How a simple shift in your self-talk can change how you think and feel about a lot of things you "have to" do | Senior Focus | Max Greenberg | Palo Alto Online |

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About this blog: I developed a special interest in helping seniors with their challenges and transitions when my dad had a stroke and I helped him through all the various stages of downsizing, packing, moving and finding an assisted living communi...  (More)

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How a simple shift in your self-talk can change how you think and feel about a lot of things you "have to" do

Uploaded: Nov 20, 2013
The day I had a mind shift and decided I "wanted to" go to the gym and work out, rather than that I "had to" work out, was the day I started to look forward to my workouts and couldn't wait to get up early and go to the gym, or get home from work to do it. It's such a simple change to make, once you think about it. When you "have to" do something, you dread it, procrastinate, and often take longer doing it than is necessary. You certainly are not going to enjoy doing it. But when you "want to" do something which may not be easy, if you just list in your head all the good that will come out of doing it, then you now have all the motivation you need to do it, and do it well. Take working out: list all the benefits ie. health, feeling like you are looking fit and attractive, being stronger, quicker. Sexier.

The same goes for a job you haven't loved too much, up until now. Just list all of the benefits you get from the job, rather than what you don't like about it ie. you get paid money for doing it and that money you can use to take care of your family; find some satisfaction you get from the job ie. helping others, being creative. Focus on the positive aspects of the job, maybe some of the job-related friendships you've developed.

"Up until now": that's a powerful phrase you can employ whenever you want to change what you've been doing that's not been getting you the results you want. More about that later...
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