When it comes to persistence, just as important as keeping up with things that will bring you closer to the life of your dreams is not doing things that drain you or don't serve you. We all tend to have habits and routines that really don't help us toward our goal but we stick with them because it can be difficult to start a new routine or create new habits. But it's something that needs to be done to start making progress toward that life you really want to live.
One of the greatest examples of this is what time I used to get up for work. I've always worked extremely early hours so I would sleep until the last possible moment. It's kind of like hitting that snooze button one more time. I literally gave myself just enough time to get in the shower, grab a coffee and jump in the car. If I had to scrap the windshield or get gas...that was it, I was late. And I had a job that I had to be live on the air at a specific time so if I was late, I really was in big trouble. One day it occurred to me...what if I just set my alarm for 5 minutes earlier? How much will 5 minutes less sleep really make in my life? It added so much though. Instead of being super stressed first thing in the morning now I can relax a tad and know that I will get to work on time. This is one of the reasons I try to convince everyone to give up the snooze button. It sets you up to make difficult decisions first thing in the morning when you aren't really awake yet. Waiting until the last minute to do things often gives us so much additional stress it's not typically worth it.
Is there a side project you've been wanting to work on but you can't seem to make the time for it? Do you often turn the t-v on as soon as you get home and then get engrossed? Maybe keep the t-v off until you work on your project first. Or put your phone or tablet across the room until you have finished what you want to complete. There are so many distractions in today's world you have to be the one to minimize them. You have to prioritize what is important to you. If you don't, no one else will. Our creative juices are literally dying with all the tech and amount of instant gratification we have these days. We never have time to be bored and just be still. That is when our thoughts and ideas come to us. We need to make sure we aren't turning into zombies just watching other people's lives. We have to actively live our own lives every day.
Is there a person in your life who is draining you? Is there a friend or family member that doesn't do anything but make demands on you? Distance yourself from people like this. They will only add to your stress. You know who I'm talking about. It may be that friend you've had since high school and you just can't seem to break ties. You think about all they had done for you in the past but forget it was over 10 years ago. I'm not saying to just drop people who don't go out of their way for you. What I am saying is if they make you feel bad or expect more than you can give, then you should have less exposure to them. It's hard to pull back on a relationship, especially if it's a family member, but sometimes it is the only option to bring peace into your life. If someone is holding you responsible for their happiness, remind them and yourself, that isn't your job.
What if you are trying to ditch your terrible eating habits? You need to set yourself up for success. If you have a habit of hitting a fast food joint on the way home from work because you never have food in the house, then get some fast, easy food in the fridge. Do a little shopping and food prep so you can just pop something in the microwave, air fryer, oven or whatever when you get home. Yes, food prep is a pain in the butt but so is going up a pant size...again. I treated myself to a head of cauliflower for my salad this week because it was on sale but man....busting that thing up into pieces from being whole is a huge pain but so worth it. I love me a little cauliflower. It does seem that our favorite things take a little more work. But just like in life...it's usually worth the work. Set yourself up for success! Get rid of those nasty habits that making life more difficult.
Take a look at your regular routine. What are some things that are just not serving you any longer? There may have been a time and place for that practice but it's no longer valuable in your life. Don't keep doing something because it used to work. Take the time to retrain yourself to build new habits that will take you where you want to go in this one life you have.
It's Taco Tuesday! Tomorrow we will be talking about the danger of being complacent. We'll get into the mindset that keeps you stuck. Go on out there now and be a badass. You know I'm cheering you on!
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