Five Amazing Actions To Transform Your Life This Year

So the new year  is already in full swing and resolutions have been made. I figure at this point people are either rocking their resolutions or have completely fallen off the wagon. Why is that you may wonder? My opinion is those who fail have very good intentions, yet they often do not have an effective plan in place. They say if you "fail to plan, you plan to fail." I have been on a year long journey of profound change in many life areas and have learn some very successful strategies from some of the best authors, coaches, mentors and motivators. I have studied the ways of the successful and have decided to model their best practices in my own life. Success leaves clues as they say and it is so very true.  Implementing these changes daily  has put me in a much better place than I was a year ago that is certain.  With pleasure I share these five life changing tips that will transform your life  for the better if you choose to implement them.

Amazing Action One: Develop a Growth Mindset
Develop a positive, growth mindset. You will never change your life if you have a negative perception of yourself and the changes you want to make. You can be your own best friend or your own worst enemy. What does it matter if you have an army of people behind you, yet you yourself do not believe you can change? A growth mindset says: " I am not there YET but I am on my way. I CAN change,  but it will take time." A fixed mindset says:  "Nothing I will ever do will change my circumstances. I do not have what it takes to be successful, so therefore I will not even try. " The fixed mindset philosophy is very untrue, yet  people believe it is true. This thinking therefore keeps people stuck in their old, destructive, unproductive habits. You have the power to say at any time this is not how your story is going to end. Choose to embrace change and look at it as an adventure, rather than an ordeal and you are already on your way. While you are on your journey also, don't compare yourself to others. Everyone has his or her own unique journey and it doesn't  matter how fast you get there, but rather that you are headed in the right direction.

Amazing Action Two: Own Your Morning
My morning routine used to be a disaster.  Hitting the snooze button every morning and putting off starting my morning as long as possible was commonplace. What I didn't realise was that by doing this every morning , unconsciously I was telling myself that the new day dawning was unsatisfying,  and must be filled with dread and negativity. It also insinuated that surely nothing worthwhile would occur that day that would be worthy of me waking up to experience.  As a natural consequence of sleeping in, I was then run ragged, running around super stressed with barely enough time to get out the door. They say you either own the morning or the morning owns you. I prefer to own my mornings these days. How I do that is I wake up two hours or more before I have to leave for work. The blessed quiet is so therapeutic. I know it won't last long, so I absolutely savour every minute. The first thing I do after hitting the button to make my coffee is not looking at Facebook, email or returning texts. This will not get me where I need to be. This is responding to others. I need to fill my own cup first.  I cannot give what I don't have.  I need some "me" time.  So how do I do this? First of all I start with gratitude journaling. Every morning I write down five things I am grateful for. This daily habit helps me focus on all I have to be thankful for. Sometimes I write about big things like family or friends and sometimes it is the simple pleasures I highlight like a hot coffee, a warm bath or a good book. Focusing on my blessings puts me in a positive mind frame and starts my day in a very pleasant manner. Next I read my Bible and a personal development book of choice and spend some time connecting with my Heavenly Father in prayer. What a great way to begin each new day. I cannot even start to tell you how this has completely revolutionised my whole day. I cannot control how my day will unfold, but I can certainly control how it starts and realising that has been very liberating.

Amazing Action Three: Start Eating Healthier
My family has completely changed our eating habits this year. Gone are all the processed foods we used to eat. Gone are the frequent drive thru meals we used to grab. We now aim to eat clean most of the time by consuming as many whole foods as possible and limiting the amount of processed foods we eat. We barely eat out and actually prefer to eat at home. Can we have treats and cheats? Absolutely! It is all about balance these days and we try to live our lives by the 80/20 rule. It means we strive to eat healthy 80 percent of the time. Proper portion control has also been a very big part of our new regimen. Knowing what a portion looks like and how much of each food group to consume has been a real eye opener. I challenge you to start limiting your processed foods and start eating more whole foods this year. You will feel more satisfied, have more energy and experience many other great health benefits from a healthier, more wholesome diet.

Amazing Action Four: Start and Stick to An Exercise Plan
I am a Beachbody coach which is an online health and fitness coach. I am often asked in this role what is the best workout program? The answer is very simple actually. The best workout program for you is the one that YOU will do. If you enjoy working out at home like I do, then a Beachbody workout program would be perfect for you. If you enjoy the gym, spin classes, Zumba, running, biking or swimming then faithfully go that direction. The important thing is that you find what you enjoy and stick to it. Regular exercise has such important mental and physical health benefits. If you are trying to lose weight it is so essential too. Half an hour a day is a great way to start. If exercise is foreign to you,  try starting with stretches or a walking schedule. They say the only bad workout is the one you didn't do and that is very true.  Find what works for you and just get moving!

Amazing Action Five:
Find Supportive People to Motivate You and Keep You Accountable
The group experience is so powerful. Oh how liberating it is to see that others too struggle, need support and need to have people with whom to share their success. I run monthly support groups on Facebook where we do just that.  It has been such a key to my success as having others to which you are accountable is so vital for profound change. Before I started coaching and running groups I did an initial post about the fact that I was starting my health and fitness journey. I was terrified. I was nervous. I was so far from where I needed to be, but I knew I had to go public to prove to myself and others that I was all in and serious about changing my life. The outpouring of support was huge and I have never looked back. I continue to openly share my story and encourage others to do the same. Keeping quiet about the highs and lows of the journey can keep you stuck, unmotivated or uninspired. The power of "me too" is a very incredible tool for change. I encourage you to get plugged into a supportive network of people. Join a group or club. Get involved in an online community. Go public about your goals and have loving friends and family help you stay accountable. If you slip in your journey, learn from it. It is a stepping stone not a stumbling block if you view it as such.

So here's to  a new year and a whole new you. Change can be scary, yet so very exciting too. If you would like more info on how to implement these amazing changes, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or on Facebook. (Dana Lear Romualdi) Good luck everyone. I am in your corner cheering you on!

Until next time,

Dana

Ecclesiastes 3:1 ~  There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the Heavens.

Little Lesson Learned: Changing your life is much easier if you have an effective plan.

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