A Boomer's Footprint

Author: D Kelly

Adopt a Good Habit

Your road ahead only seems like you are climbing an insurmountable sand dune at first! But regular, small steps will get you there.

You already know why I suggest that adopting a new habit is an integral component of achieving your 90 Day Challenge. But to spell it out……

“A Habit is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously.” Wikipedia

The obvious key words here – regularly and occur subconsciously.

If only we were already at the subconscious stage but NO not yet. But by repeating an action over and over again, by taking consistent, small steps daily, we can reach our goal. Our routine can become rote –a habit.

Keeping a record of your 90 Day Challenge experience is so important. Sitting down every day and writing in your journal, can keep you motivated to keep working towards goal. It’s actually encouraging to read back over your writings to see your progress.

Then, imagine sharing your journey with others. This is my goal on the “ourcommonjourney” blog page.

Here are my 8 steps for adopting a new habit. The 8 steps will be part of our conversation over the next few months.

-1- Know your WHY

-2-What is your goal (Should be written by now)

-3- Use affirmations, visualization and meditation (Should be written)

-4- Commit to 90 days – Our challenge

-5- Make it regular

-6- Start with small steps

-7- Plan ahead

-8- Accept a bump in the road.

Next post is about committing to our action plans.

July 7, 2016
Our 90 Day Goal

We are ready to go – to accomplish our 90 Day Challenge. We chose our challenge. We wrote an affirmation. We’ve had 10 days to get used to the idea, so game on.

Remember, the affirmation is a one line statement, written in the present tense of where you will be, what you will have accomplished by September 21, 2016. For example, I AM FIT.

Next we will write a goal for our “90 Day Challenge”.

I’m suggesting a different method of goal setting, which I learned from Steve Pavlina, a successful personal development advocate. In the past, I used the SMART method of goal setting but now prefer Pavlina’s method.

Traditionally we think of a goal as an achievement made in the future, but the main purpose of our goal is to improve the quality of our present. We can’t guarantee the future but we can control what we are doing now – each and every day. So if I want to be FIT, then every day I keep my body moving, building my strength and stamina.

The purpose of our goal is to gain clarity and focus and to keep motivated right now. We will change our attitude about engaging in our activity.

By focusing on the NOW, we will also learn skills which we can repeat in future challenges and goals.

Some benefits of setting goals are:

To Learn about ourselves or a new skill

To create a life style

To gain Inner Strength

To become persistent

To gain self-confidence

To develop self-belief

To become a leader

To accomplish our big challenge

Using present tense language, write down your goal. For example:

My goal is to read 20 minutes each night before falling asleep.

My goal is to volunteer in a new organization, learning a new skill set.

My goal is to lose 10 pounds.

My goal is to have an organized garage, closet, or……

Write your goal in your journal, on a device, index card or calendar – keep it somewhere that is always visible and where you will look at it every day.

Some life style changes, can best be achieved by adopting or eliminating a habit. A behavior we perform on a regular, consistent basis. By taking steps every day to achieve our goal.

My next post is on adopting a new habit.

June 30, 2016
Build your Team

Having a support team around you can make the difference between success and failure when making a Big Change – our goal during this 90 Day Challenge.

It is important to ask for the support of those closest to you. You want, even need them on your team. Be upfront with your core people. Let them know exactly want you want to accomplish this summer. And ask for their support.

You could build a team of one or more people and “Work your Plan” together.

Not everyone will be supportive. So it is important to discount their negativity and doubts and stay true to yourself and follow your plan.

Since our community will have a variety of Challenges, I can’t directly address all of them in my posts.

Here are two suggestions:

If you are working on health and fitness. There are so many programs around. You need to decide if you want prepared meals, an online support program, meetings or another systems. Some we’ve heard of are Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Nutri Systems, Lean Cuisine and others.

It may be hard to choose. Ask friends for their recommendations and success rate. If you have tried one program in the past and failed. You may give it another go. This time commit to follow the plan.

I make a lot of dishes from cookbooks by both Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Joel Fuhrman. These work for me because I am mainly vegetarian. I find it difficult to follow their programs daily. They are quite strict.

If you want to be more organized, I recommend Maria Gracia. I have been following her blog for a couple of years. Here is the link to her products page, which are reasonable priced.

http://www.getorganizednow.com/orderdet.html

For other 90 Day Challenge goals, there is so much resource materials available. Again, you could ask a friend or colleague who is successful in that area for a recommendation.

Or as we say Google it. Many programs also have online communities for support.

If you are stuck, ask me and I will help with the research.

This is one way I can be on your team. I will also provide motivation, support, and general tips and techniques to help you succeed.

I encourage you to post any questions and comments in the box available at the end of each blog post.

If you’re are having problems getting started or sticking to your plan, we could schedule a one-one consultation. Submit your request in the comments section, as well.

Next time, we will write out our goal.

June 25, 2016
Did I sufficiently freak you out with the 90 day Challenge idea?

Even I was overwhelmed when I read over my list of obstacles and I already put myself through a 90 day challenge this past spring. So I know what’s ahead.

The truth is we could have a lot of areas to work on. And it’s okay. We can tackle them one at a time.

Today is our first check in – have you chosen your biggest obstacle to work on yet?

It’s okay if you haven’t. You can mull it over a bit more or start with a smaller problem if the idea of Biggest challenge is too much right now. The main goal of this “90 Day Challenge” is to choose one area in your life which is holding you back and to change it.

As I write these posts, I will constantly be telling you to “get out your journal”. If you done any personal develop work in the past, you know this is an integral part of achieving success.

Did you know we have between 35 and 48 different thoughts in one minute? Talk about multi-tasking. It’s just not fair to ask our brains to REMEMBER the steps we need to take each and every day to complete our 90 Day Challenge.

Let’s get going. Research show that regularly repeating an affirmation using language in the present tense, as if it is already true, makes the brain believe you are already where you want to be.

Action Step:

Get out your journal. Writing this statement to the top of the page:

In 90 days, I __________________________.

For example:

I weigh _____________lbs.

My closet is clean.

I now work at _________________.

I have all the time I need to ______________________.

I sleep __________- hours every night.

I am drug free.

I ran my first 5K.

Next post on Saturday. I appreciate comments and questions. Don’t be shy. Let me know what’s on your mind.

Good Luck.

June 23, 2016
Join Me for a 90 day Challenge

The sky suggest limitless of possibilities. We can soar. What can you accomplish if you try? What change can you commit to that will Make a Significance Difference for you?

Boomers: it’s time to “Make a Difference for Ourselves!”

Now I know what you thinking. Many believe that as boomers were / are selfish, self-indulgent and self-centered. But WE know that is not the whole story. WE just wanted to do things “My Way.”

While we have succeeded in many areas in our lives, we all have something/s on our plate unfinished, unresolved. So I propose tackling one of these issues NOW.

Imagine that in 90 days you can overcome the biggest challenge you’ve procrastinated about you for ages.

Here’s how to get started

Step 1 – Dig out your journal, dust it off and get going.

If you don’t have a journal, use a yellow tablet, copy paper or any paper scrap available. (Kidding – spring for a nice book, one you are happy to write in every day.) We will use the journal to record our 2016 BIG goal and track our progress while reaching it.

As you read the list, write down all of the statements in your journal which are true for you. Be honest. This info is for your eyes only. Don’t get overwhelmed if you are writing down a LOT of statements. We will tackle each challenges one at a time.

One or more items on the following list may be your issue OR you already know “What It Is” because, you’ve been thinking about it for years.

Here goes:

I am (_____) pounds overweight

Run a 5K, I can’t even run five blocks

I need more sleep

I take so many drugs

I am in a rut eating unhealthy foods

I just can’t remember things

I have many negative thoughts

I’m too tired

I can’t get off the couch

I am depressed

I feel lazy, unmotivated

I am uninspired

I am discouraged

I don’t have enough time

I’m a sandwich between my parents and my children

I’m too old to learn new tricks

I am sick of my job

I wish I had a job

I dream of owning my own business

Retire, retire with what money

I have too much month at the end of my money

My house is a mess

I have too much stuff

I can never find anything

I am a shopaholic

How did you do?

1-10 items – excellent considering we have lived 60+ years. That one issue every six years. I wonder which one was neglected before age 5!

10 – 15 items – oops – somewhere you lost your way

15 + items – you’ve got serious work to do. But don’t be discouraged, change is possible. I’m going to show you how.

Step 2 – Choose your big challenge.

Now, pick just ONE item from your journal to work on.

This summer 2016 – over the next 90 days, we are going all in to overcome this issue – no excuses – pick your BIGGEST CHALLENGE. The thing that’s been nagging you for the longest. The thing that you said to yourself for so long if only I ………….

Step 3 – Sign up for my newsletter. Automatically receive my blog posts every few day where I share tips and techniques to help you succeed. I will also share my personal journey.

Take two days to psyche yourself up. How to Create your plan arrives on Thursday. You can also follow me on twitter for daily tips.

Good Luck.

June 21, 2016
3 months later – DK loses two inches around waist

This is such great news! I am happy with this small accomplishment – only 3 more inches to go.

We know that making physical changes is a life long commitment to being healthy and fit. Results are not only measured by the scale reading but how we feel and how our clothes fit. This is what I have noticed first. My pants are falling down to my hips.

The fitbit has been key to my success. I have consistently “stepped” over 5,000 times 5 times a week, whatever it takes to get them done.

For example, last night I came home from an art gallery reception at 9:35 at night. It could’ve been so easy to miss my daily goal. Maybe the old me would have but the not the new me. I had only walked 3,100 steps for the day and so I started moving and ended with 6,023 steps for the day.

The key to my 2″ loss is “persistence pays off”. I do what it takes to keep moving.

Check out these before and after photos.

Before

After

As to my two February goals, I was only half succeeded.

-1- no chocolate – I resisted this craving for the month. Though there wasn’t a day that went by without dreaming of that gooey goodness. Must say already in March, I am making up for lost chocolate but since I don’t keep any in the house it takes an effort to indulge.

-2- drink water – a total failure. I finally measured the glass bottle I use in the house and discovered that it only holds 5 cups so drinking one bottle a day doesn’t even meet the suggested quota. Unfortunately, I did’t even drink this one bottle each day. This is a dilemma because I often feel thirsty which should inspire me to drink a water.

So for March I will continue with my steps and again work on drinking water.

How did you do with your health and fitness goals? Let me know.

March 10, 2016
Disrupting Aging

“Disrupt Aging”, a book written by Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP, will be available in April. This article was published in the February/March 2016 issue of AARP magazine, under the entertainment section. It is worth a read.

I heard Jo Ann Jenkins speak at the Encore 2016 Conference. She gave an inspiring speech about this notion of “disrupting aging.” I can’t wait to read more when the book is available.

In short, Jo Ann and many others are challenging current attitudes and beliefs about aging. For those of us in our 50’s and 60’s, we know we do not fall into many old stereotypes.

We care about health and fitness. We are still learning and experiencing life.

We continue to make a contribution to society.

We are the largest population of a generation to date. Our efforts account for over $7.1 trillion in US Annual economic activity. This amount is expected to almost double by 2032.

We can expect products and services that meet our needs. This provides a great opportunities for entrepreneurs, including ourselves.

Changing the viewpoint of aging starts with us, in our behavior, actions, language. and our own self-image. We have knowledge and experiences that are “priceless”.

How we we use our clout?

February 27, 2016
Encore 2016 Conference

Through the power of an internet search, I recently found a new inspiration. Similar to my finding the green movement back in the mid 1980’s, I discovered Encore.org and attended their 2016 Conference held in San Francisco this past week.

The mission of Encore is “to build a movement to tap the skills and experience of those in midlife and beyond to improve communities and the world.”

The talent, level of commitment, enthusiasm, quality of good works and stories which I witnessed and heard increased my own dedication to sharing positive information and tips and techniques to my Baby Boomer community. I look forward to sharing many of these stories and projects in the coming weeks.

But first, a word about how we are called. There are many terms floating out there – Baby Boomer, Older Boomers, Seniors, Elders, Adults 50+, in our Second Stage, Third Acts. We are Reinventing Ourselves, Mature, Experienced. I bring this up now because even the hundreds of attendees at the conference don’t have consensus of how to address our audience. So please don’t be offended if I use a name which doesn’t fit your image of yourself. But help out by leaving a comment of your preference.

One thing is clear, there is a large growing movement of “Boomers” out there making a difference in their own communities and around the world. I am proud to be a part of it.

February 13, 2016
Feb 2016 fitness plan

Love these California sunsets from my kitchen window overlooking the neighborhood.

If you have started a weight lose program in the past, did you discovered that change does not happen overnight? I sure learned it this past month.

I lost one whole pound during January. I see why the statement the last five pounds to lose are the hardest to lose is true. I have some consolation since I only want to lose 5 pounds in total.

Fitness and improved health requires a lifetime commitment to exercise and proper eating.

Even though my scale may not show good results, I feel successful meeting my January goals.

First, I stopped drinking alcohol for the entire month. Frankly, it wasn’t hard to do and I will continue in February.

Second, during the days that I wore my fitbit – 26 of them – I took 124,505 steps. Sounds like a lot to me. I noticed that I took around 2,500 steps just walking during the day and added on at least another 2,500 steps with a focused activity – dancing, walking in place, etc. So I am definitely continuing using this device.

My new February goals are:

(1) Drink Water! at least recommended the 8 cups a day. Should be easy.

(2) No Chocolate. This will be a challenge. On day one alone, I miss my treats.

Can’t wait to see what happens by month’s end.

How did you do?

February 1, 2016
My 2016 Bucket List

I did it. Completed my 2016 bucket list. (see details below)

In 5 years, I will retire from my accounting and tax business, if ready then.

Over my lifetime, I will continue to develop my knowledge as a boomer expert and work on my life story.

For 2016, I am focused on several UN……’s. I have many home organizing projects which I have been procrastinating about. Some for years. I am sick of looking at and thinking about them! So I gave myself a deadline by my birthday this coming June. Wish me luck. But of course, I need to take action. I have already completed three tasks.

Second, I am making it a point to include more fun activities into my life. I chose some items I always said “some day I will…..”

Third, I continue to work on my fitness goals. I am having success using my fitbit, averaging 5,000 steps a day. Soon I will increase my daily number of steps. But for now, I am focusing on consistency. Some nights at 9PM, I get myself going to get in my count. I won’t bore you with my weekly progress which I posted earlier this month, except to report my highest count of 7,467 steps on Friday, Jan 15th. So with a just a little extra effort, I can step “More”.

Lastly, my big goal is on the business side: (1) write one book, (2) generate income from my website, (3) organize three boomer events, (4) develop an I-book series on coaching tips, (5) improve my computer proficiency. Whoa!

Here is the cover to my journal. I have set lofty ambitions for 2016. I better get cracking and set some clear goals. Coming soon.

January 25, 2016