A Boomer's Footprint

Category: A Successful Life

How will you know if you are living with successful? What legacy will
you leave behind? What is important to you?

These posts include many tips and techniques to become the best
person that you can, to fulfill your dreams, to succeed.

  • How to overcome procrastination

    Procrastination is such a big obstacle that I am writing an extra blog post with suggestions to overcoming this obstacle and to getting things done.

    Do not become overwhelmed with this list.  Look for the tips, which can help you the most. Remember, putting off a task, does not make it go away.

    As you begin, focus on the benefits you will receive when you stop procrastinating and start taking action.

    How to break out of the cycle of procrastination – tips from my mentor, Raymond Aaron

    Create a new mindset:

    Look at past successes – what did I learn that I can carry into this task

    Adjust your attitude – develop an “I can do it” mentality

    Develop self management skills – keep focus on task at hand

    Look at project from the goal oriented viewpoint

    Recruit support – get a fan club, an accountability partner “60% is good enough” by avoiding perfectionism, you save a lot of time.  The lower bar has a bigger chance of success.

    Remove distractions:
    • Work on messes – a clear, clean environment equals clearer mind
    • Do not multi-task – pay attention to the highest priority task only

    Getting started / Time Management:

    Create new habits.

    Focus on the most important thing first and get it done

    1- Make your to do list – list everything that needs to be done
    2- Prioritize the tasks
    3- Break a big job into manageable parts  – divide and conquer
    4- Allow enough time to complete a task – consider how much time is available and complete a small step in that timeframe
    5- Keep the list in front of you keep checking them off
    6- Work in small steps and cross items off the list
    7- Begin to accomplish just 3 small tasks each day

    Take any necessary breaks and enjoy them.

    After your success:

    End of day preparation – review what was accomplished, make list of things to accomplish the next day – set the real
    priorities and do them first.

    Reward yourself for even the smallest effort/

    Last tip from The ultimate solution by David Allen

    DO IT NOW!– the 2 minute rule – if something can be accomplished in two minutes of less Do it Now.  What takes more time – record it for later.

  • Procrastination

    One of the more common obstacles is procrastination. Procrastination can be a hard obstacle to overcome, especially if it has become a life long habit.

    Procrastination – according to Wikipedia – refers to the act of replacing more urgent actions with tasks less urgent, or doing something from which one derives enjoyment, thus putting off impending tasks to later time.

    “I am going to start putting things off starting tomorrow“.  Sam Levenson

    What do we gain by procrastinating? Unfinished tasks do not go away and if they are in our visual sight can be a constant reminder of failure.

    Procrastination can create stress, a sense of guilt and crisis, a loss of personal productivity, frustration, lack of self-confidence, or social disapproval for not meeting deadlines or responsibilities.

    So why do we procrastinate:

    We don’t love doing the activity
    FEAR – we want to avoid the unfamiliar
    We are not competent to do the task
    We underestimate the time frame the task requires
    We believe we must be in right mood to do the task
    We are unorganized
    We believe we need the task to be perfect
    We don’t see the reward by completing the task
    There is an underlying issue – eg. we must make an uncomfortable decisions, etc.

    Here is one quick tool to overcome procrastination.

    Start by doing something that gives you a sense of accomplishment.

    Take a small step, such as:

    – as a health goal –  10 minutes of stretching or walking, cooking a pot of soup

    – as a personal development goal – writing in your journal every day

    – as a personal time goal –  working in the garden, calling a friend

    – as a mess goal – straightening up a room, reading back magazine issues

    What do you need to complete?

    Choose an activity which you have enjoyed doing in the past.

    –The point is to just get started on a consistent, regular basis.

    When you complete your goal, pay attention to how you feel.  Is there an improvement in your mood?

    Reward yourself for achieving a success. Make a list of the daily accomplishments in a journal. It helps us focus on how many things we DO.  Read through it daily, smiling as you recall success.

  • Tackling obstacles

    When we begin the process of making life changes, the number of issues we may face could seem overwhelming.  It becomes hard
    to decide where to begin.

    If you made the list of items in your life which need improvement last week, then you know what I mean.

    My list included over 75 items. While this is a long list, I broke my list into small steps, which I could accomplish in an hour or two, a day at the most.

    If you listed big items on your list, rework it by breaking the tasks into smaller, manageable steps.

    Once you are happy with your list, review it and prioritize the tasks.

    There are two options here:

    (1) Pick the smallest obstacle to tackle first. The benefit for this choice is you can complete a task and check it off the list.  Right away then you achieve a success.

    (2) Pick the largest obstacle and begin there, persevering until you have completed it. The benefit for this choice is that you can make a substantial improvement in one area of your life.

    Here are some factors to consider when making your first priority:

    • Are you ready to overcome this obstacle?  If you are not emotionally and physically ready to accomplish a task, it will not happen.

    • How much time you have available today, this week? Be realistic about your schedule.  If you day or week is already committed, can you find any time to work on a problem?

    • Do you have the necessary tools to complete the task? If you are cleaning out the garage, do you need new shelves or boxes for better storage?

    • Do you know how to solve this problem or do you need to get help? We may not have all the skills to handle every task or problem we face, be prepared to ask for help.

    When working through issues, it is best address them one at a time.  Contrary to some popular thoughts, multi-tasking rarely works.

    The brain does not function at its best with many distractions, and by starting and stopping projects.  This is true on a personal
    level and while completing work projects.

    Next week we will look at how to overcome a health issue.

  • Overcoming Personal Obstacles

    Beliefs, fears and doubts are not the only things standing in the way to achieving our goals and dreams.

    Our past circumstances and outcomes do not have to impact our chance of  attaining success today. We all have had experiences,
    which have challenged us. It is probable that obstacles will surface in the future.  This is the nature of life. We live, we learn and
    we move forward with a positive spirit and belief in our abilities to create the life we want and deserve.

    We do this by making small changes each and every day in our lives to minimize our action and reactions to the obstacles we face
    and by making  better choices for today.

    This next section of the program includes 10 weeks of overcoming obstacles.

    Some of the topics are:

    • cleaning up messes
    • procrastinating
    • not delegating
    • non-working relationships
    • managing time
    • work environment
    • disorganization
    • our physical environment

    Don’t freeze and panic thinking about what it will take to change our environment and work habits.  Changes do not happen overnight.  This is why throughout my program I encourage you to take small steps, making progress 10 to 15 minutes a day will get the job done.  What is crucial is to get started and stay consistent with your efforts.

    Begin today by making a numbered list of all of areas in your life which need fixing or improvement.   Be honest and complete. If your list is 100 items long, so be it.  At least now you know. Writing things down, makes them real and your list will give your a starting point.

    So far mine are:  20 unread magazines, stacks of mail, saved reference articles to read and file, a full hallway closet, unfiled folders, disorganized clothing shelves, and more.  If you have similar projects you are not alone.

    Let’s commit time this summer while enjoying the good weather and late nights to also take steps to improve our life.

  • Eliminating obstacles

    The process to overcome our fears, doubts and negative self- talk is not easy.  Many of these obstacles have built up over a long period of time.

    We identify with them. We believe they are who we are, who we will always be.

    If limiting beliefs, fears and doubts are standing in the way of achieving your goals and dreams, then what is there benefit,
    how are they serving you? If fears and beliefs are bringing us the life we desire, then we must make a change.

    Change takes strength, courage, consistent and regular action.

    Most important, however, is this fact – if you are not ready or able to change – change will not happen.

    When you are ready to change, begin by taking small steps to attain your goals and dreams.

    To start, pick one small obstacle to work on – either a fear, a doubt or a limiting belief. Focus your energy and attention on it.

    Use on of the options from the last three blogs to work on your issue.

    Picture how your life will be different without this obstacle. What thing can you accomplish, what activity can you try, what action can you take?

    Will you climb a mountain, change jobs, end a relationship, begin a new hobby, work on your health or financial picture?

    Keep working on your changing process. Don’t let small setbacks derail  your progress. Keep at it, keep fighting, keep trying.

    Once you have succeeded in overcoming one small roadblock, use the feelings of accomplishment to propel you onto your next hurdle.

    You can do it!

  • Changing bad habits

    One reason we are stuck with negative or limiting beliefs, doubts and fears is because they become engrained in who we are.

    They become habits. We have many beneficial habits in our lives, which make getting through each day happen effortlessly.

    However, some habits stand in the way of our achieving the dreams and success we want for ourselves in life.

    Some of these bad habits are hard to break because they become enjoyable and we want to keep them.  This is especially true
    about our relationships with food.

    We can close out eyes and vividly remember the smells, tastes, and textures of many foods that we are “addicted” to. Regardless of how many times we read about the harmful effects of these foods, We can not stop eating them!

    According to wikipedia, a bad habit is a negative behavior pattern. Behaviors are acquired and develop over time. Habits are actions we take over and over again. Habits become unconscious, automatic thoughts and actions we take when we encounter a situation, which are based on prior experiences. With bad habits, these actions may not give us a desired or different result from the past.

    Changing a bad habit is possible. We can learn what it takes and put new actions into practice in your daily life to change the
    engrained habits of a lifetime. We can even learn to change the nature programmed into your genes, but it will take determined
    actions, over and over again, to reprogram your mind and change yourself.

    Here are 7 ways to break a bad habit:

    -1- put it in writing – use your journal to write about a bad habit – include exactly what is the habit, what do you do before engaging in the habit, what benefits does the habit bring you (this is important because we usually experience something satisfying from the habit), and what is an alternative habit choice.

    -2- make it conscious – become aware of when we engage in the habit, such as picking at nails, watching TV, eating junk food, running late for an appointment, procrastinating, etc.

    So many habits are mindless, routine, we don’t THINK about doing them. We can focus on our choices and decide if they are giving us the results we desire.

    -3- choose an alternative behavior – decide what to do instead. By being prepared with healthy food alternatives, we are less likely to reach for an unhealthy one.

    -4- choose positive thoughts – use positive language to adopt change. Instead of saying – “I am not eating any junk food today”. State – “Today I will eat a piece of fruit for snack.” Then of course, do it!

    -5- have patience – changing a long standing bad habit is not easy and it will take time.  Take small steps on a regular basis.

    Use the phrase  “Just this one time” and choose the side small salad instead of the order the french fries (So often “just this one time” for fries is every time!).

    -6- engage an ally – identify a friend with a similar bad habit and work together to change.

    -7- Reward yourself – the Pavlov method can work. We can focus on what reward we will earn for sticking to our goal.

    Choose an appropriate one – when You choose to eat fruit every day for snack, do you want to sabotage your efforts with a big banana split at week’s end?

    In summary, bad habits, which have developed over time can be changed.  Take regular, consistent action to succeed.

  • Overcoming Fears

    We all have fears to face.  Overcoming them is possible.  It is a skill we can learn.

    One problem – we often cling to our fears, because they are part of who we are. There is a comfort in sticking with what we are know, even if it is standing in the way of achieving success.

    Here are 8 steps to help you overcome fears.

    -1-  Awareness – pay attention when you are experiencing a fear.

    As a third person observer analyze exactly:
    what is the fear – be specific
    what were you earliest memories associated with this fear?
    is there any truth to the fear for you now?

    Eg. –  a fear of heights – are you afraid of all high places, or just when outside, when alone, on a cliffside, or a tall building?

    -2-  Adopt Positive thoughts – when you are thinking –  I can, I do, I have, etc., you are more open to overcoming fears, rather than holding on to them.

    -3-  Take action – when you encounter a fear, just one time, take the action you are afraid of.  The result may not be  as scary as you thought it would be.

    -4-  Gratitude (again) – this technique is so helpful in many levels. When we express gratitude we focus on what is working,  rather than what is not.  Expressing gratitude increases our confidence in life.

    -5-  Journaling – this method brings us awareness of our fears. We can use journaling to analyze them and to identify where we can improve, overcome the fear and move forward.

    -6-  Talk it out – many people experience similar fears and doubts as us. Sharing our experiences can make us feel that we are not alone and can provide insight into changes that are possible.

    -7-  Read, read, read – libraries, bookstores, online sites are full of materials, which address this topic in much more detail.  They often include helpful worksheets.

    -8-  Hypnosis – when you are faced with an overwhelming fear, that is making a negative impact on achieving success in life, this technique may be your answer.  Under the direction of a trained hypnotherapist, you can program your mind to eliminate fears and other negative habits.

    These are just a few techniques to overcome fears.  Before using any of them, follow tip #7 and read more about the exact process and potential side effects you may experience when working to overcoming your fears.

    Like always take small steps to achieve big success.  Just begin.

  • Overcoming negative self talk

    We can all be victims of negative thoughts and self- talk. This behavior can drain our energy, sabotage our success and
    progress, and keep us from living in the moment and leave us stuck in the past or pondering some unknown future.

    The more negativity we engage in, the stronger they become and the harder it is to break free of this destructive habit.

    While changing into a more positive thought process can be difficult, it can be done.

    Here are 8 actions you can take to become more positive:

    -1-  Smile – just the act of smiling, even if forced, can change your thoughts and mood. Try it now.  What changed for you?

    -2-  Surround yourself with positive people – attitudes are infectious.  If you are around negative people, you can become even more negative.

    -3-  Change your language – when you are thinking a negative thought, change it into a positive statement.

    Example  – “I will have a hard time completing that task” becomes “I look forward to new challenges and learning opportunities.”

    -4-  Focus on others – When we invest time and energy in the needs of others, we naturally bring a warm and happy feeling to ourselves.  Someone less fortunate, or facing a real disaster can always use our help.

    -5-  Express gratitude – when  we are thankful for our blessings, we focus less on what is not right. Read or write in your gratitude journal.

    -6-  Take charge of your happiness – Remember we always have a choice in life. Choose to be positive.

    -7-  Meditate – taking time to focus internally relieves the outside negativity and pressures.

    -8-  Keep your imagination in check – out thoughts can run wild, mostly towards the negative. Use your imagination to picture everything going as planned.

    Most importantly, keep working on developing a positive spirit.

    It may not happen overnight but “you can do it.”

  • Limiting beliefs and obstacles in the way

    We create a vision for life, we dream of all that we can have, be, do, say, inspire, empower ourselves and others to be the best
    that we can be.

    We set goals, make a plan.

    We create our vision board, we visualize about the activities, the feelings we have living our dreams, we write out and say our
    affirmations regularly.

    And yet, we struggle, we stumble, we fall, we are stopped dead in our tracks. Yes, it is hard enough to make any change in life even if it is to have something which we say we really, really want.

    We try to do better, to change but then life throws at us obstacles and challenges which we have faced in the past.

    This next 15 week series is a challenge to face what is standing in our way to achieving our dreams.

    Our fears
    Our doubts
    Our procrastinations
    Our negative thoughts
    Our negative beliefs
    Our hectic schedule
    Our old habits
    Our emotional baggage
    Our past failures
    Our messes
    Our negative friends, relatives and others
    Our disorganization
    Our time wasters
    Our physical limitations
    Our defeatist attitude
    Our inaccurate perceptions of our reality
    Our past bad choices
    Our endless lists
    etc., etc., etc…..

    WOW – even to me this list is overwhelming.  And the truth is that we may not be successful in making all of the changes we want and desire in just 15 weeks.

    But we must start somewhere and at sometime so why not now. As we proceed through this process of change, we focus on taking “small steps” each and every day.  To learn to reward ourselves for success and not punish ourselves for failures but to take the missteps and learn from the experience.

    Slowly, gradually, we will find the strength, the will power, the belief, the fortitude to stick to our plan to make all of our dreams come true.

    This blog is a perfect example for me.  My post is due today at  3PM, PST and here at 10AM I was wondering how to complete it and all of my other “Priorities” on today’s list.  So rather than fret and agonize and talk myself out of success in getting things done, I buckled down and one by one, I checked off 5 items, posted the blog early and I am out the door.

    I did it, you can too!  Join me on these next 15 weeks of thoughtful analyzation and deep conversation with self to conquer some limiting beliefs and obstacles standing in our way.

  • Gratitude and appreciation

    Our attitude is key to achieving our dreams. We discussed developing and maintaining a positive attitude, which can be easier said than done.  The important thing to remember is that when negative thoughts creep into our consciousness, we can acknowledge them and replace them with a positive statement – perhaps something from our affirmation list.

    Another tool for creating a positive attitude is to recognize gratitude and appreciation for all that we have right now.

    “Happiness is itself a kind of gratitude.” Joseph Wood Krutch

    Life constantly presents us with obstacles and challenges but they are not more than we can handle and each one offers us a learning and growing opportunity.

    When we practice gratitude and appreciation we are focusing our thoughts and energy on all that is good and what is working for us in our life, we are attracting more of the same to us. We can choose to embrace the positive rather than the negative in life.

    Two popular techniques to practice gratitude and appreciation are:

    Journaling –  each and every day take a few minutes to write down a few, simple gratitude statements.  Reread them with enjoyment and pleasure that we are blessed in many ways.

    Carrying a touch stone – a touch stone is a small,  meaningful object you carry with you everyday. Each time to reach into your pocket or purse and “touch” your piece is a reminder to take a moment and be more present in the moment and feel grateful for your blessings.  The piece can also helps change a negative thought or situation by reminding you that even a negative situation you may be in will pass.

    To sum up this section of using our attitudes to achieve our dreams, keeping a positive outlook using these simple tools activates the Law of Attraction to help make our dreams come true:

    a vision board
    affirmations
    visualization
    gratitude journaling