Simple Tips on How to Motivate Yourself

Figuring out how to motivate yourself can be hard. There is always that little voice that says, ?you can?t do it? no matter if you are trying to find the motivation to lose weight, save money, spend more time with the kids, or any other goal. Everyone deals with this little voice; you are not alone. The key is to learn how to motivate yourself in the most effective ways. Here are some tips to help you figure out just what is the best way to motivate yourself.

Shut Out the Voice

One important way how to motivate yourself and to stay that way is to start shutting out that negative little voice in the back of your head. You can do this by simply combating it with positive voices. For example, if you are trying to lose weight and the voice is saying stuff like, ?You?ll never be able to resist the cake at the birthday party,? combat it by telling yourself: ?Even if I do eat a piece of cake that doesn?t mean I have to give up. I?ve done really well so far and I?m going to keep at it!?

Bribe Yourself

Sometimes you have to feed the child inside of you to stay motivated. Just like when motivating a child to do something by promising a treat, you can do the same to reach your own goals. This is How to Motivate Yourself 101. For example, if you did bypass the cake at the birthday party you could reward yourself by indulging in a new pair of shoes. This is called positive reinforcement, and it really does work. If you do challenge yourself and then get positive results when you complete the task then you will keep challenging yourself.

Here?s how it works. The next time you find your motivation for a task or goal failing, tell yourself that you will get a reward after it is done. This reward can be as simple as taking your dog for a walk in the park, or something as lavish as a trip to the day spa to get a massage. Whatever the treat, make sure that it is one that gives you that extra boost to finish the task.

Get Others to Help

One of the biggest motivators of all is pride. If you tell others about your goal then you are bound by your pride to finish it. So, next time you have an important task to complete tell everyone. The every need not to fall on your face in front of others is the perfect way how to motivate yourself.

Personal Coaching - Top 7 Basics and an Important Key, Self Improvement Tips.

Personal Coaching is becoming more popular in day-to-day living, to set goals, stay on track and achieve goals, while balancing family and work.

Personal Coaching helps a client to realize more of his potential, achieve his goals and enjoy success in many areas of life. Personal coaching also helps a client to succeed in business while maintaining quality time with family and a rewarding personal life.
Coaching is defined as- “a strategy used to help a client reach her fullest potential and achieve her goals. The coach first helps to define the goals, and then supports the client in executing them by mapping out a strategy and helping her stay on track. Coaching helps to balance work, family and social demands as well as leisure and spiritual activities.” -by East End Guild of Wholistic Practitioners (eastendhealth.com/glossary.asp).

Top Seven Basics:

1) Why Coaching

Even when you have all the facts, it is easy to get distracted and lose focus. If your ambitions and goals are important to you, you need to make sure that you will stay on track. Coaching provides a solid opportunity to achieve your goals fast.

“Coaching can certainly help you strengthen your sense of self-worth, focus on your goals — and get there, fast.” - The London Daily Telegraph

People who are already successful in professional sports, in the entertainment industry or in the business world still have a coach because they understand the value that comes from coaching. That is how they keep on winning and make further progress.

2) When to Get Coaching

If I were preparing for a marathon, I would get a coach. If I am planning to start a new business, but do not know how, I would get a coach. I could have used coaching when I was trying to host my first website or when I was trying to learn a new tool. I could use coaching when I want to make progress in life or in business, or live a disciplined life. I could use coaching to set goals, to get support in executing them by mapping out a strategy and to get help to stay on track.

Can I do without coaching? Yes. I can learn on my own and do whatever is necessary to accomplish the desired outcomes. However, it takes longer and becomes difficult and there are pitfalls of giving up. If I can afford, I would get a coach, so that I can focus on achieving my goals and live a rewarding life with discipline. Coaching helps me to keep myself accountable and on track.

3) How to Find a Coach

Searching on the internet can bring you many options. You may also ask around in your personal network. When you ask around, look for the facts, not the opinions. Everyone’s needs and goals are different. Choose the one that is suitable and affordable to your needs. See the expertise of the coach below.

4) Competence and Expertise of the Coach

Personal and Business Coaches Daniel Midson-Short and David Wood, PCC note that - coaches do not need to be certified to begin coaching, though it is important for development of the skill and the coaching profession. In addition, that - coaching the clients and helping them to change and improve their lives will give a coach more confidence and marketability than all the certificates the resume can hold. (Independent Report on Coach Training and Certification by Daniel Midson-Short & David Wood, PCC)

There are many successful coaches – some are certified, some are not.

A client should choose a coach with whom he feels comfortable and who is suitable for his specific needs. Client can try the free sessions and see if a particular coaching program is suitable and affordable for his or her needs.

If you are looking for a general life coaching, any life coach may do. If you have specific goals and needs, you need a coach who is competent enough or who has experience in coaching others with similar goals. Example: Starting a web based business, online marketing, investment and trading, learning a new software language, developing and marketing software etc. Coaching is not training but a coach having knowledge of a particular field can greatly reduce your time and efforts.

5) Coaching Relationship

A solid coaching relationship is important for long-term success and ongoing progress of the client in accomplishing his goals with less stress and in less time. James Flaherty notes in “Coaching: Evoking Excellence in Others” that the elements in a coaching relationship comprise of - mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual freedom of expression. Confidentiality is an important part of the communication in coaching. Client should open up to sharing the actual situations than what he thinks the coach wants to hear. Coach should be open enough to observe the things that matter without judging.

6) Commitment

Commitment to the coaching process should be from both client and coach. Both should agree about schedules, about what is possible and what is acceptable. Address any obstacles. Client is the one who needs to take action and it is his or her interest in focus in coaching. Coach holds the client accountable and encourages doing more. The schedules and action plans are flexible and can be adjusted based on the new circumstances or possibilities. Coach should state clearly the practical steps involved in accomplishing the desired outcomes, without trying to sugar coat, but at the same time believing in client’s ability to achieve them through a practical approach.

7) Coaching Process

Identify the immediate concerns and future possibilities. Set goals, establish a strategy, and make an action plan. The purpose of the coaching is to help the client take action and stay on track. Therefore, it is an ongoing process for the duration of the coaching period. Coach and client communicate on scheduled intervals, anywhere from weekly to monthly basis. Client can be assigned with homework and assignments.

Coaching is a process of observation, correction and improvements. The purpose of the coaching has the client’s best interests in focus. The same techniques become less effective overtime. That is how so many New Year resolutions fail. Therefore, the ongoing communication is an important key to get the full benefits of coaching. Rather than just a course, coaching is an ongoing, evolving process through questions and feedback.

Coach’s goal is to keep the coaching sessions and the process as practical as possible for the client to succeed, as the client may already be busy with his own tasks.

When you establish goals and create an action plan, the progress should be measurable. Ex: If a client is struggling to stay motivated and disciplined to exercise regularly, with the help of a coach, if he is able to exercise regularly for 60 days, then this is identifiable. Coach’s goal is to make the client take action towards the attainment of desired outcomes.

* Important Key: Commitment, Communication and Hope

Understanding the fact that coaching is for client’s own benefit helps him stay committed to the coaching relationship. One’s own resolution to continue the process is what keeps it going. It is easy to get bored and give up. Client and coach keep the communication going and address any obstacles and hindrances, and implement the required solutions and plans.

There must be something worthwhile that you (client) are trying to accomplish. Never lose sight of the HOPE - there is always a hope of getting to where you want be, as long as you do not give up.

Cut Back on Alcohol Without Giving It Up

Stealthy ways to reduce your drinking to a healthy level.

All in Moderation

You'd think that it would be obvious to someone if he or she had a drinking problem. But that's not the case. Unlike other health-destroying habits like smoking or illegal drugs, drinking is something that most adults do, and that is quite healthy in moderation.

So how do you know when your drinking has become a problem? Look to the small signs. Maybe you've been waking up in the middle of the night with a raging thirst, drenched in sweat, needing to go to the bathroom. Maybe getting out of bed in the morning is a bit harder these days, and you seem to have an awful lot of headaches. Been taking the recycling to the center instead of leaving it out for the trash people to collect because you're too embarrassed about the large number of wine and beer bottles? Or putting on a few pounds, even though you're not eating any differently?

Maybe it's time to speak honestly to yourself and cut back on your drinking. This article will help you do it.

One caveat, though: Alcoholism is a serious disease. If you think you might be, or know you are, an alcoholic, you're going to need more than just the tips in this article to help you quit. Instead, the tips here are designed more for the social drinker who wants to cut back but who doesn't need to stop drinking altogether for health reasons. If you need more help, please see your doctor.

1. Other than on special occasions, limit your drinking to the level associated with optimal health: up to two drinks per day for men, one for women. And no stockpiling: Going without alcohol today doesn't increase the amount you can have tomorrow. In particular, you can't save up for a weekend binge.

2. Meet friends, dates, or business associates at a coffee bar, not a tavern. If the point of the get-together is fun, casual conversation in a friendly, loose environment, there are many ways to do that without the alcohol. Coffee shops like Starbucks are good places to meet. Other possibilities include bistro-style restaurants, bowling alleys, and even sushi bars.

3. Watch sporting events with friends at your home or theirs. A night at a sports bar almost guarantees a morning with a headache. Guys, how can you resist the temptation to guzzle beer in a room filled with beer guzzlers?

4. Never, ever drink alone. Make it a rule. Not because it is so evil -- indeed, there are plenty of times when a glass of wine by yourself is appropriate. Rather, do it for the discipline. If you learn to drink alone, it makes it too easy to begin drinking in excessive amounts.

5. Never, ever drink for courage. Throughout time, people have turned to drink to overcome social inhibitions. In fact, there's an old expression for alcohol: "liquid courage." And it's true -- a few drinks can take the fright out of a party, business gathering, or speech. Trouble is when you rely on alcohol for bravery. No one should need alcohol to function socially. So find other ways to bolster your confidence. It's harder, but healthier and more honest -- and you're less prone to making alcohol-induced gaffes.

6. Never, ever drink for solace. It's the old stereotype: downtrodden businessman, sitting at the bar, necktie yanked down, clothes disheveled, muttering, "Pour me another one, bartender." Sad, isn't it? Numbing yourself from the challenges of the world through alcohol. Again, we say, Drink for joy, not for pain. Drink to feel alive, not to feel dead.

7. Never, ever drink out of habit. You know what we mean: "Seven o'clock, time for my martini." "Done with cutting the lawn, time for my beer." "Friday night, time to hit the bar with the gang and have my weekly margaritas." Think through your week to see if you have a specific drinking routine or habit. If yes, commit to finding a substitute for it.

Get Out the Pen

8. In particular, choose a pleasant substitution for your after-work drink. It could be a nonalcoholic drink, like a spiced ice tea or a fruit smoothie. Or it could be a walk, or a hot bath, or a sliced peach. Do this for two weeks until it becomes your new habit.

9. Switch to mixed drinks with a lower-proof alcohol. There are lots of alternatives to the standard, high-power alcohols of gin, vodka, or whisky. For example, a flavored cognac with seltzer has half the alcohol content of a gin drink, and probably twice the flavor.

10. Always drink double-fisted: your drink, and a large glass of water. Don't use alcohol to quench your thirst. That's what water is for. Sip on alcohol for the flavor and the pleasure.

11. Keep the wine bottle off the dinner table. Instead, keep a pitcher of water on the table. It makes it too easy to keep pouring until it's empty. Instead, pour one glass, then cork the bottle and put it away.

12. Discover the glories of seltzer water. It mixes with wine, whisky, vodka, cognac, indeed almost any alcohol other than beer. Making your drinks with seltzer cuts down on alcohol consumption, in part because the bubbles in the seltzer help fill you up.

13. When you're at a party, drink a full glass of water or other nonalcoholic beverage before and after every alcoholic drink. We guarantee that the amount of alcohol you drink will drop substantially.

14. Create a list of rules for drinking. For instance, no more than one drink a day. Only drink on weekends. Only drink wine spritzers. Only drink when you're dressed up in your best clothes, etc. Post the list near the liquor cabinet/wine cellar.

15. Keep a drinking diary. You can find a sample from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (www.niaaa.nih.gov). Tracking how much you drink will provide you with some surprising information that will encourage you to cut down or quit.

16. Make a list of reasons why you want to cut back on drinking. This could be: lose weight, sleep better, fewer headaches, get more done, improve blood sugar control, better sex, perform better at work. Post the list in a prominent place and read through it every time you think about having a drink.

17. Track how much money you're spending on alcohol every week. Now commit to spending half that amount. Put the savings into a special account (or even a jelly jar) and use it for something special for you (not a bottle of 2000 Bordeaux).

18. Tell everyone you know that you're cutting back on your drinking. Hopefully, this will prevent people from urging you to have "just one" or "just one more."

When It Pays to Play

Remember how much more active we used to be? How to get back in the habit.

Lessons of the Past

Who could forget the late-'60s sitcom The Brady Bunch? When Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy weren't all gathered around the table eating pork chops and applesauce while gabbing about the triumphs and mishaps of their day, they were riding their bikes or playing ball in the AstroTurf backyard. Or the family might be camping together, competing in a sack race, riding mules into the Grand Canyon -- or even just running down the stairs of their mod split-level house to answer the phone. The groovy TV show that aired from 1969 to 1974 may not have reflected some of the harsher realities of American family life in that era, but it did show we moved around more (and ate better!) in those pre-computer, precell-phone times.

Today, many people wistfully reminisce about how Americans lived before video games usurped sandlot baseball and fast food replaced meals around the table. We can learn from the way America lived then, including how to eat healthier and lose weight.

The Home-Cooked Advantage
The family dinner is disappearing, plummeting 33 percent in the past three decades. The result is obvious: "We're eating more calories and getting less exercise than previous generations,” says Lawrence Cheskin, MD, director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center. "Supersizing our food is supersizing us.”

Aside from the emotional benefits of sharing a family meal, the real advantage is control -- of the quality, ingredients and portions of food. In 1970, 34 percent of America's food budget was spent in restaurants. Now it's nearly half. "And restaurant portions have ballooned,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RD, an adjunct professor at NYU and author of The Portion Teller. In her research, Young found restaurant portions were two to eight times that of standard serving sizes.

Eating while driving or watching television has another unhealthy side effect. Distracted, we don't realize how much we're putting in our mouths. At family dinners, when we pause to talk, we eat more slowly, allowing our stomachs time to signal our brains that we're full.

In addition, so much of what's been designed for our high-tech age keeps us from moving around. We sit for hours at the computer -- working, shopping, reading, researching, playing games, even making friends. Without ever leaving the couch, we can answer the phone, change the channel and send e-mails from our handheld devices. Studies have shown that some kids raised on these gadgets may expend almost no extra physical energy in the course of a day.

But here's how it used to be: We got up to change the channel. We walked to the corner mailbox to send a letter. We ran around the backyard to play a game. We got up to answer the phone. We went to the library to do research. We made new friends in the park or at the bowling alley. Parents went for a walk after dinner. Kids went outside and just played. And those little expenditures of calories really added up. Today, kids must be productive and prepare for success. From 1981 to 1997, children's free time dropped by 12 hours a week and unstructured activities by 50 percent. "We're so worried about our kids being able to compete that we've created stress for the entire family,” says William Doherty, PhD, professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota. And, as we know, stress can lead to overeating and obesity -- something we never saw in the lives of that Brady gang.

Start Good New Habits

4 smart ways to simplify the family schedule to make room for healthy habits.

How is it possible to eat dinner together and exercise more when both parents work and kids are overscheduled? It can be done, says William Doherty, co-author of Putting Family First.

Schedule it. Make time for meals together just like you do for soccer practice or dentist appointments. Plan meals in advance, shop for groceries on weekends and freeze what you can.

Make it fun. Benefits from a family meal don't happen just by sitting and eating together; it's what you do with that time. First, turn off the TV and talk to one another. But avoid stressful subjects like report cards or work, or power struggles over food. Keep conversation light.

Go out and play. Remember that swing set in the backyard, the basketball hoop at the end of the driveway, the bikes in the garage? Even 15 minutes of fun together burns calories, reduces stress and promotes family bonding.

Take a break. Limit passive computer and TV time. Get up every 20 minutes and do some stretches, tackle a household chore or go out for a walk. It clears your mind and helps burn off lunch!