Start to "Train" Your Attitude

Lifestyle change: Attitude.

The first thing to work on in a lifestyle change is your attitude and basic outlook. This includes a vocabulary change and possibly a change in the way you look at yourself.

First off realize that all of the propaganda and inspirational quotes you have heard were all right, this is a journey. This will take time. Anyone you see that is in great physical shape spent weeks, months, or years developing that. In this fast food world of I want it right now, the best things are truly worth the wait, this is no different. Patience and hard work will payoff. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Lao-tzu.

I think the best change in vocabulary is getting rid of the word "can't." I can't run, I can't lift weights, I can't find the time, I can't get up early, I can't, I can't, I can't. You can. You choose not to. That might be hard for some people to accept. It forces you to realize that hiding won't always work. Anyone CAN run, they just don't. If you "can't" run a 5K, train for it and you can. Someone "can't" get up in the mornings to workout. They make it important and change their lifestyle so they do get up and do what's important. When you get rid of the "can't" and change it to, I want to. I will. Next it becomes: I can. That's very powerful.

One of the biggest changes you can make is being completely honest to yourself and stop rationalizing when you don't do things. I was going to workout but I had other things to do. True, but you made those other things more important than working out. In a Forbes study from several years ago they found one common thing among the biggest CEO's in the country. It didn't matter what industry they were in, didn't matter if they were born with money or started out living in a trailer park. They were all able to say when they were afraid. Very simple sounding but most people rationalize. They are afraid to go to the gym because people will look at them so they say, "I don't have time" or "gyms are impersonal" or "gyms are for stupid muscle heads." People are afraid to try because they don't know how. They are afraid to ask because people might make fun of them or think they are stupid. But admitting that fear and getting past it will propel you. Once you overcome a fear, you realize that you do have the power to do things. That fears don't have to hold you back.

A great attitude to develop is that you are working on things. Stop feeling bad that you don't lift as much or run as fast as someone else. Your progress should be tracked against yourself and that's where you want to see improvement. At some point down the line if you do want to race you can. Test yourself then. For now, do more than you are doing today. Then more the next time. Keep building. Don't put yourself down. If you miss a workout make it up. Or do the next one extra hard. Let the gains that you do make motivate you. Don't look at what you aren't doing yet, look at what you have done.

As silly as you might think some of this seems, when you do it, you'll feel it inside. Each little step is a building block in the new you. You'll gain confidence and start to believe in yourself. And we will believe in you too. If you want it, really want it and are willing to do it, I will believe in you. You've got one person on your side.

Now, go get out and get some!

*the picture is from the story The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

What's your lifestyle? Be like Robert Frost.

A lifestyle is defined by Webster's Dictionary as the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group. We all have different lifestyles for different reasons and many times our lifestyles cause us to cross paths with others. I find that over the last few years I have met many other people who are deemed crazy by their co-workers, friends and family for their lifestyle. This lifestyle I have adopted, many things I've done to set the example for my son, coincides with their lifestyles. This internal need to see how far we can go. Striving to be better in mind, body and spirit. Over the next couple weeks we will explore different parts of making changes to have the lifestyle you want.

Surround yourself with good people and teach the kids the right path.

There are many different aspects to someones lifestyle. There is a theory out there, and I do not know who to give the credit to for deriving this theory, that you are the sum of the 5 closest people to you. What do the five closet people you know do? Do they exercise? Do they eat right? Do they get out and get some? Do they set their schedule by what is on TV?  Do they believe eating out is the best form of social interaction? Do they give to charity? Do they strive to be the best at their job? How do you feel about these things?

Are you where you want to be in your lifestyle? Are there things you could add, get rid of, or change?

Some of us choose to eat different foods and regular food that is prepared a different way. We sometimes, through our adventurous spirit, find that these healthy foods actually do taste good. A bonus many people miss out on. Some of us run, some do Crossfit, some play tennis, basketball, or train for their family olympics. Some of us volunteer time and others work to pay the bills.

Perhaps you should write down aspects that are important to you. Look at the list. Take the time to understand what you truly want to be and how to be that person. Change your current lifestyle to match what you want it to be. Or maybe you are just reaffirming that you are on the right path. For many of us, our path is different from the rest of society. Embrace it, feed off of it, try to lead others down the path to a healthy lifestyle.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. -Robert Frost

I'll bet Robert Frost got out and got some, you should too.