One Small Step - Sometimes Slow Changes Is Best

We've tried hundreds of times to lose weight, to eat better, to start exercising. We start off gung-ho, we quit things cold turkey, we make huge New Year's resolutions. We'll last for a few weeks, maybe even a few months. But then we have a bad day, which turns into a bad week, and pretty soon we're eating a pint of ice cream all by ourselves in the middle of the night. These drastic changes can cause a great deal of stress and can actually shut down the cortex in our brains, causing us to loose our ability to think, judge, and reason. So, our past failures are not really our fault. We were just changing too quickly and short-circuiting our minds in the process. So, instead of making life altering changes overnight, try changing gradually, giving your mind, body, friends, and family time to adjust to this new you. To lose weight, for example, you know you should start eating healthier. But don't do it overnight, do it gradually. Start by eating an apple a day. Then in two weeks, add a salad to your meals. In four months, replace your steaks with chicken, and drink water instead of soda pop. In a year, you'll be able to see your toes and you'll feel 10 years younger. And how did you do it? By taking one small step at a time and doing it consistently over a period of months and years. This same method can be applied to getting a better job, being more creative, even saving more money. By starting small, taking one class at a time, writing one sentence in your journal each night, and putting $20 a month in your IRA, you can start yourself towards the goals you've always been too scared to work towards. The days are going to pass anyway, why not do a little something each day to make your future brighter. In a year, you'll thank yourself for being so diligent, and you'll think, "Hey, that wasn't so bad after all."