Take Control Now (1)

March is here. Year after year working as a personal trainer, this month has always been my busiest. I've met so many motivated people anxious to get started on a training program to get them to where they want to be both physically and mentally. It's a great time of year to get started. The weather is warming up, people are venturing outside of their homes and becoming more social, and it's great to feel the sun shining on us again. These feelings inspire us to be more active, try new things, and that results in us feeling even more excited. This excitement is a wonderful emotion but it doesn't last forever. When the feeling isn't new and fun anymore, a lot of the activities that were a result of that emotion tend to fall away.

What I've been trying to get a handle on for some time now is why some people quit activities that used to bring them so much joy. Or why they quit searching for activities to bring them joy. What happens? 

I believe I've found the answer and I'm going to apply it in the Take Control Now program. Here I will teach you how to listen to yourself and by doing so it will allow you to figure out exactly what you need to keep yourself motivated and inspired in all facets of life, not just fitness. 

You will be given assignments and these assignments will all work together to make you more in touch with who you are and what you truly want. 

Your first assignment is to start a private journal. It can be online or in a notebook using pencil and paper. At the end of the day, write how you felt throughout the day. You can go into as much or as little detail as you want. Afterwards, just breathe. In the nose and out of the mouth. 

This time is a gift to yourself. To make sure you give yourself this gift at the end of each day, I want you to write or type into your personal calendar "journal," "breathe," "me time," whatever words will most inspire you to take this time for yourself. You schedule time for everyone else's needs. Now it's time to schedule time for yours. 

For most of us, our daily lives are so busy that we have become slaves to our to-do list. So when our to-do list says we should "workout" or "start diet," we don't know where to begin. A hot trend or what a friend suggests is working for him or her is usually what we try first. We have lost touch with what activities bring us joy or excitement. We are so busy listening to external voices that we have forgotten to listen to our own. By acknowledging and working through our feelings every day, we are now beginning to listen to ourselves again and this will bring about true and lasting change.

I have included a TED Talk featuring Shonda Rhimes, television writer and producer of shows like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal. It's about 15 minutes and I encourage you to listen to the whole thing. You'll see that even "titans" have moments of doubt, break their stride and feel defeated. But more importantly you'll learn what she does to get back what she's lost. And it's so simple.

A quick note about this program before I wrap up this post. Take Control Now was created to help you understand yourself better. As you begin to understand why you are doing the things you do, you will have more control over your decisions, your time, and your emotions. These are all very important components to living a happy and fulfilled life. This is going to take time. This is not a quick fix. However, if you are currently doing a 21 day fix or other such diet or exercise program, you can do this too. While I'm not a fan of quick fixes, I understand that they are helpful in some situations. Do you whatever you feel is best for you.

If you have any questions or comments, you can leave them on this blog and I will get back to you as soon as I can. If you don't wish to leave your name, you have the option to leave them anonymously.

I wish you strength and courage to move forward and create the best version of yourself.

http://www.ted.com/talks/shonda_rhimes_my_year_of_saying_yes_to_everything?share=152b78a3f