Starting is always the hardest part isn’t it? It has to be a magical mix of motivation, determination and discipline. The beauty is once you get started, momentum has the chance to jump in and help you through. You just have to decide you want to start. Let me give you some advice. If it occurs to you to start something new, something healthy, something good for you then decide to start doing it right away. You are the most emotionally attached to making that change in THAT moment and that emotion is extremely powerful. It might be life changing. Don’t make the mistake of waiting for Monday or the first of the month or January 1st because in the time from now until then you may lose your motivation. In situations like this, it is best to strike while the iron is hot!

Your motivation is your WHY. When you are deciding to make a healthy change in your life, whether it be to lose weight, to exercise more or to quit smoking, you do it because you believe your life will be better for making that change. It’s emotion that drives us. I quit smoking cold turkey almost 18 years ago. My motivation was that I wanted to have a baby and I wanted to do everything in my power to ensure my baby would be healthy. I know I will never smoke again because I will never have stronger, more honorable motivation to quit than I did back 18 years ago. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I suggest keeping a journal. Write down why you are deciding to make a change. I encourage you to dig deep and explore the emotions you are feeling both positive and negative regarding the change and write them down. For example, a positive emotion connected to losing weight is you will look better in clothes while a negative emotion connected to losing weight might be missing out on the social aspects of eating like going out for drinks and appetizers with coworkers after work. Journaling throughout the process of making the healthy change will help you deal with the emotional ups and downs in a positive and productive way.

HOW determined you are is vitally important. Just as emotion will drive you to make a good change, it is also emotion that will derail you if you’re not aware. A bad day at work, a fight with your spouse or the stress of rush hour traffic can cause you to make a bad short term decision. Unhealthy food, a cigarette or sitting around and not going to the gym might seem like a wonderful idea in that moment, a reward for what you went through that day, but it could have negative long term consequences like giving up on your goal. Moments of weakness are going to happen. You need to be prepared for them because it’s what you do in these moments that counts. As I mentioned above, journaling is an excellent way to get your emotions out and explore what you are feeling and why. I have other tools I use every day to keep me on track. I use meditation to keep me calm and centered. It also helps me focus and helps me tap into my creativity. I use essential oils to support my emotional, physical and nutritional needs daily. I also practice the Emotional Freedom Technique or tapping. It’s an amazing technique you can use to break through blocks as well as quickly ease fear and anxiety. Here is the best book I have found on the subject of tapping.

Finally, it all comes down to discipline. Don’t worry if you think you do not have the discipline to make such a big change. You do! Remember your WHY! Your discipline will improve day by day as you continue to make the small right choices that get you closer to your goal! 

Believe in yourself.

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