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allison_lowe@yahoo.com

ACHIEVE: Breaking Thru That Procrastination Cycle

5.9-procrastination

I would have written this article sooner but I was busy doing everything else.  I had to reorganize my closet, brush out a continually moving poodle and check Facebook a million times to make sure all 400 of my friends were doing okay.

 

Does this sound familiar? 

 

It is all too familiar to me!

 

So, I decided to hire myself as a coach.

 

“Hi  Client Allie, I’m Coach Allie…great name, by the way…”

 

“Hi Coach Allie…thanks!”

 

“So, what would you like to discuss today?”

 

“I’d like to find out why I’m such a bad procrastinator…I know I need to get certain things done but I keep putting it off.”

 

“Hmmm…what things do you keep putting off?  Why aren’t they on your list of priorities?”

 

And, that is the first step.  Understanding the What and Why of the Things You Keep Putting Off…mine fall in two categories.    

 

The first category is THE THINGS I JUST DON’T WANT TO DO.   For example, Cleaning the Litter Box…Getting Groceries…Doing Laundry.   Yet these things still need to get done and eventually I do them because my cat’s judgmental stare, my family’s complaints about nothing to eat and the fact that I can’t go and buy a new workout outfit every day are facts that compel me to fulfill these responsibilities. 

I’m mostly at peace with this.


 

The second category are THINGS I REALLY WANT TO DO BUT DON’T.  Some examples here are Losing Ten Pounds…Finishing Up My Book…Working On My Business.

I don’t get it. 

I’m EXCITED to DO these things.  I look forward to doing these things.  Motivation isn’t the issue. 


 

“So, Allie, what do you think is holding you back?  These things are important to you…why are you finishing up everything else but not these things?”

 

“Hmmm…I’m not sure.  I’m known in my professional world for always meeting my deadlines, sometimes even getting it done before the deadline.”…Under promise and Over deliver has always been my mantra.

 

“What are your deadlines for these?”

 

BINGO!

 

Although I work hard on my goals,  I don’t have hard deadlines.  I’m easily distracted or something comes up in the week and I get off track.  Which is normal, I know, but for some reason, I lose momentum and then spend most of the time anxiously fretting that I’m not moving forward.    

 

So, the obvious solution is to place a deadline on these goals, right?

 

Been there…done that…and let me tell you, by this time, I should have been able to fit in my old wedding dress (over 15 years ago), started on my second book and hiring employees to meet the high demand of my business . 

 

“Ummm, Allie…didn’t you just start your business last September?  From where I sit, eight months is an awfully short time to complete all those goals?”

 

My coach is very very wise…

 

I constantly have to remind myself that I am a product of a Tiger Mom and sometimes my unrealistic deadlines and overwhelming expectations are not always positive motivating assets.

 

My deadlines did me in this time. 

They overwhelmed me and made me more anxious.   They didn’t account for “every day life” and the unexpected events.  Like Writer’s Block.  Or, when my Teen was anxious about taking her AP exams and needed her Mom (a extremely rare occurrence) to help her study and be the cheerleader.   Or, when your guy wants to take you to Tuscany.    I do have my priorities in order…Teen and A Romantic Trip to Italy win EVERY time.


 

So, the first step for me this time around was placing realistic deadlines of when I want to complete these goals. 

 

“Very good, Allie!  Now what’s the downside of not meeting your goal within your deadlines?”

 

“If I don’t lose the weight, I’ll be unhealthy which is a real turn-off for future clients since I’m a Health Coach…If I don’t complete the book, I’ll have these ideas bursting internally inside me and I won’t be able to share information that I think would be helpful to others.  And, if I don’t keep working on my business, then I will lose my sense of purpose.”

 

Step One of Placing Realistic Deadlines and Understanding the Real Consequences of Not Getting It Done is completed.

 

My deadlines are much more realistic now and I know what will happen if I don’t get it done.

 

“Thank you, Coach Allie!  I think I’m good to go….”

 

“Not so fast, my little grasshopper…we still have to figure out a plan for when you meet some resistance or experience a setback.  What will you do then?”

 
Hmmmm…
 

The Coach is right.  I may have planned more realistically but nothing guarantees that this attempt will be any different.  I might hit a wall again and go back to my old patterns.  Planning better may not be the one solution because life happens and unplanned things will get in my way.  Like that stupid Writer’s Block…

 

“So, Allie...you’ve just told me what happen the last time you hit Writer’s Block.  And it’s great that you’ve designed a new workspace as well as redecorated your daughter’s room, but aren’t you running out of home projects to do?  And, I don’t recall those being on your List of Goals?”

 

Ahhhh…the light bulb finally switched “on.”  Realistically planning is not only essential in the beginning, it also helps in the middle. 

 

Back to the drawing board…

 

Now, I have an Action Plan for when I get blocked or something else comes up. 

First thing is to be more cognizant of what is going on inside of me when the unexpected comes up.

Do, I just want the Distraction (usually, The Teen) to go away so I spend more time “putting out that fire” instead of determining the urgency level?

Am I feeling overwhelmed? 

Is Anxiety overwhelming me? 

More importantly, what is the root cause behind these feelings?


 

Once I’ve identified the What and Why, I need to confront my feelings and keep moving forward!  

 

I need to teach myself (and the Teen) what is urgent and how to prioritize what needs attention and how much time it will take.

 

If I’m overwhelmed, I need to be a little nicer to myself and remember that I have a weakness for unrealistic deadlines and overwhelming expectations.  I need to adjust my daily schedule and timelines with some breaks and room to breathe.

 

And finally, if I’m anxious and afraid to fail,

I need to get over that. 


Am I really that arrogant to think that everything I attempt should work out the first time?  Of course not!  I’m going to learn by my mistakes and this experience is why I’m going down this adventurous path.  I want to learn how to be comfortable in taking risks.   I know I will fall flat on my face sometimes  and I need to make myself get up, tend to my bruises, learn my lessons, make the necessary adjustments and get right back to it. 


 

And when I’m really blocked, I need to think of potential ways to work through that block.   If I keep it on my mind, I can think of creative approaches and I really won’t be procrastinating at all…just doing the work mentally in my head.

 

Step Two:  Creating a Plan of What To Do When The Unexpected Comes Up and then Doing It…check!

 

So, have I completely conquered my Procrastination tendencies? 

Of course not…I just started. 

But, I can tell you that I have hit those blocks already and this time, instead of taking on another house project or berating myself for not producing anything, I’ve broken my usual Procrastination cycle.  Now, I let myself have a Pity Party or take care of the interruption and set a time limit of an hour. 

Then, I go back to what I set out to do.  

 

And, I'm beginning to see the progress. 

 

The key to this success was to break my Procrastination Cycle.   No more working without realistic deadlines.  No more of allowing myself to take extended breaks because I’m discouraged or disengaged when I hit resistance.  No more of unexpected distractions that take priority over my daily goals…

 

I must remember to buy my Coach a glass of champagne… 

 

Now, if only she could help me figure out how to get the laundry to do itself…

 

Till next time!

 

 If you liked this article and want more, I’d love to include you in my Email List. I promise not to bombard you! I send out monthly newsletters with helpful articles & invites that may help alleviate your frustrations with Health, Life Balance, Career, Purposes & Relationships. I think this information would be useful and valuable and it's at no cost to you!

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allison_lowe@yahoo.com

NURTURE – The Post Vacation Blues – If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Might As Well Join ‘Em…

5.9-Cinque Terra

I just got back from Italy last Thursday.  The jet lag got me for at least three days and today, I’ve finally stopped waking up at 3 a.m.…I wake up at 6 now…

 We had a wonderful time.  We slept in for most mornings, had Prosecco and wine with lunch every day (as well as dessert) and spent most of our time exploring hilltop “provincales” and fantasizing about retiring to Italy. 

 Pure bliss…
 
And now it’s Tuesday morning.  I had great excuses yesterday for not getting back to work.  I had to pick up my teen and spend some quality time with her since I hadn’t seen her for two weeks.  I also had my household chores as well as returning emails and phone calls.  Oh, and I also had to do EVERYTHING ELSE except go back to my computer.

This block surprised me.  While I was on vacation, ideas were flowing like crazy…and believe it or not, I was actually looking forward to going home and turning these ideas into brilliant blog posts.   I even scheduled time to write them in my daily work calendar.     But now…proprio niente….nothing at all…

“How’s the blog going?

“YOU KNOW…you can’t rush the creative process!”

 “Ok, but I don’t think you’re going to get creative by binge watching the second season of Dexter!”

 Everyone is a critic…

 Whenever I hit blocks, I always hit the gym.  For some reason, I’m able to not only work out my body but my mind.  As I was on the treadmill, listening to 70’s Disco Jams, I came to realize that I was focusing on missing Italy instead of taking away the experience of Italy. 

In other words, mourning the loss instead of celebrating the joy I got to feel while on vacation.

 Realizing that shift got me going again.

 I can be quite the robot sometimes.  I put my mind to something and I rarely let anything or anyone get in my way to accomplishing it.  This is how I was able to get my MBA while going through a divorce, selling the house and taking care of my little one.  This is the how I was able to hire sixty people in thirty days.  This is how I make sure that four dogs, one cat, one teen and one stubborn man are healthy, happy and moving forward. 

 Total focus….

 Vacation messes that up...

 Our wonderful Italian host offered to cook us an authentic four course Italian meal.  He inquired about what we liked to eat.  I dutifully recited that I ate a LOT of vegetables with lean protein.  He looked at me, puzzled, and asked,

“Why you not-a eat-a the wonderful pasta, here?  What-a is-a wrong-a with-a you?  I make-a special dish for you!”

 I ate pasta EVERY day after that.  It was my obligation as a good citizen representing America.  We must be a good example.

 I learned to let more things go.  I didn’t work out every day like I do at home.  I didn’t schedule anything except for the Cinque Terre tour (which of course, was planned two months in advance)  I felt so relaxed because I wasn’t stressed out trying to keep to my schedule.  I had great broken Italian-English conversations with anyone that could understand what I was trying to say.  I smiled all the time.

It was heaven…

 But, as we all know…we can’t be on vacation all the time.  At least not for me…

 Even if I had all the money in the world and could travel all the time, I would need some sense of purpose whether it was a quest to find the most beautiful place in the world or eat the most sinfully delicious dessert and then report my findings back to you.

However, is there anything that prevents us from taking some of that joy from our vacations and somehow incorporating it into our daily lives?

 What about….

 
Exploring a place that we’ve never been to before?

Trying different dishes or indulging, once in a while, in pasta or dessert?....

 What about having casual conversations with people that we don’t know?

 Smiling more often than not?

 
I’m now declaring two Sundays out of the month as my “vacation” time...

I will drink Prosecco with my Sunday Brunch dish that’s off my Daily Diet List at the new fabulous restaurant and save time to explore the new neighborhood that it’s in. 

I’m going to strike up friendly conversations with people who look friendly.  (Another upside is I will completely embarrass my Teen!)

And, I’m going to smile A LOT!

 

Who’s with me?  Where are we going to go?

'Till Next Time...


If you liked this article and want more, I’d love to include you in my Email List. I promise not to bombard you! I send out monthly newsletters with helpful articles & invites that may help alleviate your frustrations with Health, Life Balance, Career, Purposes & Relationships. I think this information would be useful and valuable and it's at no cost to you!

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allison_lowe@yahoo.com

NOURISH: Eat THIS not THAT! Savory & Sweet Substitutes That BEAT My Cravings….


5.9-You've put on a little weight..

Last January, during my annual checkup, my doctor voiced her concerns after reviewing my annual Lab Test results. 

“Something is really weird…your levels have always been pretty good but this time you’re really high in your cholesterol and your A1c (blood glucose) levels.  I know you’re a health nut and I’m suspecting that this is probably genetic but we still have to do something about it.” 

This was a complete surprise to me. 

I’ve always been pretty active and tried to eat well but years of eating cookies for breakfast and the mindset of running five miles and being able to eat anything I wanted has failed me at this point of my life.  Further more, now that I’ve transitioned into being a Health Coach, I need to “Walk the Talk.”    

I was determined.   

I only allowed myself one “treat” a day.  I tried to eat healthy meals most of the week and would only allow myself a “splurge day” one day a week.   

Note: I would never advocate a strict diet without foods that gave me some pleasure.  It may work for some people, but it has never worked for me.  My usual pattern is to be good for 2 weeks and then binge on whatever I was trying to eliminate from my diet. 

I’d also be cranky and very hard to be around. 

In my mind, I was doing the best that I could.  I was making an effort to change my diet a little at a time.  I was moving every day and felt like I was making good choices. 

Three months later, I was very hopeful.  I took the tests again and went in for the results.  This visit, my doctor was running late and had her partner step in.   (Let’s just say, he needs to work on his Bedside Manner.)

“If you keep going in this direction, I’m going to put you on medication.” 

YIKES! 

Although, my feelings were a little hurt... the lab tests don’t lie.  Even though I thought I was “trying,” in reality, I really had only made small adjustments. I still had bad eating habits but for some reason, I thought if I did this less, it would make a difference. 

“Hey Mom…do you know the definition of insanity?"

Now, I had to come up with a new eating plan while I daydreamed about what I would say on the day my daughter comes to me with this same issue.   

But I digress…back to my new plan… 

I’ve eliminated added sugar and white flour from my diet and been sticking with lean proteins (fish) and veggies (non starchy) for most of my meals.  And, I’ve been feeling good and mostly satisfied. 

Until that time of the month…    

Please let me know that you go through this too!  You know...when your hormones are ruling your brain and stomach and your cravings make you an obsessive maniac. 

“Hello, my name is Allie and I’m an Obsessive Maniac who needs a sweet or savory snack right now…. seriously… NOW! 

Talk about being between a rock and a hard place… 

If I give into these cravings, I’ll have to start taking medicine.  What’s makes it worse is I might do lasting harm on my body and develop heart and diabetes-related diseases.  This would be worse than denying my cravings. 

But, what’s a girl to do?… 

I decided to experiment.  I’m going to try to train my body (and my hormones) to accept a healthier “treat” when those craving hits. 

Here's what I've come up with, so far.  The following ideas should take you less than 10 minutes to make …  

Savory Snacks

When I want something salty…
5.8-bbq chips









   like BBQ Chips, 

I'll make THIS instead...

5.8-BBQ Popcorn   It's really easy!

Air pop some popcorn, sprinkle some olive oil, sprinkle some BBQ seasonings and some sea salt and there you go! 

Another savory (and healthy) treat is

5.8-Rosemary Garlic Almonds  Rosemary Garlic Roasted Almonds...


These are also easy to make!  Melt some ghee or olive oil.  Use 1 tsp of chopped garlic and let it cook in the oil for about 1 minute.  Add 2 cups of natural raw almonds and brown for about 5 minutes (watch it carefully…it can burn fast!).  Sprinkle dried rosemary along with sea salt.  Spread out hot almonds on foil and let it cool. 

Sweet Treats 

Everyone who knows me knows I have the biggest sweet tooth ever!  These are my “go-to’s when I’m craving something sweet!.    

When I’m craving a milkshake…  I make this instead!     

5.9-my peanut butter shake

This is my version of the Peanut Butter Shake that I used to get with my daughter all the time.   I loved it but after drinking it, I’d feel weighed down and really lethargic.  Plus, the dairy didn’t help me either  (I curse my lactose intolerance almost every day!) 

So, I made a healthier version…here’s how… 

Get the glass that you want to serve it in, fill it up halfway with coconut/almond milk.   Put 1 Tb of Peanut Butter (natural & crunchy is the best) as well as frozen banana pieces (I cut up bananas ahead of time and keep them in the freezer every week).   We use our Single Serving Ninja blender (which I highly recommend to have) which makes it fast and easy clean up. 

You can also add chia and flax seeds for more fiber as well as any protein powder to give it more nutritional punch.  It’s fun to change it up too…I’ve made matcha (with a little of vanilla extract) , chocolate (using Chocolate flavored coconut/almond milk) and a variety of fruit flavors.  Just remember, coconut milk and bananas will be your base.   

Sometimes, you might just want a bite of something sweet.  I used to have chocolate kisses on hand all the time.    

5.9-ALmond-Kisses-nice-11.jpg

After all, one wouldn’t hurt, right? 

The big issue was one would turn into two or five (depending on the day I had)… 

Now, I reach for these instead… 
 
5.9-Dates
These are dates filled with nuts and so easy to make!

Take a date, slice it open, remove the pit and insert your favorite nut in it’s place.  I used almonds, walnuts and pecans. 

This really has done the trick and has train my taste buds.  I actually had a leftover Almond Kiss (waste not want not) and it was TOO sweet! 

Can you imagine?

 I’m going to be honest…

I will never give up BBQ Chips, Milkshakes or Hershey’s Almond Kisses. 

Life is way too short.  

However, what I've learned from this experience is that I don’t have to eat them all the time and these substitutions have done wonders for my body and my will power!   

I hope you try these and let me know what you think.  If you have other ideas, please feel free to share them…I need all the help I can get...

5.9-glasbergen-crouton on your sundae.jpg   
Till next time!  

If you liked this article and want more, I’d love to include you in my Email List. I promise not to bombard you! I send out monthly newsletters with helpful articles & invites that may help alleviate your frustrations with Health, Life Balance, Career, Purposes & Relationships. I think this information would be useful and valuable and it's at no cost to you!

Sign up here...www.ready-set-go.me
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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