H3 Daily

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Degrees of 'On'

I’m sitting in my office today, having missed my morning jog.  I’m running a little low in the sleep department today – my daughter has not slept through the night for the past 3 nights, not to mention the nausea and restlessness I am experiencing - symptoms of the first trimester, being pregnant with baby #2.  As I was scolding myself in my mind for not getting up and doing it anyway, I was reminded by Bob Wright’s phrase about the degrees of on…

Life has its way of hitting us, whether planned or unexpected, with hills and valleys to make our journey more interesting.  Whether it’s pregnancy, a new client/task at work, illness, or otherwise - there are always things that may cause our plans or intentions to change.  When these things happen, it is crucial that we stay in the positive.  As I reflected on the negative self-talk I was giving myself, I realized that in no way was it motivating me to go for a walk this evening, let alone get up for my run tomorrow morning.  Resilience is the key to success in any long-term goal you face, and keeping a positive attitude is crucial to that resilience. 

Below are some tools I’ve used to help me stay positive when I initially try to turn on myself:

-       I remind myself what I have done, as opposed to what I haven’t.  Sometimes I have to look back further than other times to find something I’m proud to have accomplished, but I keep looking back until I get the result I’m looking for.  For example, some days it is enough for me to remember that I have gotten up for my run twice earlier in the week.  Other days, I have to go back to the first ½ marathon I ran to feel that same sense of success.  

-       Set an achievable goal – something I feel at least 70% confident I can accomplish, which gives me a new focus.  It doesn’t matter how small the task it – what’s crucial is that you set yourself up for success so you can build on it.

-       Acknowledge that today is only one day – and that one day does not summarize who I am as a person, what my health is, or what my success is. 

What are some things you do to help you keep a positive attitude?

[caption id="attachment_3452" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="My Exercise Buddy makes it hard to miss a workout!"]My Exercise Buddy makes it hard to miss a workout![/caption]

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