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Getting Past What Holds You Back with Baby Boomer Weight Loss Expert Scott 'Q' Marcus

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Is it Really a Sacrifice – or it is Actually a Gift?

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Giving up a habit can feel like a major sacrifice.

Therefore, our inner cranky child emerges and we grumble and complain, dragging our feet, resisting what we know has to be done. Like a small child, we wail and moan, crossing our arms in a huff, stamping our feet, and resisting vehemently.

girl-having-tantrum

“I don’t wanna eat less!”
“I hate exercise! Do I hafta?”

“Do I really have to organize my house?”

What would it be like if – instead of focusing on what we have give up – we looked at it as how excited we’re going to feel once we do it?

Instead of looking at it as a sacrifice, we focus on how good we’re going to feel when we drop those few pounds, or when the house is organized, or when we can enjoy a walk on a sunny day.

The amount of work won’t change, but our attitude sure will.

And that’s definitely worth a lot.

Why Does it Matter?

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Why does what you want to do matter?

woman-being-chased-by-question-marks

This is not an idle question.

Too often, we don’t make the changes we say we want because in reality the results don’t matter enough.

Oh, sure, they’re important. Yes, we’ll appreciate them. However, since we only have so much time in a day, something has to go and that’s not an easy rearrangement.

  • If the new habit isn’t important to us on an emotional level (even if it is on a logical level), we will not move forward.
  • If there is no urgency, we will not move forward.
  • If it’s not being done for us, but rather to appease someone else or because we “should,” we will not move forward.

To bust through these barriers and get over the wall of stagnation:

  • Set a specific time-related deadline (make it realistic).
  • Write down – and review regularly – how you will feel when you do the work it will take, rather than how much work you feel you have to do.
  • Reward yourself for every small step you take. Don’t wait until the end – or you’ll never get there.

Yes, it takes work, but if you focus on the benefits of that effort – instead of the effort – you will be successful.

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Avoiding Stagnation

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Self-Acceptance Affirmation

The only way to avoid mistakes is to remain stagnant

Today, I will accept the fact that the only way for mistakes to be avoided is to remain stagnant.

Whereby that will prevent me from making errors, it will also prevent me from the possibility of enjoying my life, as well as growing. I will therefore move forward, fully aware of the fact that the unexpected can – and most likely will – happen, but that I can handle them when they do..

I am a fully functional being with the ability to handle set-backs and errors. Knowing that makes me stronger and happier.

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Observations after an Accident

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This is my 312th column, putting a period on six years.

These thoughts I share every week do not have a “mission statement” or goal per se; however, I always aspire to use the privilege of this space (and your time) to inspire, uplift, and to be supportive in whatever way I can. If I am also able to generate a laugh or two in the process, that makes it all the better. However, whatever my topic, I attempt to tie these dispatches into what I consider the “big picture;” that each of us possesses the ability to be who we wish to be. Whether we indeed want to drop a few pounds, improve our relationships, or just smile more often; the solutions lie not in our actions but in our thoughts, those sparkling connections firing day in and day out between our synapses.

Let’s take that concept a little deeper, shall we?

Our thoughts — to a large extent — are altered by our feelings. If I am angry or sad, my thoughts will be unlike when I am happy or excited. Upbeat folks are more inclined to venture down new avenues than depressed folks; who will lean toward stagnation; both of these due in large extent to underlying emotions. Therefore, it makes sense — at least to me — that the more I accentuate the positive, the more I engage in new behaviors.

Why don’t we do that more often? It’s not that difficult really.

Underneath these thoughts and their triggering feelings lie beliefs. By example, if I believe that life is painful, it’s much more difficult to modify my emotions to find the positive than if I believe life is glorious. Since we are always looking to validate our beliefs, we find “proof” of them wherever we look. One who believes life stinks will uncover countless examples as evidence. Whereby, one who loves life will find an equal number shoring up her philosophy. In effect, what you seek generates emotional responses, altering your thoughts, leading to different actions, adjusting the outcome of your life. Change your observations; change your life.

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Keep Moving

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Small steps taken regularly generate more results than large steps done periodically.

In other words, it’s better to promise to walk a block and actually do it than to promise to run a mile and sleep in.

Most of the time that we fail to accomplish our goals, it’s because we made the process too cumbersome, unrealistic, or large. Since it would involve rearranging vast portions of an-already busy life, we choose to avoid the task, remaining in place.

Pick something smaller when you’re stuck and move forward on that. Any movement is better than stagnation.

Note: Every Monday, a new motivational memo is posted. Subscribers to ThisTimeIMeanIt.com’s coaching service get this – and many more benefits – sent to them directly. If you’d like to know more, follow this link.

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Scott "Q" Marcus 707 834.4090 scottq@thistimeimeanit.com

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