Appreciate the life you are living and achieve more through EnerGcoach, Ellen Goldman. Your questions on balance, motivation and your lifestyle are answered through these simple tips and solutions. Get more out of your life with the help of Identity.
Ellen Goldman EnerGCoaching
QUESTION: Do you have any tips that would help me get started with being balanced, mentally and physically?
Before you can go searching for balance, you need to define what that means to you. A good place to begin is to ask yourself, “What are the things that are really important to me? What are my core values?” If being physically fit is extremely important to you, you must make sure that you take time to participate in exercise that will support you in achieving an optimum level of fitness. If life-long learning is a great part of what makes you feel fulfilled, how much time do you devote to reading, taking classes or learning new skills? Most people feel balanced and fulfilled when their day to day actions are in alignment with their core values, and discontent or “out of balance” when they do not. Once you have a clear picture of the things that matter most to you, begin planning where you will fit them into your life.
QUESTION: I find that my motivation isn’t where I would like it to be. I have motivation, but want more.
It’s easy to say “I am highly motivated to (fill in the blank), because…” And we usually believe that it’s true. But then we are confused as to why we don’t do the things we need to do to accomplish our goals. Let me give you an example. Say you feel really motivated to lose five pounds. And your reason is because you want to fit back into your favorite skinny jeans. You swear you’ll head to the gym everyday after work, but you’re just too tired. So you skip a few too many workouts, but all week you’re sticking to the healthy eating plan that you’re sure will help get those pounds off. But when the weekend rolls around, too many drinks with friends and dinners in restaurants with little thought to what you order or how much you eat, sabotage the healthy week days.
When it comes right down to it, fitting into the skinny jeans is really not that important after all. You’ve managed to buy a new pair that fit, and you do look OK. So motivation fades. Next time you say you are motivated to do something, ask yourself this question, “What’s so great about….” Here’s how it might go, “What’s so great about fitting into my skinny jeans?” Well, when I’m wearing them I feel great. And what’s so great about feeling great? When I’m feeling great, I have more confidence. And what’s so great about feeling confident? When I feel confident, I flirt more. So….. When I flirt more, I meet more men who usually ask for my number. So…the more men I get to date, the better the chances are that I will one day meet my soul mate. Bingo! You just found more motivation. A reason to forgo immediate gratification for the big payoff. Gym before drinks?
QUESTION: A few times a week I work out really hard early in the morning. I want to go right back to bed because I kind of can, but know I should just shower and start my day. I have been going back to sleep and wake up feeling like crap because I feel like I am being lazy. Any suggestions?
Sure. First, make sure you have a healthy breakfast waiting for you after your workout, which includes a combination of a complex carbohydrate, lean protein and a small amount of healthy fat. That will give you the energy you need to refuel your muscles and wash away the fatigue after a tough workout. A veggie omelet with lo-fat cheese or avocado, with some whole wheat toast would be perfect. Also, drink plenty of water during and after your exercise. Dehydration can mask itself as fatigue, making you want to go back to bed.
Second, what does “start your day mean?” Do you have activities planned or goals set that are meaningful to you? The more purposeful and fulfilling our lives are, the more excited we are to get up and go. Perhaps you can schedule something to look forward to for an hour or so after your workout. Give yourself just enough time to shower and dress, and then plan to meet someone perhaps for a healthy brunch, a cup of coffee, or to work on a common project. If a friend or colleague is waiting for you outside your house, you surely won’t crawl back into bed. If you are a freelancer, and can do your work from home whenever you want, you might want to consider renting some office space instead.
Lastly, make an agreement with yourself that you will “start your day” right after your workout, and plug away until lunch. If you still feel the need to crawl into bed, allow yourself a short nap. Chances are once you get going you’ll be fine, but just knowing that a guilt free afternoon snooze is permitted will help get you over the morning inertia. Keep it to no more than 30 minutes or you really will feel like crap!
QUESTION: I started my own business a few years ago hoping to give me the flexibility to make my own hours and not answer to a boss. I am a solopreneur, and I find myself working all the time. There always seems to be one more thing to do, and I am neglecting my family and my health. I have no flexibility! I don’t want to give up this business; it’s my passion and what I had always dreamt of doing. But now I find myself exhausted, frustrated and very close to burning out. What can I do so that I continue to grow my business but not lose everything else that’s important to me?
So many entrepreneurs go into business thinking the same thing you did. Here’s this thing I love to do, and I’m good at it. Why make money for someone else, when I can be in business for myself? But what no one tells us, is you not only have to do that thing you are so good at, but you also have to run the business. Suddenly you are in charge of finances, accounting, marketing, public relations, website development, and on and on. Before you give up, just take some time off to re-evaluate what is it that you really want.
You should build your business around the lifestyle you desire, not have your business dictate your lifestyle. First and foremost, you must get self-care back on your daily “to-do” list. Remember, if you fall apart, so will your business. Getting the proper sleep, exercise and nourishment you need to meet the demands of both your business and your family is vital. Once you feel better physically, you’ll have more energy, focus and productivity.
Secondly, it may be time to get some help. Do what you love to do and are good at, and delegate the rest. New business owners are usually afraid to spend money on help, since they are usually not making much during the start up years. However, if you are wasting a lot of hours on things you are not particularly adept at, those hours could be spent on more income producing pursuits. You can’t possibly do it all yourself, and you will burn out trying.
There are lots of creative ways to get inexpensive help such as a virtual assistant, interns, high school and college students, even family members. Begin thinking about the things you can delegate to others, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Lastly, one of the best investments you can make is working with a good business and/or lifestyle coach. The right coach can help you shortcut to where you want to go, save you hours researching information they will already have, and help you create not only the business of your dreams but the life of your dreams!
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