As anyone who regularly goes to the gym -- like me except for the "going to the gym" part-- can tell you, there's a bunch of Resolutionaries (that's a real term, by the way) taking up all the machines in their Under Armour outfits that are so new that the tags are still on them. Happens every January 1, but it usually dies down after a few weeks once people realize that there's a lot more to it than paying $50 for a neon tank top with dry wick technology. There's a lot of work to it, and playing the part by wearing the clothes and paying the fees is the first step, not the only one.
If you're going to go, then that's awesome, and I'm not downplaying that. It's a hell of a lot better than other people do, and EVERYONE could benefit from it. Your doctor, if you even go to your doctor, will tell you to exercise and there may be a pretty strong medical reason to do so. That doesn't mean that you actually will follow through after nodding your head and then changing the subject. Wanting to improve is the same thing. Everyone could use it, many have very good reasons to but haven't gotten started, and some take the first step and get discouraged when it's not immediate. You're well on your way to being ripped but all you think that you see is that you're fat. Good news: You're wrong.
If you're going to go, then that's awesome, and I'm not downplaying that. It's a hell of a lot better than other people do, and EVERYONE could benefit from it. Your doctor, if you even go to your doctor, will tell you to exercise and there may be a pretty strong medical reason to do so. That doesn't mean that you actually will follow through after nodding your head and then changing the subject. Wanting to improve is the same thing. Everyone could use it, many have very good reasons to but haven't gotten started, and some take the first step and get discouraged when it's not immediate. You're well on your way to being ripped but all you think that you see is that you're fat. Good news: You're wrong.
A lot of people want to make changes and this time of year is a popular time to begin (though whatever time you want to start is the best time to start, no excuse if you don't start now!). What shoots people in the foot, though, is that they enter this process like they are going to a gym for the first time: All pumped and excited to do it, and then when you get there, you see all these machines and get intimidated because you don't know what the hell to do. It can be overwhelming, but everyone who's ever done this, and there's a lot of people who have!, had the same feeling. Nobody knows how to get started, but that doesn't mean that you can't do it. At one point LeBron hadn't picked up a basketball, either. Turned out pretty well for him (in Miami anyway, we'll see in Cleveland).
The very first thing that you need to do is write out everything that sucks about you. Just kidding!. . . sort of. I want you to write down all of the things that you want to change in terms of things that you do. This means habits, hygiene, school, work, food, relationships, everything. The longer the list the better. If your list is two items long, then you're not being honest with yourself. We all have a lot that we can change. If you don't, and you're unhappy with how things are, then you're REALLY in a bad place. Be brutally honest, and break it down. Example:
Work
See how I wrote those things in the proactive form? I didn't write, "Stop waking up late", because that doesn't mean anything and isn't something to aim towards. If someone asked you how to get to the beach from Philly, you wouldn't say, "Don't go to Nebraska", same thing here. I wrote what I want the end result to be. It's like a list of goals for the year that you see everywhere else, minus the unicorns and butterflies and sugarcoating (especially if your goal is to cut back on sweets, horses with one horn, and adult caterpillars).
Once you make the list of things you want, make a list of tasks to do. How are you going to wake up on time? Set the alarm and glue thumbtacks to your snooze button so that you don't have that as an excuse (do not actually do that). Actually lay your clothes out (remember, it's a new year, so "passes the sniff test" doesn't equal "clean). Eat breakfast, and I don't care what anyone says, I learned in college that pizza can be a breakfast food, and I'm sticking to that. But since I'm trying to be healthy, I'll make sure it has peppers on it or something.
As you do these things, check or cross them off your list. Don't scribble them out, because you want to be able to read them later. And because you're not a five-year-old (they can't have pizza for breakfast).
Finally, make a list of accomplishments (no, I'm not sponsored by Lists 'R Us). This one isn't going to be just every day routine stuff, or else your list will look like this:
That's just lazy. I mean, still breathe, but you don't want to be that silly about it (everyone knows you have to inhale before you exhale). The accomplishments should be things that are unique to that day or something that you wish that you would have done last year, like turning that report in on time, getting homework done early, eating a salad instead of a can of spam, and so on.
Stuck? Ask others what accomplishments/changes they've seen. You'd be surprised as to how people may notice things that you didn't even see. You'll look less stressed, less tired, and more confident. They'll also notice that you are parking in their spot that you didn't know was their spot because you're only now making it to work on time so that you have a place to park that doesn't involve bribing a meter maid. Bonus, you save money on meter maid bribes. See how it snowballs? You may not see the results right away if you don't actively look for them, but when you see all of those lists of goals achieved, tasks completed, and accomplishments, um, accomplished, you'll see that you're actually doing well. This will keep you going and be an upward spiral.
Remember, habits don't discriminate between negative and positive; they're just habits. Smoking, treating your significant other like an insignificant other, and being a mess that you don't want to clean up are bad habits. Going to work on time, treating your significant other well, and improving yourself are good habits, and they develop just as easily.
So now you're on your way to truly meeting your New Year's resolution of making your life better. You're at the gym and not just standing there dumbfounded. You've actually worked out and realized that it's called "sweating", not "crying from your skin", that exercise feels good, and that showering in a public place can be legal. From time to time you may hit a ceiling (with growth, not the medicine ball because you'll have to pay for that) and could use some help from a personal trainer.
Talking with someone is a lot like that. Everyone could benefit from it, many have very good reasons to go, but you would be one of the ones who actually DOES it. You're reading the blog, which is great, now really think about taking the next step. Talking with someone makes all aspects of your life better, and while you can't shower here, you can figure out what your plan is and actually have someone help you execute and stick with it. There are two types of people: Those who are in therapy and those who could REALLY use it.
I know that you want to make changes. I know that you're motivated. Now let's just get started on making your life better by talking with someone, not just talking about making your life better. No overpriced workout clothes required. After all, nobody said that it would be easy, but nobody said that you had to do it alone.
The very first thing that you need to do is write out everything that sucks about you. Just kidding!. . . sort of. I want you to write down all of the things that you want to change in terms of things that you do. This means habits, hygiene, school, work, food, relationships, everything. The longer the list the better. If your list is two items long, then you're not being honest with yourself. We all have a lot that we can change. If you don't, and you're unhappy with how things are, then you're REALLY in a bad place. Be brutally honest, and break it down. Example:
Work
- Waking up on time
- Having my clothes picked out
- Eating breakfast
- Leaving on time
- Arriving on time
- Organizing my desk
- Writing my name on my lunch so that ass Jimmy stops stealing it
See how I wrote those things in the proactive form? I didn't write, "Stop waking up late", because that doesn't mean anything and isn't something to aim towards. If someone asked you how to get to the beach from Philly, you wouldn't say, "Don't go to Nebraska", same thing here. I wrote what I want the end result to be. It's like a list of goals for the year that you see everywhere else, minus the unicorns and butterflies and sugarcoating (especially if your goal is to cut back on sweets, horses with one horn, and adult caterpillars).
Once you make the list of things you want, make a list of tasks to do. How are you going to wake up on time? Set the alarm and glue thumbtacks to your snooze button so that you don't have that as an excuse (do not actually do that). Actually lay your clothes out (remember, it's a new year, so "passes the sniff test" doesn't equal "clean). Eat breakfast, and I don't care what anyone says, I learned in college that pizza can be a breakfast food, and I'm sticking to that. But since I'm trying to be healthy, I'll make sure it has peppers on it or something.
As you do these things, check or cross them off your list. Don't scribble them out, because you want to be able to read them later. And because you're not a five-year-old (they can't have pizza for breakfast).
Finally, make a list of accomplishments (no, I'm not sponsored by Lists 'R Us). This one isn't going to be just every day routine stuff, or else your list will look like this:
- Exhale
- Inhale
- Exhale
- Inhale
- Start list from top
That's just lazy. I mean, still breathe, but you don't want to be that silly about it (everyone knows you have to inhale before you exhale). The accomplishments should be things that are unique to that day or something that you wish that you would have done last year, like turning that report in on time, getting homework done early, eating a salad instead of a can of spam, and so on.
Stuck? Ask others what accomplishments/changes they've seen. You'd be surprised as to how people may notice things that you didn't even see. You'll look less stressed, less tired, and more confident. They'll also notice that you are parking in their spot that you didn't know was their spot because you're only now making it to work on time so that you have a place to park that doesn't involve bribing a meter maid. Bonus, you save money on meter maid bribes. See how it snowballs? You may not see the results right away if you don't actively look for them, but when you see all of those lists of goals achieved, tasks completed, and accomplishments, um, accomplished, you'll see that you're actually doing well. This will keep you going and be an upward spiral.
Remember, habits don't discriminate between negative and positive; they're just habits. Smoking, treating your significant other like an insignificant other, and being a mess that you don't want to clean up are bad habits. Going to work on time, treating your significant other well, and improving yourself are good habits, and they develop just as easily.
So now you're on your way to truly meeting your New Year's resolution of making your life better. You're at the gym and not just standing there dumbfounded. You've actually worked out and realized that it's called "sweating", not "crying from your skin", that exercise feels good, and that showering in a public place can be legal. From time to time you may hit a ceiling (with growth, not the medicine ball because you'll have to pay for that) and could use some help from a personal trainer.
Talking with someone is a lot like that. Everyone could benefit from it, many have very good reasons to go, but you would be one of the ones who actually DOES it. You're reading the blog, which is great, now really think about taking the next step. Talking with someone makes all aspects of your life better, and while you can't shower here, you can figure out what your plan is and actually have someone help you execute and stick with it. There are two types of people: Those who are in therapy and those who could REALLY use it.
I know that you want to make changes. I know that you're motivated. Now let's just get started on making your life better by talking with someone, not just talking about making your life better. No overpriced workout clothes required. After all, nobody said that it would be easy, but nobody said that you had to do it alone.
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