Goals and motivation

[Fresh start 17467]

How hard is it to quit smoking?

You join the gym do you go?

Trying to lose weight?

Cutting back on something?

Whatever it is it can be tough so I was thinking why not have a motivation thread for your goals. A place you can post accomplishment or milestone. Maybe give advice on ways to help motivate or achieve? And there no shame either in asking for advice?

 

Its been 4 months since I decide I need to change my lifestyle. I was going down a dark path alone. I was very unhappy and physically losing my health because I just didn't care. I've been going to the gym regularly several time a week. I've changed my eating habits which is difficult at times. Cut fast food out of my life along with soda. At first I would crave these things but now I don't. I may not be on a huge diet but cutting out the worst things in my diet was helped wonders.

As for being happy for sure I have my ups and down but I had an exquisite beautiful lady told me to think positive stuff, don't look at the negative and smile. It's helped quite a bit. I also learned take time for myself, helping others all the time is not alway good if you don't take time for yourself. I still have some ways to go but, it's vast improvement.

[Wolf Knight 29667]

Thanks for sharing your stories with us. It's difficult to share some of your struggles sometimes but hopefull you'll find some motivation or just a an ear to listen here in our largly anonymous community. Sometimes just hearing that others out there share in your struggle and understand really helps.

 

For me, just knowing that someone else is "real, vulnerable and human" endears them to me.

 

Best of luck with your health.

[Guest S**a*Q]

I am one of the biggest procrastinators in the world. Based on all the stuff I have to get done, I should be better at what I do, but I'm great at creating excuses...

 

I need to cut back on social networking sites, this one included. For the amount of words I write in posts and statuses, I'd have a trilogy of novels written.

 

I don't know how to get out of the online rut I'm in... I'm close to unplugging the interwebs until I get my word count in.

 

Seriously, I think that's what I have to do.

[oldblueeyez 15475]

I'm probably a borderline alcoholic, as I can't seem to go a week without wine, but I'm proud that I've cut back from 4-6 bottles a week to 1-2 bottles.

I seem to appreciate the buzz more when it's less frequent. And yes, I drink for the buzz, I'm not going to beat around the bush, I love the feeling of slightly altered consciousness. It's a reminder that we can't trust our senses, that they're easily manipulated.

As an added bonus, I don't embarrass myself on CERB quite as often.

 

Wine and women, are they any better pleasures? :P

[Butterfly Kisses 2301]

I don't want this taken the wrong way. We are accountable for everything we do or don't do in life. Our actions alone leave us with the cards we deal ourselves.

 

I find comfort in living this way. I by no means have a perfect life, but what I have realized over time is I have no hard feelings for anyone. Simply put if I am with someone who drives me crazy, that is because I choose to let them be in my life. I am not accountable for their actions, just how I deal with it.

 

That doesn't mean I can deal with everything. Like anyone else out there, some things are very difficult to change or correct. But there is comfort in my mind to be able to understand I have control and when a decision has been made, good or bad, I accept it as my decsion and the result is mine only because of that decision.

 

For everyone who can accept that, changes will come easier and the results will help you get to your own level of comfort.

[Cleo Catra 178382]

I need to cut back on social networking sites, this one included. For the amount of words I write in posts and statuses, I'd have a trilogy of novels written.

 

That's what I need to do for sure. Every day I'm all 'I'm gonna clean my house from top to bottom!' then think...where did the day go, lol

 

For me, I realize that when I REALLY want to do something, I can. I quit smoking because I wanted to, and it was easy. I decided a year-and-a-half ago that I wanted to get a car, so I got my G1, took drivers ed, and got my G2 and a car all in less than a year.

 

But I also said last year I was going to learn to speak French over the winter. I failed. I've also said I'm going to cut junk food out, and I don't. I know that I am the reason these things aren't happening. I could do them. But I don't feel like committing the time to learning/I like eating the occasional pack of pretzel M&Ms. If either thing becomes a real need, or a real problem, then I am certain I can take care of it. But for now as much as I may say I want to learn/stop eating junk...I'm kinda enjoying things as they are

[Guest]

When you fall off the wagon, get up, dust yourself off and get back on.

[mrgreen760 37785]

I'm struggling with boredom. Have achieved what most would want, including financial security, business success, a positive attitude, long term relationship, good health and a close circle of friends. I know and appreciate that I have been blessed but part of me feels it was all too easy. I find I'm craving something challenging and feel the need to be really pushed to see what I can or can't accomplish.

 

Peace

MG

[Old Dog 179138]

I can't speak to the cravings - it's an issue that still daunts me.

 

In the grander scheme, my motivation is to wake up tomorrow morning. That will be the goal for me for the rest of my life... just to wake up tomorrow morning - everything else is gravy.

 

Major health concerns will do that to you - they let you understand the best thing in life is life itself. Set goals if you wish - but don't forget to live - TODAY.

 

I "died" for the briefest of moments 12 years ago. I had no vital signs. I was a young, healthy man with the world at my feet. My heart decided to just stop. Genetics had given me astronomically bad cholesterol levels to which I was completely oblivious. I was chastised by many physicians who claimed my life was a train wreck, accusing me of all kinds of physical debauchery - but the family physician actually sat me down and said, "this isn't your fault. Your body is betraying you."

 

It was the day of my heart surgery that I said to myself, "if you get through this, you are going to cherish every day." I have.

 

There are still things that I would like to do, things I want to do... but if I can't get to them, I will be satisfied with being happy. In reality, that is what should matter most to all of us.

 

So set your goals. Battle hard to make them work. Do whatever you can to achieve them - but never forget the universal truth. All you have and all you are is what you are experiencing right now. The past is gone and the future may never be. Live, laugh and love and help others around you do the same.

[Guest *Ste***cque**]

One of my goals is to try and live in the moment. I am prone to anxiety and living in the "Now" helps keep me centered. I rarely succeed but I always persist and keep trying. I also try not to measure my life by my successes but rather by whether I am still trying to improve. I always think my success can be taken away from me but hopefully my persistence to better myself remains. As long as I keep slowly moving forward down that path, even after some missteps, that's what I strive towards.

 

Stay on your path, Gabby, and good luck with quitting smoking! To everyone I say keep moving towards your own goals, but don't beat yourself up if you move sideways or backwards for a time.

 

On a non-existentialist note, I am currently working towards my goal of getting my black belt in BJJ. It's been a looong slog!