What Gets You Out of Bed in the Morning? by Sandy Joy Weston, MED (Book Excerpt)

Excerpt from….

Train Your Head & Your Body Will Follow
Reach Any Goal in 3 Minutes a Day
Skyhorse Publishing hardcover, also available as an eBook
On Sale: January 16, 2018
ISBN: 9781510728349 ǀ $19.99
 

Chapter 11: What Gets You Out of Bed in the Morning?

What gets you out of bed in the morning (besides the alarm clock or the kids screaming)? What floats your boat, rings your bell, your inspiration in life, your passion, vision, or mission?

Do you jump out of bed, excited to start the day, and can’t wait to see what’s ahead? What, aside from a cup of coffee, motivates you in the morning? Why do you really want to be in shape?

What is the real reason, the real motive? There is only one true reason, the only reason for anything and everything . . . being in shape, or meeting a mate, or making more money . . . all of it. You only want something because you believe you will feel better when you have it. Read that again—everything you want is because you will feel great when you are there, and who doesn’t want to feel great?

So before we get into the real deep stuff about your purpose in life and why I am here, let me start by saying that I believe the answer changes all the time as you change and grow and experience. Your mission, your vision, or your inspiration for life can be the same for a long time, or change overnight, and that is okay. What I want to talk about is what you like or enjoy in your life right now. Whatever it is, I want to know. I don’t care if it is a little or a lot. I don’t care if you only do it a few minutes a week or all the time. I want to milk it for everything it is worth and build on it. I want to figure out a way to fit a few more of those things in or spend a little more time doing them. So tell me, what do you have going on in your life that puts a smile on your face? Maybe you wish you did it more, but that doesn’t matter right now. You are not allowed to make the excuse that you don’t have time or money. The first part of what we are doing is just dreaming and brainstorming, not getting into the details of how and when; not yet.

Sometimes I believe we are afraid to be too happy. You heard me, we feel that if we suffer or dread something or try really hard at everything and sacrifice happiness, then it will happen. We will finally get what we want in life. If we lose sleep, do everything for others, and neglect ourselves, then the world will be right. The people we love will be happy, and we will feel deserving of what we have in our lives. Don’t let your boss see you laughing and having a great time at work, that must mean you are not being productive. Don’t admit that your life is balanced and not overly busy, because that is just crazy talk. You must be doing something wrong. Could it be possible that I can actually enjoy my weeks for others and myself?

I don’t know about you, but as a mother, wife, friend, family member, caring community person—I struggle with that from time to time. The “I can do it all” syndrome. I can make it happen for everyone in my life and still squeeze in a bit of time for me. I sometimes feel like they should notice how hard I am working and tell me, “No, no, you go off, we can do that . . . you go ride your bike, take a bath, hang out with friends. We got this.” And you know, sometimes they do and it is really cool, but other times, well, they don’t really know what or how much I am doing. Again, what the heck am I trying to prove? That old self-worth thing sneaking up on me . . . justifying why I deserve happiness . . . it just crept in that back door.

But luckily for me, this is not my first rodeo. I have systems in place, and I catch it quicker. I shake myself off, and say, “Whoa nelly, that’s cool, that’s okay . . . just breathe and realize where you are and that you are human. Let’s reset and balance out life to work for you. Giddy up girlfriend!”

I remember all the things that make me happy and that I truly love doing, and then I prioritize my day before it starts; before it gets away from me. I think of the one thing that I would really like to do today. Then I put it in my schedule like it is a very important appointment that cannot be changed, and I make it happen. I also allot how much time I want to spend doing the thing I love, and then I am excited for the day. By now I’ve got this all down, but since you are not used to the system, we have to create the habit. So I need to see this sketched in stone; a top priority.

Before we get started with what you love doing, here are a few of my things:

I love hanging with my family, mountain biking, hiking with my dog, and watching my favorite shows when everyone is asleep with a wonderful glass of red wine. I like going to dinner with friends, teaching fitness classes, meditating, and shopping at secondhand stores and finding the best deals. Walking around the mall with a fun coffee and just window shopping, traveling, reading books, and I love, love, love gardening.

I just realized that I should stop here because there are a ton of things I love doing. Instead, here is a list of examples for you that might jog your memory about things you like doing:

I love hanging out with my friends.

I love my job (or I like parts of my job).

I look forward to watching my favorite shows on television.

I love going to the movies or dinner.

I love hanging out with my kids.

I love dancing.

I love taking long walks.

I love talking on the phone to my mom.

I love drawing.

I love working out.

I love listening to music.

I love getting my nails done.

I love to volunteer at the senior center.

I love to garden.

I love cooking.

I love meditating.

I love playing an instrument.

I love seeing friends on Facebook.

I love spending time alone with my spouse.

I love shopping.

Sandy Joy Weston, MED, has been a fixture in the Philadelphia-area fitness circles for thirty years—as an instructor, a trainer, a health club owner, and a media personality. Her mission is to change the world, one smile at a time. She believes that the best way to achieve success in all aspects of life is through habits, positive habits. Sandy uses fitness and her gift of motivation as her tools to help individuals achieve their personal goals. She resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.