Tag: self-improvement

Simple Steps to a Happy New Year

Here we are at the beginning of another New Year. I find it hard to believe it’s 2019. Where did the time go? Along with the excitement of a shiny New Year comes the resolve of self-improvement through (ack) New Year’s Resolutions. I personally dislike New Year’s Resolutions because I believe they set us up for failure. And disappointment. Statistics reveal that most people give up in less than 2 weeks! That’s a terrible way to start a New Year, by feeling like you’ve already failed. I have another idea. Each and every day is a new start, and an opportunity for self-reflection and self-improvement. Or not. After all, life is full of hits and unexpected challenges that can undermine even our best intentions and throw us off track. It’s important to remember...

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Self-Indulgence Is Not A Dirty Word

My ballet master was incredibly demanding, which is one of the things I loved about him. After all, I don’t want to become complacent. Complacency breeds mediocrity, and in my opinion, that is a waste of human potential. He would often chastise us if we weren’t working hard enough to satisfy him and his high standards. During the middle of brutal and complicated movement patterns he would frequently scream, “Don’t be so self-indulgent!” Not only was it distracting, it was demoralizing to be called self-indulgent when you were dancing your heart out and working your butt off. Besides, the way he said it made it sound like a dirty word. In his mind, it was a dirty word. I always wondered why, and I never understood what he meant. I would have asked him, but he...

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New Year: Now What?

Here we are, at the beginning of another New Year. Anything is possible in a new year, including keeping our New Year’s Resolutions. It doesn’t matter what your plans are, but it does matter very much how you implement them. So, whether you would like to exercise more, lose weight, get in shape, eat healthier, improve your finances, or enjoy healthier relationships, here are a few simple steps to keep in mind to help you accomplish your goals. 1). Set clear and specific goals. Rather than making a general statement such as “I want to lose weight,” set a more well-defined goal. For example, “I will lose 2-3 pounds over the next 4-6 weeks.  This will allow you to focus on what you would like to accomplish within a set time frame, rather than a generalized statement...

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