Just Start

By Deanna Heiliger –

This week, from emails, to Facebook, to bumper stickers… everywhere I look I keep getting the same message to “Just Start”. Maybe it’s because of my ongoing To-Do list, or my goal sheet hanging above my desk, or all the ideas swirling around in my head… but this message, “Just Start” keeps nudging me.

Maybe you can relate: When you have multiple things you want to accomplish, it’s hard to know where to begin. Sometimes it can be so overwhelming that you just don’t do any of the things on your To-Do list. It can cause anxiety and procrastination and a total shut down.

It seems to be easier to just get though the day to day items, like brushing your teeth, getting the kids to school, and making dinner. Never mind the extra errands, the additional piles, and your dreams and goals. It is too daunting to just get through the day. Have you ever felt this way? You have goals and dreams that are always pushed to the back of other daily duties because you don’t know where to begin.

After seeing this message of “Just Start” so much this week, I realized that I already knew what I have been putting off starting, but I had to dig to find out why. I have a lot of balls in the air… so many ideas… from speaking, to creating workshops, to writing eBooks, to guest blogging. So, these are the dreams I have been putting off… now why haven’t I put these goals into place? I know why…

The answer is fear!

The dreaded fear:

Fear of failing.

Fear of doing it wrong.

Fear of people not liking my work.

Fear of the unknown.

Fear of being too good.

Fear of being too successful.

Fear of being great.

Fear of being the best.

Below is one of my all-time favorite quotes from one of my favorite authors, Marianne Williamson.

Read it a few times and let it sink in… it really makes a lot of sense!

Isn’t fear a silly notion? Yes, some fear is very real. If you have been attacked by a pit bull before, then having a fear of those dogs is very natural and real. But let’s face it, most of us fear things that are never going to happen. Why would we be afraid of trying something we have a passion for? Why would we be afraid to try something new? I keep asking myself these questions and the answer of fear isn’t a healthy one. Fear and worry are a lot alike, and I heard this quote once that makes me think, “Worrying (or fearing) is praying for something you don’t want.” So, when we are projecting fear and letting fear stifle our actions that would allow us to reach our goals, fear has won. We are essentially letting something that isn’t even real have power over us. Now, that seems silly!

So, what I am going to do is this: I am going to start with my list of goals I want to accomplish and “Just Start” with one of them. I will do the best job I can, and if I make mistakes along the way, I will learn from them and move forward. I will then move on to my next goal, and keep crossing off and adding to my list. What are you going to do?

Think about this: What if Thomas Edison or Lucille Ball or Steve Jobs didn’t pursue their passion because of fear? Look at all the joy and wonder they have spread because they went for it! Is there something you have been putting off because of fear? Are you afraid that you are just too awesome?

Take Action: This week and moving forward, let’s get our goal lists out and dust them off. Let’s nudge fear out of our way and start putting our passion first. Let’s not be afraid of how outstanding and talented we are! Let’s dive in with both feet and go for it! If we fail, we’ll get right back up and try again… If we don’t fail, how powerful is that!?!?!

Because Together is Better,

Visit my Blog to become a “Better You”!

http://www.MeToThePowerOfWe.com

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Just Start

Once Upon a Dime: The Intuitive Path to a Happy Family (Part 2)

Read the first part of The Intuitive Path here.

In the case of choosing to marry my future wife, the intuitive message that I made the right decision, was the immense sense of comfort in her company, which proved to be both mutual and lasting. This year we’ll be celebrating our twelfth wedding anniversary and by now we can confidently call ourselves a well seasoned couple.

Embracing voluntary modesty
Cheryl and I have lived in not entirely voluntary modesty since we first met and while we might have had a perpetual difficulty meeting the society-implied standards for the bottom line, we have always had each-other. The single greatest support when odds were against us.

Not only have we had a deep understanding and profound love for each-other, but we have nurtured common dreams of living close to nature. Because it instinctually felt like a fail-proof ambition, we decided to follow through and do it uncompromisingly. Not for egoistic reasons, but for the immediate realization that a consequently nature-informed way of life has to benefit not only ourselves and fellow human beings, but nature as a whole, animate and inanimate.

Photo: Cheryl Magyar

Living close to nature
When some seven years ago the two of us toured the countryside in search for home and came across our future homestead as a place for sale, we let – again –, that already familiar great sense of comfort and arrival be the decisive factor, not the visual (un)appeal of five buildings all in different stages of dilapidation, the land managed with conventional, soil-disturbing and soil-depleting methods, or a murky pond. We felt like children who just set their feet on the most exciting playground they had ever been. Locals eventually told us we overpaid, but we considered it a possible dream come true and didn’t even negotiate.

Was it not for the maturity of our relationship with my wife after nine years of “together” and “we”, was it not for separating from the selfish “me”, we would probably not have been able to provide our daughter, Csermely, with such a truly awesome arrival as we did: in the intimacy of our home and facilitated by no one else but her mother, her father and herself.

Living a healthy life
Yes, it also took cutting the mental umbilical cord with customs and following instead trust in evolutionarily encoded capabilities, such as that of a healthy mother being entirely apt for giving life to her healthy offspring or – from the offspring’s angle – the healthy child wanting and being able to squeeze herself through the exhilaration of birth. From my fatherly perspective, in this same framework I had to and wanted nothing more than to subject to the unrelenting patience needed and give the best I could of my inherent helpfulness.

Relative poverty taught us more. Taught us to take good care of our own health – in fact much better care than any “solidarity” based conventional state healthcare system would. Taught us resilience and reliance of nature’s pharma. This also felt a very intuitive direction to take, however it does come along with informing ourselves and cross-referencing the information in the wider and wider pool of knowledge.

Photo: Cheryl Magyar

Being happy with less
In fact having to turn around on a dime augmented an avalanche of life changes. Showed us how much less than we had imagined is actually enough to be happy with. Helped us understand that we ought to let go of physical and cultural inheritances that are incompatible with a sustainable future, the new culture that we (and you, dear reader) have to bring alive. Along this same way, we rethought our nutrition. Keeping our minds and digestive tracts open for diverse and only real foods, we virtually shut the passed down cook books for good – for better.

It only felt natural to shed our synthetic and synthetically altered natural garments off next. That’s where you would find us in real time: me sewing my hemp rope shoe soles, Cheryl knitting her new wool vest and Csermely proudly modeling the latest handcrafted garments her parents fashion.

I find these kinds of ambitions healthy spirited. Don’t you? Yet I feel the need to mention that it is precisely here, where legislature of both totalitarian and democratic political systems have a real shortcoming. If one’s healthy spirited desires do not meet the alleged interest of a majority (by laws, traditions, etc.), the individual and her dream is subject for squishing or labeling, which is hugely unjust toward the dignity and self fulfillment of that individual – let’s not forget that society as a whole also consists of individuals.

Never mind, we are and will be here to show humble example of just how much listening to our hearts can accomplish.

Join in and share the thoughts of your heart, too! We are eager to listen to its beat.

This post is part of Listen to Your Heart month on Kanelstrand. Read the rest of the posts here and join in the discussions, we’d love to know what you think!

Also, don’t forget to Join us with Roland again on Thursday, February
28th to learn how to follow the intuitive path to a happy family.

Roland
Magyar is a thirty five year old husband and father, a sustainable life
designer with holistic approach. You can read more from him and his
wife on their simple living blog, or else converse with them on Facebook.

Once Upon a Dime: The Intuitive Path to a Happy Family (Part 2)

Four Ways To Stop Procrastination In Its Tracks And Improve Your Productivity

By Stephanie Wellington, M.D. –

Procrastination is like a disease. It zaps all your energy, festers for as long as you allow it, and robs you of all your dreams. It spreads into every area of your life. From time to time we all put off today that which we could have honestly undertaken and completed. It may be that we are pressed for time. It may be that someone or something else is the priority at that moment. It may be that the task at hand seems more like a chore and doesn’t excite us, so we leave it for another day.

In the whole scheme of life there will be times when we have to choose which tasks we do in the present moment. There are times when seeing patients takes priority over everything else. We may have to do research or seek additional information from other resources in order to maintain high standards of medical care for our patients and ourselves. Procrastination happens when we are making excuses not to implement in the moment. Although it is a decision, that decision comes back to haunt us and rob us of our energy as we fall into the trap of ‘what we should have done’. Instead of moving on with our lives, there is that constant reminder of the job left undone.

Successful people have mastered procrastination. They have rid themselves of this disease whose purpose is to add stress and disappointment to life. They understand that energy is wasted over rehashing what did not get done. They thrive on the momentum that mounts as they celebrate the victory of completion.

As doctors, nurses, and practitioners are being asked to do more with fewer resources mastering procrastination is the key to success. Identifying whether procrastination is an issue for you and then developing strategies to combat it is the first step towards success.

1. Perform a self assessment of how procrastination is affecting you. Procrastination may not have a big impact on your professional life as a doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner or provider. In these roles accountability is high as we perform within the context of a team. Other people are counting on us to be reliable, to do what we say we will do, and to do it in a timely fashion. We are quite clear that our patients trust and rely on us. Procrastination more often shows up in our personal lives as we put things on hold that could easily be completed, thereby freeing up much of the energy we waste thinking about what needs to be done.

2. Carefully weigh the amount of time it takes to efficiently and effectively complete a task and then set aside that time. Here’s what that looks like. Once you have decided that it will take 15 minutes to complete a task, rather than just add it to your To Do List, actually allocate where in your day you will block 15 minutes to complete it. Use the 15 minutes as efficiently as possible and then move on when the time is up. If you need more time, then repeat the process.

3. Keep distractions to a minimum. Setting boundaries is essential to maintain concentration and work flow. When you work with a team of people it is quite easy to get distracted by the needs of others. Provide your team members with the information they need to execute their jobs and then trust them to do so. When patient care questions arise, ensure that the right team member has the skill set to effectively assess the situation.

4. Harness the energy of completion. Regardless of how small a completed task may seem, celebrate it. Enjoy scratching it off your list of things to do. Give yourself a pat on the back for honoring yourself and keeping your promise. Tap into the positive energy from this success to build momentum and catapult you to the next one.

Lately I find myself thinking back to the first two years of medical school when the volume of material to be mastered was overwhelming. And yet I did it. We all did it for our respective fields of study. Did I procrastinate then? You bet I did—in the beginning. Then my philosophy changed from putting off today… to ‘Just Do It.’ And sometimes it really is about just doing it.

Stephanie A. Wellington, MD, Medical Coach and Mentor is founder of Best Life For Medical Professionals. Best Life for Medical Professionals is created out of the increasing demand for expert coaching and mentoring for doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners and other medical professionals in the face of an evolving medical field. Through coaching, professionals are guided to become top performers in their careers and in their lives. Visit http://www.BestLifeForMedicalProfessionals.com to schedule your Free Strategy Session today.

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Four Ways To Stop Procrastination In Its Tracks And Improve Your Productivity

How You Can Stop Making Excuses

By Jeff Gaines –

How often do you see successful people making excuses when things don’t go their way? Now how often do you see unsuccessful people making these excuses? A key difference between winners and losers is that winners take full responsibility for themselves, and learn from their mistakes. Losers make excuses for their mistakes, instead of realizing that they can actually do something about them. In their mind, there is always some reason beyond their control that caused them to fail. Unsuccessful people act as if they are waiting for someone or something to appear in their lives that will instantly make everything better. Successful people realize that the chances of this happening are close to zero, so they take responsibility for their own lives. When you start to realize this correlation between success and responsibility, it will make you feel more in control of your future than ever before.

There are many common excuses people make when failing to achieve their goals. “It’s not my fault,” “I am unlucky,” “I’m too tired right now; I’ll feel more motivated later.” In their mind, things have to be absolutely perfect before they can take action. When the slightest challenge arises, they immediately hide behind excuses. While it’s true that sometimes things happen that are beyond our control, we are almost always responsible for the long-term results we obtain.

Take for example two college students. One is aware of how much control he has over his life, while the other one feels his future depends mostly on other people. If the first student gets a bad grade on an exam, he is likely to realize he should have studied more, which will influence his study habits for the next exam. If the second student gets a bad grade, he might blame it on the professor, his busy schedule, his inability to grasp the subject, or any number of excuses. He will likely feel that all of these reasons are beyond his control, keeping him from making the necessary change to his study habits. If he got a bad grade because of something he couldn’t prevent, there would be no use in trying harder. It is obvious which student will be more successful, no matter which professor each has, how busy their schedules, or their natural ability. The student that takes responsibility for the outcome and makes necessary adjustments will eventually get the outcome they were seeking. The student that makes excuses for everything that goes wrong will never make changes, since they feel like it isn’t their fault. While this was a hypothetical situation, it happens all around us every day. We are all guilty of this at times, but becoming aware of it can help us put an end to it.

Think about a goal you often have trouble completing. What is it that stands in your way? What excuses do you find yourself making that prevent you from making progress? At first, it may seem like you have a valid excuse, but almost all excuses can be traced back to something you can do about them. For example, say you are having trouble getting yourself to exercise. Maybe your excuse is that you don’t have enough energy. This may be true at the moment, but you can do something about it. You can choose to eat healthier, get better quality sleep, or many other things to increase your energy. If your excuse is that you don’t have enough time, consider how much time you waste watching television or surfing the internet. Chances are very low that you can’t spare twenty minutes a few times each week to greatly improve your health. These excuses may sound solid, but that’s only because you’ve used them so often and they have worked for you. Even though this example was about exercising, almost all excuses for any goal can be broken down like this. Once you have thought about how weak these excuses are, you can figure out ways to overcome them.

Take Action Now: Consider a goal that you often struggle with. Make a list of all the excuses you make for not completing that goal. Break down each excuse until you have a specific plan to overcome it. The next time you catch yourself making an excuse, make use of your plan. You may find yourself coming up with new excuses, so you will need to break these down as well. You will eventually get so good at breaking down excuses that you will be overcoming them without much effort. You will start making more progress on your goals than you ever imagined.

Jeff Gaines is the author of the recently launched self improvement website http://www.upspiration.com Please visit to show your support and to view more quality articles like this one.

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How You Can Stop Making Excuses

Outsourcing Relationships And Peddling Influence: Why Social Media Is Not Fun Anymore

When I first started blogging in 2006, the medical blogosphere consisted of a small group of physicians, nurses, and patient advocates. We knew each other well, and spent time each day visiting our favorite blogs and posting personal comments of encouragement and insight. We developed real friendships, and were optimistic about our brave new online writing frontier. We thought we could change the healthcare system for the better, we believed that our perspectives could influence policy, and we were sure that our writing could help our patients lead healthier lives.

I remember with great fondness the medical blogger conference that I attended in Las Vegas in 2009. It was the first time I’d met most of my blog friends in real life (IRL) – it was like seeing your favorite pen pals after years of correspondence. We talked all night, had marveled at how a love of writing had brought together a surgeon from South Africa, an ER nurse from California, and a Canadian rehab physician, among others. We figured that social media was the glue that held us all together. Since then, I am sad to say that for me, the glue has lost its stickiness due to dilution by third parties and a glut of poor quality content dividing attentions and exhausting our brains’ filter system.

Fast forward 7 years and most of my email correspondence is from strangers wanting to embed text links in my blog, people selling SEO services, or PR agencies inviting me to provide free coverage of their industry-sponsored conferences and webinars. I can’t think of a single friend who has left a comment on my blog in the past three months. Sure we see each other’s updates on Facebook and occasionally on Twitter, but I can’t remember the last real conversation we’ve had. Social Media has become irreversibly cluttered, and I’ve never felt more isolated or guarded about the future of medical writing.

My thoughts on this subject gelled when Twitter announced that LeBron James was following me (along with a select 80,000+ others). Obviously, LeBron has no idea who I am, and I’m almost certain he had nothing to do with his Twitter account following me. He, like many others, has outsourced his online relationship-making. It’s the ultimate irony – using social media to distance yourself from others, while maintaining an appearance of engagement. Sort of like sending a blow up doll of yourself to a party.

So what keeps some people going on these social media platforms? Perhaps it’s the allure of influence – the idea that many people are listening to you gives a sense of importance and meaning to your efforts. But take a cold hard look at your followers – do you know who most of them are? Or is there a large group of “hotchick123″ type Twitter accounts counted among them? I used to block followers who didn’t seem real or relevant, but it became so much of a chore that I couldn’t keep up. I was overwhelmed by the Huns.

One could argue that my social media fatigue  is my own fault – I didn’t screen my followers properly, I didn’t follow the “right” people, I haven’t curated my friendships with as much care as I ought to… But I know I’m not alone in my pessimism. A recent Pew Research poll suggests that people are leaving Facebook at a rapid rate. And as far as Twitter is concerned, it’s not for everyone.

I guess the bottom line for me is that social media isn’t as much fun as it used to be. I miss my blog friends, I miss the early days of being part of an online community. I don’t write as much as I used to because I don’t know my audience by name anymore. This “party” is full of strangers and I don’t like the familiarity that continues in the absence of true friendship.

Time to spend more of my energy on my patients, family, and friends IRL. And that’s a good lesson for a doctor to learn…

Outsourcing Relationships And Peddling Influence: Why Social Media Is Not Fun Anymore

Healthy Bagged Lunch Ideas for Adults.

Hey Davey,

I work in construction so I’m pretty much forced to bring a bagged lunch to work. There are no microwaves to heat up stuff so its pretty much sandwiches. I usually eat sandwiches but I’ve heard that deli meat isn’t good for you. I sometimes eat yogurt and an apple and sometimes salads, but salads get old quick. What can I bring to work that is healthy?

From,
David

Hey David,

Personally, I think it’s a lot easier to eat healthy with bagged lunches than going out to restaurants and delis. You have complete control over your menu – and you’ll know exactly what you’re putting into the food you eat.

I have a few tips for you to try.

Start with healthy bread. When picking out a loaf, read the ingredients carefully. Just because a bread is labeled as “multigrain” or “wheat” doesn’t necessarily mean that the bread is made from whole grains. The ingredients must list the word “whole” before any of the grains. “Wheat” isn’t the same as “whole wheat” so don’t be fooled.
Load up the veggies. Pile your sandwich up with a generous portion of veggies. Vegetables are low in calories but high in nutrients – so this is a great opportunity to truly indulge without adding to your waistline. Cut up peppers, thick slices of tomatoes, red onions and so on. I like to top my sandwiches with lettuce, sprouts and a spread of avocado.
Opt for lean meat or other protein sources. Though you mentioned that deli meats are unhealthy, the truth is that not all sliced meat products are created equal. Meats like bologna are terribly unhealthy. But fresh sliced turkey or chicken can be a smart choice. Fresh deli meats will have less sodium and some consumers like to avoid nitrates (though the research on nitrates is still somewhat inconclusive).
Pick clean sides. The devil can be in the details. A delicious and nourishing sandwich should be accompanied by equally healthy sides like carrots sticks, hummus, mixed unsalted nuts with raisins, apple slices and real peanut butter, a bowl of fresh fruit, quinoa, brown rice, berries or even my healthy three ingredient cookies. If you’re craving a crunch, try making some homemade whole wheat pita chips. A side salad is also a great choice. Speaking of salads…
Spice up your salad! My grandmother said that only boring people get bored. I’d like to extend that to only boring people make boring salads. The salad can even be the main course if you top it with some sliced chicken or other type of protein. I like to mix my salad with sprouts, microgreens, kale, homemade whole wheat croutons (so easy to make!), peppers, onions, seeds, tomatoes, cranberries or other dried fruits, olives, strawberries, tofu or so many other delicious ingredients. There are a zillion different salad combinations – and literally hundreds of heart-healthy dressing options.

I hope this helps to upgrade your bagged lunches. If anyone has any other tips, please share them in the comments below.

Love,
Davey

Healthy Bagged Lunch Ideas for Adults.

What Are Supersets Good For?

If you’ve done any exercise-related research, you’ve probably come across the term superset. A superset is when you perform two exercises back-to-back without stopping.

In doing supersets, you have two options. You can either superset the same muscle group or you can superset different muscle groups. For example, you could superset pull-ups with barbell biceps curls to really hit your biceps. Or you could superset an exercise like the bench press (that works your chest) with dumbbell rows (that train your back).

If you use supersets to target the same muscle group, you may discover that it’s a really effective way to break through a stubborn plateau. Because supersets performed on the same muscle group will mean hitting that muscle deeper and harder, you’ll probably make some impressive strength gains for subsequent workouts.

Using supersets to train different muscle groups is extremely popular. The advantage here is simple. If you’re planning to do a chest and back workout, using supersets allows you to do more in less time by cutting out extra rest periods. Instead of sitting around for 60 seconds during a rest period, you’re able to go on to another exercise for a different muscle group. You’ll still get the recovery you need, but you’ll be working another muscle group in the meantime.

Regardless of how you use supersets, they will certainly make your heart pump harder. In fact, you’ll probably break a sweat; supersets can be something of a cardio workout and you may test your endurance – but you’ll quickly adjust in a few weeks.

To get the most out of your workout in the least amount of time, give supersets a try! And take a look at drop sets and negatives for additional training techniques.

What Are Supersets Good For?