“I’ve never seen any life transformation that didn’t begin with the person in question finally getting tired of their own bullshit.” – Elizabeth Gilbert
WARNING: You may find this post offensive and/or useless if you believe in luck, play a victim in unfortunate events, like to make excuses, believe in your limitations, or are just plain lazy.
If this doesn’t pertain to you, carry on.
In 2015 I made a promise to myself to live an extraordinary life by my standards. I knew that fulfilling that promise would mean to change some of my behavior. Average behavior, to me, meant living a dull life… which I’ve always feared.
So I decided to start changing the way I did certain things in my life. I started to refine my habits. These weren’t bad habits, but they were time wasting & I don’t like wasting time.
I initially did a self-audit. I took the time to reflect on my days and how I used my time. The first step was identifying my own role in my problems. I had to acknowledge that all the pain I’ve put myself through for years prior was largely my own doing. I had to take accountability for myself, my actions, and my life to change my story.
This was not easy. Some of us believe our negative thoughts, we become so set in our story, we begin to believe we are never the problem, but we always are. Get whatever help you need to change it, but change it. Once you are clear on what needs to be changed, the wheels of transformation start to turn.
Don’t be seduced by your limitations. They have nothing to offer you but stagnation
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Don’t let your ego con you into thinking that change is possible for other people, but not for you.
If you’ve made it this far without rolling your eyes and being stubborn, I suggest you proceed continuing with an open mind.
From Uh Oh to Ah-ha!
The moment you “decide” to change yourself is usually immediately followed by the very action you want to change.
“I want to go to the gym more often!” – and then you somehow find yourself on the couch eating potato chips again.
“Deciding” to change is very different than actually undergoing the hard process of actually changing. I suggest you start with a a self audit, so you can lay out a plan.
Audit Yourself
To do this, be very conscious of the things you do and how you do them. I would suggest journaling or asking close friends and family about how they perceive you. If you’re going to journal it out, you can start by using the:
5×5 rule
You’re not just the average of 5 people around you.
You’re the average of:
5 habits you do.
5 foods you eat.
5 ideas you have.
And the content you consume.
So watch what you’re doing and focus on the areas where change is required. Make a rating scale and rate yourself honestly on the following parameters
Health.
Wealth.
Intelligence.
Social.
Fun.
I rated myself 7/10 on health. To move to level 8, I need to consistently sleep 8 hrs/night, meditate 15 mins/day and include 1 cup of vegetables + serving of probiotics in each plate of food.
What would your life look like if you managed to move yourself up a bit higher in each of these scales? Imagine getting the dream body, or the amount of money you’ve always wanted to have. It’s all possible, when you begin.
Simple Steps To Improve Mental Health
Get up early in the morning
Wake up every day, at least 30- 40 minutes you’re used to. Do not waste this time checking your phone. Take this time purely for yourself. Your phone, notifications can seriously wait. Make this the time to take a shower, meditate, run, read, journal, write your plans for the day, anything that kick-starts your brain. Do not fight with your alarm. Wake up truly grateful. You’re up, alive, hopefully healthy, and ready to make your own story. Don’t think about it, just do it. You’ll stay energized all day and will feel so accomplished by creating positive habits in the morning. Watch your life change dramatically for the better, once this becomes a habit.
Aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep
The most underrated yet most important health tip we will ever need. Getting a good night rest is the most important thing on this list for me. Without good rest, you will never perform at your optimal best with sustainable, natural energy for the day. Depending on caffeine may help you for an hour two, but nothing can replace a great night’s sleep. EVER.
Try sleeping 5–10 minutes earlier than the day before and soon you’ll be sleeping enough, every day.
Create affirmations for yourself
I remind myself of the things I love about myself and my past accomplishments. I write them down, say them aloud and look at them when I need to. At least once a day. You can even record your own affirmations using the THINKUP app. I record the ones that empower me and listen to them after a meditation, as soon as I wake up, or right before I sleep when my brain is best able to absorb info. These thoughts become so engraved in me, I’ve become resilient to negative talk, and unnecessary criticism. They are my little mantra’s that no one can steal from me and that makes me feel like a super being, every day.
Write down your goals for the day
Make your days count. No goal ever goes unnoticed. Don’t be fooled by thinking waking up 10 more minutes earlier didn’t help you. Most likely it got you to work on time, or allowed you to prepare a great breakfast. Drinking the extra glass of water that you usually do, helped you prevent. Running those extra 3 more minutes helped you burn an extra 80-100 calories which created a deficit for the day to help you lose weight or boost energy. The effort you made to reply to everyone actually helped put a smile on someone’s face and gave them inspiration. You just never know what the smallest goal can do.
Do not let yourself get bored, you’ll stay lazy
Learn about new people. Read something, anything. Watch an inspiring vlog or Ted Talks. Listen to a podcast. No gossip sites. Read something fundamental that can impact you for 15 minutes, every day.
Don’t compare yourself to anyone
I know I am not the most intelligent, beautiful, or most sophisticated. But I know I can be better than yesterday. I do things that make me feel better than the day before, and it starts by controlling my thoughts. I truly never give my power to another person. I am so confident with myself because I have conquered so many fears. I constantly challenge myself to do something new every day because I experiment with new habits everyday.
Simple Steps To Improve Physical Health
Drink water every day
I know it sounds crazy and hard for some. But replace all your soft drinks with water. Replace commercial fruit juice with water. Not only is it necessary calories, but sugar. It’s very unnecessary. Curb the craving with real fruit if you must. Add a spritz of lemon onto your water for flavor. Once you form the habit your body will no longer crave juices and sodas, and the minute you even dare to have a sip your taste buds will have been rewired and shocked by the sugar overload.
So don’t forget. Drink water every.single.day. Dehydration leads to lack of sluggishness. Sluggishness leads to lack of energy. Lack of energy means no motivation to do anything for the day. Wasting a perfectly good day because you were dehydrated.
Don’t skip breakfast
Keep Your Gut Happy
A healthy gut is a crucial part of maintaining your overall wellness.
I make sure my gut is working well.
may be neglecting to take charge of one of the most important facets of your overall well-being and happiness—your microbiome.
Sure, by now you’ve likely heard of the microbiome, the living ecosystem of bacteria (Trillions of them!) living in and on your body, and maybe you’re even aware of some of the myriad benefits mighty microbes can have on your health. But did you know that a thriving microbiome teeming with beneficial bacteria is one of the most important keys to a balanced and fulfilled life?1. Supporting a healthy immune system. your good gut bacteria can help you maintain your day-to-day energy levels naturally—sans chemicals and synthetic boosters that inevitably
lead to an energy crash and burn.3. Helping you find (and maintain) your ideal weight.Eat fermented foods, Drink Probiotics, and eat a variety of vegetables and fruits. Read more on how to heal your gut.
Improve Your Posture
The posture tells a lot about your personality, level of confidence and state of mental and physical health.
People with good postures look smarter and more attractive. Someone with a good posture naturally exudes an aura of assertiveness and appeal. Catch yourself when your slouch and make sure to replace it by standing tall, every day.
Lift heavy-if you can.
This is a personal favorite. I truly enjoy challenging my body. If I squat 150 lbs, next week I’ll go for 160 and so on. Not only does it help my muscles grow and make me feel and look fabulous. It gives me the biggest confidence boost. Women are very scared to touch weights, but how badass can it be to see girl build curves and break a personal pr.
Spend Your Money Wisely
I make sure my money is spent on things that I can really benefit from. I always try to look for an investment. I work hard for my money and also like to be smart when it comes to the things I spend money on. If I eat out, I’ll make sure I am getting a nutritious meal that’s balanced with vegetables, simple complex carbs and protein and omega 3’s.
Do morning runs, run as fast as possible.
Simple Steps To Improve Social Health
Treat everyone with kindness and respect
I am empathic I certainly know what it’ s like to feel hurt and always made sure to never let another person feel like that. If you have trouble doing this, think about people dying as you’re interacting with them. Which is sort of far-fetched, but not really, we are slowly dying every second. But think about it as if they were dying and your compassion needle may turn on. Be nice, every day.
Stop wasting time on social media
Watch Your Ego
My ego loves to come into full steam sometimes, especially at the gym. I get very proud when I kill a workout and having eyes on me pushes me even more to kill it, but I have to remember this is for me not them. The minute I remember that My body relaxes, I get in more tune with my body to control my form and movements.
Give Compliments
I find things I love about people and in especially women, so many of us are out here competing. The only person you need to compete with is your past self.
Start spending time with better personalities
Make time for family
The Tiny Habits ALWAYS Pay Off
In time, I promise you things begin to take form. Once you’ve gone through the hard process of reshaping your lifestyle, your group of friends, your day to day habits, you see the fruits of your labor unfold.
Where I have seen many, many people falter (and ultimately fail in executing a true change) is in this period, right here.
The moment you begin to see what you have set in your mind unfold into your reality, is the moment you are first tested.
Many people can begin change. Many people can stay with change long enough to see a slight or even moderate shift in their life. But that’s where most people stop. They taste a little bit, and then they either get scared of their own “power” and quit, or they relax too much and find themselves right back where they started. Ultimately, you decide what’s good for you.
Conclusion
Remember to look at your life and get rid of everything that does not support that change. Take a real deep look at yourself and your daily habits that will allow that change to unfold.
Appreciate the initial “fruits of your labor” but do not give up. Press on and watch yourself grow faster than you’ve ever grown at anything in your life, ever.
The goal is to wake up one morning and realize that, in the best way possible, you no longer recognize yourself. You’ve done it. And you have changed at the core.
This is the most powerful process I have ever learned in life. It is the reason why I know, deep down, that anything I decide to put my mind to, I will change.
The whole point of creating your list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest.
But if that list seems too exhausting, then this post was not for you, yet. I told you to stop reading it in the beginning.
I don’t have the answers to everything I just like to share the things that work for me. To dream big and do big, doing extraordinary things is what gives life purpose.
I think life is a truly wonderful gift, and I think the people who get valued the most in this life are those dared to dream big and pursue big things. Comfort is easy but so is a boring life.
