Hi there, hey there, ho there … TUSHKATEERS!!!

Oh My!  Another beautiful day!!!  Can you take it???

I could bitch n’ moan about the NYC humidity that we experienced this past weekend.  I nearly died, I swear, walking through the gardens in Central Park – thank Goodness Gracious Goodness for the water fountains!  I could further bitch n’ moan about all the other glitches that presented themselves this past week, including but not limited to a plane delay because of a ‘chemical spill’ that was never fully explained but from the smell of it, it had to do with the cleaning fluids in the toilets – ugh … TMI? 

– or –

I could focus on the fabulousness of summer and the free (as my friend Tina say, ‘if it’s free it’s for me’) concerts that are here, there and everywhere – and any and all other happy happening!   

I’m not against bitchin’ n’ moaning (in fact, I kind of slid two little b/m’s into this post), but I do believe that there’s a bounty of happy out there to focus on.   As in last night, we took a minor stroll to a small park across the way from us and stumbled onto and into a concert that was Oh So Fabulous, energizing and motivating. 

Which brings me to a CHEWING the FAT email from Stuck in a Rut, Sandy, who is finding ‘finding happy and motivated’ a challenge!

Are you ready to read on, share in Sandy’s low energy, and then feast on my 11 Point Plan :  from STUCK to UNSTUCK; from UNMOTIVATED to MOTIVATED???  Please do!

CHEWING THE FAT

Dear OLofWL ~  I guess you could say that I am stuck, stuck in a rut, in a slump, not interested in very much, in other words, I lack motivation.  I think about making positive changes, but when it comes time to take action, it all seems too much.  Might it be possible for you give me a kick in the tush that actually gets me moving? With appreciation and gratitude for all the tush kicking that you do,  ~ Stuck In a Rut, Sandy

Dear Stuck in a Rut, Sandy ~  Please know that you are not alone. I’d venture to guess that the majority of us do go through periods of ‘stuck.’  I’ve certainly been there, and to be perfectly honest, there are still times when I’m as motivated as a wet noodle, and getting me to move, take action or do anything is a big challenge.

BUT, I’ve learned a few ways to climb out of the hole, pull myself out of my self-imposed rut, break out of the slump, which I am more than happy to share with you today!

11 STEPS to BLAST OFF:  Fully Energized and MOTIVATED

Step One:  One THING @ a Time:  If you are stuck in a rut, there’s a good chance that you have too much going on at one time; perhaps you are working on too many goals, too many projects, trying to juggle too many balls simultaneously that can and will zap the energy and motivation right out of you.

How difficult is it to maintain energy and focus (the two most important elements in getting things done, reaching your goals) if you are trying to do too many things at the same time?  Answer:  I’ve tried it and the simple answer is that … it is extraordinarily difficult if not flat out impossible. Your best bet is to zero in on ONE GOAL!!!

Step Two:  Feed your soul with INSPIRATION.  Inspiration shifts energy and it’s your way into feeling motivated.  The easiest and often best place to find inspiration is by reading inspirational materials.  I read blogs, books and magazines; I look at inspirational pictures/photos, too.  Where might you find inspiration?

Step Three:  Get EXCITED.   In my workshops, I often share my SMARTEST Goals strategy.  You may be familiar with SMART goals, a standard used by many corporations, organizations, coaches, and individuals.

S – specific
M – measurable
A – accountable
R – realistic
T – timely

I couldn’t help but to add to this excellent tool and make it that much better!!!  (In my humble opinion, anyway.)

E – excited – If you are not excited about your goal, good luck!  Excitement is necessary; otherwise, how you gonna’ keep the happy motivation going?

S – stretch – Is your goal a bit of a challenge, a stretch?  Don’t want it to be too big of a stretch (small steps –a another ‘s’ – is paramount), but a stretch of some kind is also imperative.

T – truth – If you goal is not in alignment with your values, with the truth of who you are, with your authentic self, again … good luck.  If it’s somebody else’s goal, give it back!!!

Step Four:  Share Your Goal, Make it PUBLIC. Oh No, I just lost 3/4 of you.  I know that sharing your goal with friends and family can be really frightening; ‘cause what if you don’t make it, stick to it?  Exactly!  When you ‘go public,’ you’re much more likely to do it!  When I say make it public, I don’t mean take out an ad in your local newspaper; I’m just saying that making it official and telling/asking your family/friends for support makes it that much more real and you are that much more likely to manifest your goal.

Step Five: Make a SIGN. Remembering your goal, keeping it present in your mind’s eye, making it a part of who you are, takes effort.  A good way to add an extra layer of ‘goal insurance’ is to print your goal in big words, and post it on your fridge; on the bathroom mirror, as a screensaver … wherever!   The more you ‘see it,’ the more your mind ‘considers it’ and ‘takes it in,’ the more you are likely to ‘do it!

Step Six:  Get SUPPORT.  I mentioned this in the friends/family section.  Support is key, and they’re not the only people you can reach out to.  We are here for you, Tushkateers across the land.  Join groups, go to meetings, hang out with people who are reaching for the same goals.  Click here and join our Facebook Group.  Y’all can talk to each other!  Imagine that!!!
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Step Seven:  Get REAL.  Motivation is not a constant.  It comes and goes, with the clouds, rolling in, rolling out.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (inspired from Zig Ziglar’s motivational words):  You don’t say, “Gee, I washed yesterday; why do I have to do it again?”   You don’t say, “Gee. I brushed my teeth, yesterday; you mean I have to do it again?”  You don’t even say, “Gee, I dusted the furniture last week, you mean there’s more dust and I have to do it again?”  Wash daily, brush twice daily, motivate thrice daily.  It only lasts so long, before more residue from the day lands on it!

Step Eight:  STICK to it: Commit! Fall down 7 times, get up 8!!!  Once you zero in on the one goal that you want to reach, no matter what, even if you fall off the wagon and are bruised – get back up and stick with it!  There’s no turning back.  Ride it out.  You know – do you not, that the people who ‘make it’ don’t make it because they are so brilliant, talented, or even thin and pretty.  They make it because they stick with it.

Step Nine:  Your First SMALL Step?  I eluded to small steps in the SMARTEST section.  For example: Let’s say that you want to declutter your home, because each and every room and space is a mess, piles of stuff everywhere, and it’s totally screwing with your feng shui.  Start in one corner, and each and every day ‘declutter’ for 5 minutes or even 2 minutes.  Consistency counts. Small steps add up!

Step Ten:  BUILD on it.  Ingest each small success on a cellular level.  Pat yourself on the back.  Focus on what’s working; the benefits of what you are working toward.  Feel good about your successes.  Do not, and I repeat, do not minimize any of it.  And then … Add a minute more to your declutter schedule, or another additional 1/16 mile to your walk.  Small and consist steps can create monumental shifts and results.

Step Eleven:  REPEAT after me. “I CAN do this!”  Seriously, you can.  It’s just a matter of sticking to the one small step daily.

I sincerely hope you that Stuck Sandy is no longer Stuck, and that you too, dear Tushkateer, who have taken the time (thank you) to read through these 11 steps are better for it.

Spread the word …
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Spread the word … not the icing!

Janice

Life & Wellness Coach
Self-Help / Weight Loss Artist
wise * fun * utterly useful
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