I talk about running" he writes beautifully about how daily running is woven into his life and career. If you can rediscover your personal connection with a discipline, chances are that you will stick to it.
I will post some more tips over the next few weeks. But in the meantime, tell us what else has worked for you?
1.6.09
How to stick to your plans Part 1
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 What do you think:
Thanks for the post. I have recently made some good changes in my life. I am exercising, eating better, working on relieving anxiety, meditating some. I like the results. The weakest link for me is the exercise so I have strengthened that link by having a set time every week day and I meet a friend for a class. We keep each other going. When I'm done, I feel so much better.
For me, I keep looking at the reson why I am making these changes. I want to live more fully alive. I want to grow older but stay active. I don't want to end up like my mother in law and sit in a chair all day waiting to die. Next year for my birthday, I am going to sky dive. I can't wait!
Post a Comment