“Where there is no vision, the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18
What is your vision? Do you want to improve your practice or business? What about becoming debt-free or improving your health? You need to develop a clear plan and put steps in place to carry that plan out.
It’s not enough to simply have an idea in your head. If you really want to bring it to fruition, you must write it down and develop a time line to make it happen.
If you want to improve your business, how will you do it? Will you focus on a marketing aspect? What will you do? When will you launch it ?
Focus on the long-term when planning and then pull out the short-term things that you really need to do right now.
The University of Michigan is reporting that you can lose extra weight, just by wearing a pedometer. They reviewed 9 studies on pedometers, walking, and weight loss, and found that those who wore pedometers lost about 1 pound every five weeks. While that doesn’t sound like a lot, every little bit helps.
This is especially important because most people tend to gain a few pounds every year. By wearing a pedometer, you are not only avoiding those pounds gained, but you are also losing a few in the process.
When you wear a pedometer you become more aware of how sedentary you are and are more likely to push yourself for a few more steps. Your goal should be 10,000 steps per day. You can get pedometers very inexpensively. They don’t have to be fancy to do the job.
It struck me today during the radio show that the people that really will make some changes in their lives are the ones that don’t just sit and think about it (dreamers).The ones that will take their ideas and plans and do them (doers) are the people that are going to be winning in life when you see them again 5 years from now.
What information do you have that you’re not acting on?If you’re short of information, try reading some free articles, check out a book from the library or talk with a friend or family member that seems to be doing well.
Take just 2 or 3 of their ideas and see if they’ll work in your life as well.
I love the idea of getting your kids involved in making dinners. I don’t have kids myself, but I can remember that growing up, my favorite meals were the ones my mom would ask me to help with. Specifically, I can remember making spaghetti and, of course my favorite, pizza.
If you ask for your kids’ help with making a meal (whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner) they will be much more likely to eat it. This is a great way to get picky eaters to enjoy a meal with you and to hopefully sneak in some veggies.
Some ideas for things kids can help with include pizza, taco bars, loaded baked potatoes, salads, or a pasta dish where they can add the vegetables they like. Have everything cut up for them ahead of time and let them decide what they want to do. The ideas are endless – get creative!
Warm weather seems like it is finally here to stay, and with that comes outdoor activities that you can now enjoy on a much more frequent basis. It is the perfect time of year for one of my favorite activities, bike riding. This means that it is also a good time for a reminder about wearing a bike helmet. Wearing a bike helmet can reduce injury by up to 88%, and reduces injury to the face by 65%. You should have no excuse not to wear one.
While wearing a bike helmet seems like an easy way to prevent serious injury, only about 38% of adult bike riders and 50% of kids under the age of 16 regularly wear a helmet. Common excuses that kids give are that they do not feel cool wearing one, their friends are not wearing one, or their parents are not good role models. If you have a child who rides a bike they should have a helmet on at all times. Parents who ride bikes should set a good example by always wearing a helmet themselves.
If you are not a parent but you ride a bike, you should never leave your driveway without a helmet. Bike helmets now weigh about half a pound and have plenty of openings to allow air to circulate through, which means they are more comfortable than ever. Some riders use the excuse that they will not be riding on busy streets, thus do not need a helmet. However, cars are involved in only about 10% of bike-related injuries
There are not many good excuses for riding without a helmet. Even those concerned about the cost should not be because you can typically buy a helmet for around $20. That is a small price to pay to protect your health.
There are a few things to keep in mind if you plan to buy a new helmet. First, helmets must fit snugly. Next, the helmet should be level. Make sure it is not tilted forward or backward on your head. It should sit low on your forehead with the front of it just above your eyebrows. The chin strap should be tight enough to allow only two fingers underneath when it is snapped. Test it out by moving it around your head, from front to back and side to side. If the fit is comfortable and the skin moves with the helmet, you have a proper fit.
Most stores will allow you to try on various helmets and a sales person can help you make sure that you choose the right one. Keep in mind that buying and wearing a helmet is an easy step to possibly saving your life.
If you knew you had one last talk to give, what would it be? Carnegie Mellon University hosts lecturers’ from around the world each year. The premise is, if you had one last lecture to give, what would it be? For Randy Pausch, it was very literal. He has pancreatic cancer and his doctors told him he only has 6 months left to live.
His last lecture focused on many things, but really on how you should live your life if you want to achieve your dreams and goals. There is a surprise ending and I will not ruin that for you here. You can watch the entire 76 minute talk or the condensed version on Oprah (only 10 minutes long).
You need to make time to watch this video. You will not be disappointed in the long version.
What would you talk about if you had one more talk to give? Have you lived a good life? Was it free of stress? Have you remained healthy? Have you reached your goals and have many of your dreams come true?
Did you use your unique gifts and talents to enrich the lives of others and make this world a better place, or did you wander through life while putting your time in at a job you hated, only to pay your bills?
Maybe it is time to step back from it all and put everything in perspective. Take a fresh look at your life and what you want to accomplish. Put forth a plan of action to make it happen. It is time to get off the sidelines and play!
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