Don’t Forget to Declutter Your Mind

2022-01-02 ~ adminlife

One of the things you notice when you start decluttering is how so much of the clutter in your house reflects the clutter in your mind. If you’re hanging onto to clothes that don’t fit, or the ugly vase your mother gave you for Christmas or the exercise bike you might get around to using, you don’t just have a problem with too much stuff. You have a problem letting go. Chances are you’re also hanging onto a whole bunch of bad feelings, ill-founded assumptions, old grievances and future worries.

If it feels good to declutter your house, it feels even better to declutter your mind. Here are some useful expert tips to make some space in your mind.

Use some meditation techniques

You don’t have to do the full sitting on a cushion in a darkened room thing to benefit from meditation techniques. If you’re feeling overwound, some simple breathing techniques can help you calm down and focus. For a few minutes, focus only on your breathing and nothing else. If your mind wanders or gets back into the worrying groove, you must put that aside and come back to focus on your breath.

Write it down

It can help to write down anything that’s on your mind. Once all those worries are down on paper, you can prioritize them and work out a plan to deal with them. You can also assess them to identify what’s essential and what isn’t. When you can see what’s important, you can focus your energy and free up some of that mental space!

Stay in the present

Brooding over the past and worrying about the future take up a lot of space in your mind and achieve precisely nothing. Let go of regret over past mistakes or resentment of past slights and move on. Keep your focus on what you can influence right here, right now.

Do one thing at a time

Multitasking is not only overrated (it’s very inefficient), it also leads to greater anxiety, and you never do any one thing properly. Focus on doing things methodically and thoroughly. As you finish one task, move onto the next.

Control all the incoming data

We talk about being available 24/7 and the 24-hour news cycle, but there is only one person who can control that. You. You can choose to switch off your computer, smartphone, and tv and control the amount of data your brain is trying to process.

Decluttering your mind will pay off in all sorts of ways you hadn’t imagined. You will be more productive, less stressed and more motivated.

You can book your 15-minute “Get to know you” call by clicking on the blue button belowand we can talk about how we can work together to help you declutter and reduce your stress.

To your success

Michael

P.S. you know that living a life that is in balance is important. When you can balance your work, family, health, relationships, fitness and money, you feel better and can achieve your goals. You have the support of your family and friends which makes life worth living.

Check out my programs at Confidence and Life Coaching by clicking on the logo below:

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Why You Procrastinate and How to Overcome It

2021-12-01 ~ adminlife

You procrastinate because the thought of taking a certain action makes you feel bad. There are lots of actions that give us that “Ugh” feeling when we even think about doing them. The unpleasant action could be going to the gym, doing your taxes, making an unpleasant phone call, or scrubbing the toilet.

So, procrastination isn’t really an issue of laziness. It’s an emotional issue. Your brain predicts that you’re going to experience a negative emotion and does its best to help you avoid it.

However, you don’t have to allow your emotions to guide you. They’re merely suggestions you can choose to follow or reject. It’s not easy to take an action that feels uncomfortable, but it can be done.

Even if you procrastinate, you’ll eventually feel even worse about not taking the appropriate action! Why not save yourself some time and drama and just do it now?

Sometimes it’s okay to procrastinate, but there are other times that it would be best to take action immediately.

So, what can you do to mitigate procrastination?

Try these tips to overcome procrastination:

Focus on the physical sensation. When you think about doing the thing you don’t want to do, it creates a feeling in your body. Notice where you feel that negative sensation. How would you describe it?
- Focus on the area of your body where you feel the sensation and see what happens to that physical sensation. See how long that feeling lasts.
- Once you see how this feeling dissipates in a short time, it will be easier to handle it or even disregard it in the future.
Find an easier way to do the task. Maybe there’s a better or easier way to do what needs to be done. Some tasks are just so big they’re intimidating to even consider.
- Can you do a little each day until it’s done?
- Is there a special tool you can rent?
- Rent a dumpster?
- Hire someone else to do it?
Promise yourself a reward after the task is complete. Maybe all you need is an ice cream cone, a massage, or a new book to inspire you to get busy and take action. A reward can be a powerful motivator.
Think of how great you’ll feel after completing the task. There are few feelings better than completing a dreaded task. It’s such a relief to put it behind you.
- Instead of focusing on how awful it will be to do it, focus on how awesome you’ll feel when it’s done.
Start small. Plan to work on it for just five minutes. Promise yourself that’s all you have to do and then you’ll give yourself a break. You might find that it’s easy to continue after you get started.
- Getting started can be the most challenging part of accomplishing just about anything.
Get help. Do you know someone that can help you? Having some company can make unpleasant tasks more tolerable. Find a friend to help, and you’ll get done twice as fast. Better yet, find five friends and make a party out of it! Unpleasant tasks are less miserable when you have company.
Be tough. There are some tasks that simply have to be done even if you don’t want to do them. Summon your inner gladiator and overcome your resistance. Just get it done.

Everyone has the urge to procrastinate. One thing that separates successful people from the masses is the ability to overcome this urge.

We procrastinate because the thought of doing the task is unpleasant. There are ways to minimize the discomfort of performing a task. Seek out these ways.

Focus on the benefits of taking action, get your work done, and give yourself a little reward. You’ll feel great when it’s over.

You can book your 15-minute “Get to know you” call by clicking on the blue button below

and we can talk about how we can work together

To your success

Michael

Check out my programs at Confidence and Life Coaching by clicking on the logo below:

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Why You’re Still Waiting to Get Started on Your Dreams

2021-11-18 ~ adminlife

Do you tell yourself that you’ll get started on your big plans at some future date? You can start a business after the kids graduate from college? Or, maybe you’ll just wait until Memorial Day to begin your exercise program. We’ve all done it. There always seems to be a good reason not to get started right here and now.

Are you sure you know the real reason you’re waiting? If you’re waiting to begin pursuing your dreams, you’re likely just procrastinating!

Consider these excuses. Is one of them yours?

You’re waiting for the perfect time. Are you waiting for the stars to align and the heavens to tap you on the shoulder and give you permission? You’ll be waiting for a long time. The time will never be perfect to get started on something significant, so just get started.
You’re waiting for something else to happen first. Maybe you’re waiting for the kids to move out or for the mortgage to be paid off. Or you’re waiting until your next promotion. Or you’re waiting until your parents pass away.
You’re waiting until you have more money. Regardless of your budget, there’s something you can do to get started today. Even if it’s just doing research and learning new skills, you can do something. There’s never enough money. You’ll find the money you need along the way.
You’re waiting for Monday, or the first of the month, or the first of the year. So many people wait until Monday to start a diet, or the first of the month to begin an exercise routine. There’s nothing magical about any date on the calendar. The calendar is a man-made invention. There’s no reason to be bound by it.
- Will you get more accomplished if you start today or wait three weeks?
You’re waiting until you know more. Some people believe they need to know every shred of information related to their quest before they can get started. This simply isn’t true. It’s a procrastination technique. You don’t need to know a lot to begin.
You don’t really think you’ll be successful. It makes sense that you won’t get started if you believe you can’t be successful. This is a sign that you might need to start with a smaller objective. A perfect goal is one that you believe you can achieve that also excites you.
- In this case, address the underlying issue instead of stalling.
You’re afraid you will be successful. Many people are afraid of success. They’re comfortable with their current situation even if they don’t like it. They would rather have predictable misery than uncertain success. There’s no way to predict 100% what your life will be like if you’re successful.
- Focus on the positive aspects of achieving success. List out all of the benefits and visualize yourself enjoying those benefits.
You’re scared. If you’re honest with yourself, this is the most likely reason you’re postponing the pursuit of your dreams. Whether you dread the feeling of being hungry on a diet, sweating on a treadmill, or making a fool out of yourself with a failed business, you’re simply afraid.
- Make yourself more afraid of doing nothing. Imagine how terrible it would be to waste your life. Think about how awful it would be to never test yourself or to never have a chance of living your dreams.

In most cases, it’s better to get started immediately, rather than waiting for just the right time to get started. Even a little progress is better than no progress. Have faith in yourself and jump in with both feet.

You can’t be successful if you don’t get started. Your dreams are waiting for you.

You can book your 15-minute “Get to know you” call by clicking on the blue button below:and we can talk about how we can work together to get you started on your dreams but also make your dreams into goals.

To your success

Michael

Check out my programs at Confidence and Life Coaching by clicking on the logo below:

Photo by Mary J. Friedrich on Unsplash

Discipline: A Simple Plan for Cultivating a Crucial Habit

2021-07-11 ~ adminlife

We all want more discipline than we have. Discipline requires dealing with discomfort, which is something we all instinctively avoid. However, all the amazing things you want to have and achieve will require at least a little discipline.

Without discipline, luck is your only other option. Luck is great when it happens, but it is a poor strategy. Discipline is a tremendous advantage to have.

Use these techniques to create the life you desire with discipline:

Practice dealing with discomfort. Discipline is uncomfortable because you’re either doing something that you don’t want to do right now or you’re avoiding doing something that you want to do right now. Neither one is as enjoyable in the moment as following your impulses.
- When you feel discomfort, notice where you feel it in your body. Describe it to yourself. What does it feel like? Continue objectively observing it until it goes away. It will go away.
Examine your excuses. What are the excuses you give yourself for eating that ice cream, staying up late, skipping the gym, or not getting your work done? How do you justify your lack of discipline?
Choose your goal wisely. A highly meaningful goal is much more motivating than one you feel lukewarm about. You’ll do more and endure more to achieve a goal that means a lot to you. Life is too short to spend your time on anything less than goals that are spectacular to you.
Do it every day. Practice discipline each and every day. You can make yourself stare at the wall for 10 minutes. Make yourself sit up straight at work. See if you can actually work for 30 minutes without checking your email or phone.
- There are plenty of opportunities to build your discipline muscles!
Reward your successes. When you successfully show a new level of discipline, give yourself a reward that doesn’t break the bank.
Do it earlier in the day. Discipline tends to be higher in the morning. Use that to your advantage if possible.
Have a plan for when you falter. What will you do when you start to slip? What is your plan when you have the urge to order a pizza, call your ex, or buy something you know you shouldn’t?
- Will you call someone?
- Go for a run?
- Eat a carrot?
- Take a nap?
- Listen to your favourite song?
- What are you going to do?
Slow progress is acceptable. A little progress each day is more than enough. Big changes rarely stick unless life and limb are at risk. Be thrilled with making consistent slow progress.
Focus on the action rather than the desired outcome. If you want to lose weight, the scale matters. However, it’s even more important to follow your diet day in and day out. It’s more important to keep saving part of your paycheck than to have a specific bank balance.
- Keep doing the right things and the results are guaranteed.

We admire those people with high levels of discipline. We often associate discipline with elite soldiers or Buddhist monks, but most people can train to have just as much discipline as either of these groups. Remember that discipline simply means choosing the future you desire over the thing you desire in this moment.

Your level of discipline impacts the quality of your future. Are you willing to give up meaningless short-term pleasures for a great future? If so, you can have the future you desire.

A lack of discipline may mean that you have beliefs that are holding you back. These beliefs may limit your success by stopping you from achieving your goals.

Book a 15-minute “Get to know you” call by clicking on the blue button below

and we can talk about your limiting beliefs and habits and how you can change them to be more successful.

To your success

Michael

P.S. if you have always thought that you should have a Life Coach on your personal team to help you create the best year of your life but were put off by the cost and the time requirement, I have created a Self-paced course that covers what we would do when working together.

While not the same as working one-on-one with a Life Coach, this self-paced course can help you to understand your present situation, how you got there and how to set goals that will move you forwards to success.

Click on the logo below to find out more about the course

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Feeling Overwhelmed? Take Back Control with this 6-Step Process

2021-05-26 ~ adminlife

Oh, how trying the stresses of life can be! Having situations that affect your peace of mind can be challenging. And sometimes you feel like you’ve gotten way more than you can handle. Yet still, you find a way to keep going.

It’s great when you can find the determination to keep going. But are you doing so to your own detriment? Perhaps the way you’re responding isn’t always the best.

Coping mechanisms help to keep you in the game. But after a while, you may end up crashing. The most beneficial approach involves using well thought-out strategies to keep you in control.

Try this process to respond to an especially challenging situation:

Stop in your tracks. If you feel overwhelmed now, it’s likely to get even worse if you keep going the way you are now! Stop right where you are and accept the situation for what it is.

- Look back at what has happened up until this point in time. Can you identify the reasons behind your downfall? Make a note of them.

Embrace your shortcomings. Do you have shortcomings that prevented you from staying on top of things? Be honest with yourself when trying to identify them. It’s the only way you’ll be able to move on to resolving the situation.

- Whatever you’ve identified as your shortcomings, accept and embrace them. It’s pointless allowing them to bring your mood down. You’re already overwhelmed. The last thing you need to do is put yourself down.

Avoid excuses. Even though you feel overwhelmed, the last thing you want to do is blame it on something or somebody else. Avoid overlooking yourself as the main factor behind your current situation.

- It’s easy in stressful situations to refuse accountability. Just the tension alone is enough to drive your mind in crazy directions. Just accept it for what it is, even if it means coming face to face with your shortcomings.

Open up to others. Share your feelings with someone you can confide in. Simply sharing can often help to ease some of the stress off your shoulders.

- Tell the whole story. Allow the person to understand your highs and lows. Let them see how your strengths got you this far. But also share what you think you could have done differently.

Organize an approach. Now that you’ve offloaded, you’ll have a clearer mind to organize an approach. You’ve stopped at this point for a reason. Now’s your chance to change direction and pull yourself out of this rut.

- Now that you’ve figured out what went wrong, try to tackle those things first. You’ll want to prevent those things from happening again.

Surround yourself with positive people. It’s sometimes difficult to take on challenges on your own. As much as you hate to admit it, there are others better at some things than you are! Embrace them and get the support you need to manage stressful situations.

- Use the strengths of trustworthy people to get you over the hump. Be clear about the role you want them to play. Handing over responsibility can be tough. But be mature enough to understand that it doesn’t take away from your own abilities.

Being in over your head isn’t a death sentence. In fact, it’s a perfect opportunity to be creative in your approach. Once you identify an effective approach, you can expect to handle situations more confidently.

Give yourself the chance to be in control. With positive strategies, you’ll be able to take matters into your own hands and turn them around in no time!

Feeling overwhelmed is not our normal state so you need to have strategies in place to help you overcome this feeling when it occurs.

When you put these strategies in place in your life you will begin to get control over yourself when you feel overwhelmed.

Book a 15-minute “Get to know you” call by clicking on the blue button below

and we can start the discussion on how we can work together to defeat your sense of overwhelm and move your life forward.

To your success

Michael

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