3 Keys to Happiness & Success

The three ideas I have to be happy & successful in life, can easily be substituted by the proper synonym. However, I feel as though these three ideas fit right in to everyday life.

1. Sacrifice; This is a noticeable word, but often has negative connotations (as it should). When you sacrifice SOMETHING of VALUE, you wish you could have it back. If it is community service, organizing your family reunion, or trying to grow your business, sacrificing your time will take its toll on the structure of your life. While you're giving energy to the new challenge, 100% effort must be put in to ensure proper functioning of the event. This will be another chance for us to sacrifice time/effort in our attention to detail, being sure not to miss any opportunities for improvements. If we are trying to improve our position in life we will need to sacrifice time developing skills to advance in to more prestigious responsibilities. All the volunteering in the world will more than likely not pay the bills. You will need to figure out skills to trade for money to trade for other goods & services. If you are lucky enough to be working or running a business that provides all that your family needs, you have won at life. If you hide in the bathroom at work or despise going to the place where you make money, CHANGE IT! You have control over this. Perhaps you're not ready to truly SACRIFICE something of value to better your situation.

2. Sweat; This is where all the work must be done. If you are able to do what you are passionate about and make money, there will still be days where you DO NOT want to sacrifice the necessary time. If you feel yourself at this point, please read #1. When you're ready to WORK for your goals, the sweat will be so much more fulfilling. I am a trainer. I train groups of people. I train partners. I train individuals. In order to maintain a level of competency, I must increase my knowledge, I must take thorough notes (for modified activities), and I must lead by example. Reading alone isn't enough. I have to be able to share the information I have retained. I have to transfer the information in a non-technical fashion, so my clients can retain & share it. I do workout ALMOST EVERYDAY, but not working out like you may think. I incorporate flexibility & recovery days, as a way to decrease injury potential. With the mix of weights, flexibility, and Jiu-Jitsu my 5-6 days are covered. My body & mind are a part of a billboard of my services, so it must be well kept. On a daily basis, get a mental sweat and/or physical sweat!   

3. Smile; When the day is easy or filled with enjoyable activities smiling isn't a problem. It is when the day is filled with frustration, discomfort, and misery that it will be much more difficult to crack a true smile. However, If you can see the how much worse the situation could be, this should be just enough positive stimulation to raise a GENUINE ear to ear grin. Find small things to appreciate during the unfavorable time. Perhaps you are in the shitty situation with a friend, in that case think about future plans or times when things were much worse. This should lighten the mood and give your mind something to focus the energy on. Stay positive and remove negative thoughts. This negative energy is quite powerful and dangerous. Negative energy creates momentum quickly. It must be destroyed by visualizing a favorable outcome. The power of visualization is underrated. Your mind must be able to create the idea that task completion is even possible for us to have a fighting chance. These thoughts alone will not generate the victory. Please see #2 for ways to achieve victory. When you are faced with adversity, smile while you think of ways to conquer. 

How to get more out of the day!

This post will focus on a simple way to accomplish more in our 24 hours.

Getting the most out of the day means we need to be proactive. If you are looking to get more out of the day, there may be a few different reasons as to why our ambitions have increased. This increase in ambition will also increase our stress level. The stress level is increased due to the decreased time to accomplish goals. In an effort to reduce this stress, start by setting limits on leisure activities. Social media, video games, and Internet browsing can be a great way to relax, but they can also be a major criminal, the way they steal our time.

Setting these limits, on leisure activities, can be as easy as setting a reminder on your phone. Having an outside regulator, pushing you to the next task, may be just the thing to help generate the needed momentum for behavior modification. We set goals for many different reasons. The ability to accomplish these goals really depends (usually) on the determination and discipline we are willing to put forth. Not understanding how to get started can feel quite overwhelming. The alarm to move on to the next task will set the ground work to be more self-reliant, self-aware, and focused.

Time management can be worked on at any moment in the day. The idea about setting an alarm to move on to new tasks is only the beginning. If you are finding yourself losing time on socializing and wondering through the internet, over the course of a few days, try to notice how long you are scrolling and cut the time by 25%. This reduction of self-indulgence will be difficult to combat, even if you are actively trying to change the behavior. The needed support system will come in the form of an alarm pushing you to your goal. With this information in mind, work every moment of every day to achieve the things that are important to you.  

5 Stages of change

In life there is adversity. We are challenged by different obstacles on a daily basis. In order to mature we must change. In life (and fitness) there are stages of readiness. I am certified by NASM as a personal trainer. Today we will talk about NASM's 5 Stages of Change. If I want change I must set an attainable goal, with a deadline, then focus all efforts towards that goal. If you are not ready to change you will never reach that goal. There will be no magic pill purchased on the internet or the dark web, that will allow you to achieve your goals. You must be ready to modify your behavior to achieve.

1. Precontemplation: As a trainer, I would need to educate & dispel any myths that folks at this stage may have. People at this stage have no intention of working out and do not plan to start in the next 6 months. Because I cannot force intention on anyone, education is key for people who are in this stage.

2. Contemplation: These people are not very active either, but they are thinking of becoming more active in the next six months. Because contemplators are thinking about starting training, education is still the best strategy. Trainers could help influence the decision by listening to what the person wants, and what they actually need. Contemplators need the proper support system to help motivate them in the proper direction. 

3. Preparation: Ok here we are! People in this stage do workout (occasionally), but are looking to make it a regular thing in the next month. They believe in the health benefits of fitness and nutrition. People in this stage may have a few misconceptions or unrealistic ideas about achieving their goals. This misunderstanding increases the chances of disappointment an early dropout.

4. Action: These people are getting after it, but they aren't able to maintain the behavior for six months. Again, education is great for reenforcing their beliefs in the health benefits of exercise. It is important to discuss the obstacles & disruptions that may lay down the road. Anticipate upcoming events that can derail progress made, Unforeseen adversity is a given and we can be better prepared by practicing for the known adversity. 

5. Maintenance: This is the place to be! People here have been able to maintain change for six months or more. Fitness is apart of their lifestyle. In this stage we can still be tempted return to old habits of less exercise. A certain level of discipline is reached at this stage, but a support system is just as important as it is for the people in the previous stages.