First of all, allow me to welcome you to 2009. It’s time for a fresh start for many people. It always amazes me how much motivational power there is in the concept of a fresh start in January. I’d urge you to capture that power and use it throughout the year. You don’t need to see the year digit flip over to start taking control of your life and living healthier. Just make a decision, set a goal, and start working on it.
The holidays are over and the excuses are drying up. So you start exercising and eating better… but how long will it last? The answer is simple. It will last as long as you decide it will last.
Write down the reasons why you’re making changes now. Post them somewhere obvious so if you falter, you will be reminded of why you took these steps to better your health in the first place.
If you miss a step along the way, so what? We all do. Just pick up and start again from wherever you are at that moment. Do not wait for another calendar event to begin again. No more excuses… just go do it.
Now I want to take a minute to briefly discuss the economy. I know for many of you the current economic turmoil, including our plummeting stock market and daily layoffs in the thousands are causing a great deal of stress in your life.
This stress is dangerous to your health. Of course I can’t tell you to simply not worry about it, because that’s not going to do any good at all. What you need is an outlet for your daily stress… no, it’s not cookies and vodka.
You build up stress throughout your day, so I suggest you find an exercise program to alleviate some of that stress. But more than that, you need an activity to channel your frustration and aggression into. I know a lot of people that like kickboxing programs for this reason, but most any sporting event will work.
I’ve been a martial arts instructor for over two decades, and I do have one important piece of advice if you choose kickboxing as an exercise program. Make sure you join a program that only strikes pads or heavy bags. Never engage in any program that advises you to punch or kick at the air with significant force. You can severely harm your joints if you do this in an uncontrolled manner.
The important thing is that you don’t let stress distract you. Keep your exercise schedule on track, and you will be more productive in your job, despite the economy. If you lost your job you need to work each day on your next career, but take some time to exercise. It will make the process much easier.
Now I’m going to do tiny bit of shameless cross self-promotion… You know me as fitness coach, but I’m also a business coach and consultant. If you own a business and are struggling, I have some resources that can help you.
The first is for fitness professionals. It’s called the Fitness Survival Guide. It’s a guide to surviving recession in the fitness services industry. It will give you 25 things you can do to survive the current economy.
No matter what industry you’re in, I suggest you get a business coach to help improve your business. Go to my business coaching page to discover the business growth resources I have to offer.
