Check out this blog post on a great website I like to visit every few days...Especially since it's almost Thanksgiving where Food is a main focus of the holiday. It's a good reminder that even if you do get off track, you can always get right back on at the next meal. Also, keep movement going. Take a Pilates Class, Go for a Hike, Start a New Home Workout program.
{go to Valerie's blog link and check this out. Red Carpet Ready TV was really inspiring and looks to continue that this year. Gratz Val!}
Ok, I need your help on TWO THINGS for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.
{check out my latest post! I need your help coming up with a healthy Thanksgiving feast and workout plan for the 4 day weekend}
A reader recently asked for help getting unstuck in life; she’s not alone in wanting to find happiness! These tips can help her – and you – change your life.
Here’s a brief excerpt of her comment on my article How to Let Go of Someone You Love:
“I met my husband 16 years ago, after I walked away from a relationship that was scary for me. I loved my old boyfriend with all my heart, mind, body, and soul. But I decided that I didn’t want to be in love because I needed to be able to control my feelings and actions…So, I married this guy that fit the illusion…14 years later, I am unhappy with everything about him…Leaving him would destroy my children and the happy home they think they have. I am afraid if I don’t leave, I may eventually cheat. He is not what I want at all. I need help!”
To read my suggestions to her directly, go to the article itself. For psychotherapist’s advice on getting unstuck and finding happiness, click Getting Unstuck: How Dead Ends Become New Paths. And read on for my tips on how to change your life…
Getting Unstuck and Finding Happiness – How to Change Your Life
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been,” said George Eliot.
First, figure out what went wrong. My reader realized that she left her first boyfriend to protect herself from the unpredictability of love. She didn’t want to be vulnerable (maybe she had a fear of intimacy). Now, 14 years later, she realizes she’s been trying to force her personality and life in a direction that’s not natural for her…and, understandably, she’s unhappy. What about you — can you look at your life and figure out what went “wrong”? This is the first step in getting unstuck, finding happiness, and achieving your life goals.
Accept that you did the best you could. Don’t waste your time or energy feeling guilty or bad about the choices you made. You did the best you could, my friend. You couldn’t have made other choices in your life at that time…so forgive yourself and accept where you are right now.
Decide what needs to change in your life. What are you willing and able to change? What do you have to live with? There’s probably a bit of both in your life; you need to accept the things you can’t change – and by acceptance, I mean not complaining or wishing things were different. Then, focus on the things you can and want to change. To learn how to deliberately and effectively create change, read 10 Tips for Setting and Achieving Your Life Goals.
Accept your lack of control. To find happiness and get unstuck, you need to accept that you can’t control many things in your life. You can’t control who loves you, who leaves you, who helps you, who betrays you. You can’t control your neighborhood, the traffic, the weather, or the economy. Of all the things you want to change in your life, remember that you can’t change people. You can sometimes change circumstances, and you can change your attitude and response to events and people…but you can’t change your husband, children, coworkers, neighbors, or family members.
Tap into your soul. The happiest people are those who are in touch with their spirits. Adding spirituality to your life not only makes you feel better emotionally, it improves your physical health. Tap into your soul by meditating, praying, taking time to really listen to your heart, reading Scripture or other soulful books, and talking to people about spiritual matters.
Focus on one step at a time. Does your whole life need an overhaul? Pick the biggest thing you want to change, and break it down into reasonable, manageable steps. Or, if you’re not ready to tackle the biggest problem – or you think that isn’t the road to finding happiness – then pick the smallest problem. What matters most is that you’re taking action in one area of your life, that you’re taking a step into personal growth.
Get help: a life coach, counselor, financial advisor, professional organizer. Whether you should consider hiring a life coach or getting counseling depends on your situation. If you’re struggling with self-identity, major life changes, fear, anxiety, depression, or your marriage – then I encourage you to talk to a professional. Therapists can provide objective feedback and guidance that our friends and family can’t offer. If you have money problems, financial advisors can help you with things like rebuild financially after bankruptcy. Professional organizers can help you declutter — which can improve your physical and mental health!
Find a book that reminds you about getting unstuck. I pick up Sarah Ban Breathnach’s A Daybook of Comfort and Joy whenever I felt sad, lonely, or full of existential angst. I just flip through it when I need encouragement. To find happiness and change your life, you need to surround yourself with books, photos, inspirational quotations, etc – whatever reminds you of your goals, of the life you want to lead.
“Courage is not the towering oak that sees the storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.” – Alice M. Swain, writer.
If you have any questions or thoughts on getting unstuck, finding happiness, and changing your life…please comment below!
Related Posts on Quips & Tips for Achieving Your Goals:
{I love articles with simple messages on creating a better life. Even though is great to learn how to get rid of your holiday pounds and stay in shape and eat healthy, yadda yadda yadda...It's also good to be happy!}
Thanks to Gavan at Healthy Irishman, today is another clean eating day for me!
Yes, I'm into pumpkin...and yes, I do eat oatmeal most mornings...so why not throw some other yummy stuff in too! Thanks again to Sheila at Livewell 360 for posting this yummy recipe! Check her site out for more pumpkin recipes too!
Reviewing the Six Pilates Principles
A Guide to Understanding the Correct Way to Practice Pilates
Nov 1, 2009
Pilates is more than just an exercise. It focuses on breathing, movement and awareness. Following the six Pilates principles will help achieve flexibility and fitness.
The idea of using six core principles to achieve a total body workout was formulated by Joseph Pilates, a German born in 1883. He devoted many years striving for physical perfection since suffering a childhood plagued by illness. His inspiration centered on ancient Greek idealism of perfecting the image of the ideal man through the enhancement of mind, body and spirit.
His six core principles focused on:
- concentration
- breathing
- centering
- control
- posture
- neutral spine
Each principle provided for a complete body workout that extended the muscles and pulled them into longer and leaner forms. Having a comprehension of these principles prior to beginning exercising will be advantageous as they also help to coordinate the upper and lower muscle groups with the centre of the body.
Concentration
Focusing totally on each exercise requires full dedication of concentration. Each Pilates exercise requires total focus to be able to have awareness of each movement in order to achieve the most physical and mental gratification.
Breathing
Pilates requires a satisfactory flow of oxygen to the working muscles. By breathing correctly, the whole body is energized and the bloodstream cleansed. Thoracic or lateral breath is used in Pilates, which denotes breathing full and wide into your back and sides. Using this method of breathing works the muscles between the ribs, this in turn allows the upper body to be more flexible and flowing in its movements. The key principle is that you breathe out when making maximum exertion while maintaining slight contraction of the deep abdominal muscles.
Centering
Centering principles of Pilates refer to core stability. Joseph Pilates described the core the "powerhouse" which comprised the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks. Each and every exercise is controlled from the contraction of the core muscles, these are:
- transverse abdominal (TA) muscles that wrap around the centre of the body
- multifidus muscles that run down the length of the spine
- the pelvic floor muscle that runs from the front of the pelvis to the spine
- the diaphragm that lies under the ribcage and helps us to inhale and exhale
The TA and pelvic floor muscles are the two groups that help stabilize the body.
Control
When the body is under perfect control then good posture can be accomplished. Keeping control requires each movement is done with purpose and direction at all times. Controlled movement calls for slow deliberate sequences that flow from start to finish continuously.
Posture
Ideal posture is important to keeping your body performing efficiently and lessens wear and tear on joints. Many aches and pains can be attributed to bad posture as stress on the bones can upset their natural alignment. When gravity is evenly distributed throughout the body then joints will be in their neutral position and good posture can be achieved.
Neutral Spine
The neutral spine position can be a real ordeal to achieve. Poor posture attributes to the spine not being in its natural position even though it may feel comfortable. Attempting Pilates exercises will be of no benefit if your body has lost its neutral spine position. Quite often this will lead to muscular imbalances, injuries and increased tension as your body is not being effectively supported.
By combining these six Pilates principles balance, poise and wellbeing can be attained leading to a wholesome and healthy lifestyle.
Sources:
Pilates: The Complete Body System, Michael King with Yolande Green; Octopus Publishing Group Ltd 2003
The copyright of the article Reviewing the Six Pilates Principles in Pilates is owned by Davina Lennon. Permission to republish Reviewing the Six Pilates Principles in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Great Reminder of the Principles which make Pilates a unique type of movement. Go back to the basics and/or start with the basics in order to really benefit from pilates.
I love that Mila tore apart one corner of the room and now is searching for the next place to destroy...
She is not attending this weeks Group Reformer Class! (she's banned from M2!)
Just finished the first of a few articles I'll be writing on back pain. I'll be interviewing a few people suffering from painful lower back issues starting next week, so stay tuned! My mom doesn't know that she's one of these people! I'm such a nice daughter.
MB Dalton is such a cool chic. She recently got her recipe using starbucks via accepted! Yay!
