Are You Ready to Change Your Bad Habits?

“Bad habits are like a comfortable bed, easy to get into, but hard to get out of.”

~Unknown

We often get comfortable with our habits, even if they are not habits that are good for us.  It isn't that we are too lazy to change them; only that sometimes the pain of that bad habit isn't strong enough to motivate us to "get up" and change.  Actually, changing habits doesn't have to be that difficult, but is DOES require that you have the intention and motivation to stick with your decision to change and follow through.  Just as you have to decide to get out of bed in the morning, you also have to decide that you want to make the change.

 This week:  Think about a bad habit you have wanted to change. Are you ready to make a commitment to this change? It needs to be more than a belief that "it would be nice to change,"  it needs to be absolutely essential for you to make the change.  Think about what will happen if you don't make this change.  What will happen to you and the life you want to have?  What won't happen as a result of not changing this bad habit?  Are there things that won't happen if you change this bad habit?  What good things can happen if you make the change?  Fully consider the consequences of keeping yourself stuck in this bad habit.  Decide if you are really motivated to change.  If not, don't pretend that you are.  Acknowledge to yourself whether you are motivated to change or not.  If not, what will you need to do to get motivated?  Do you know what it will take to change that bad habit? 

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people make the changes necessary to overcome obstacles to their success and happiness.  When you have the right tools, you can change any bad habit, and it isn't even all that difficult.  For more information got to http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/ and download free resources or call for a complimentary consultation.

The Fastest Way to Gain Productive Energy

"Sometimes the greatest gain in productive energy will come from cleaning the cobwebs, dealing with old business, and clearing the decks."

~ David Allen

As the year draws to a close, it is great time to clear the decks and move old things out of the way. Getting rid of emotional and physical clutter may be one of the most important things you can do for yourself this year, especially if you REALLY want to move forward in your life and career.  These old "cobwebs" may be old beliefs, old negative feelings toward someone or some situation, or the physical clutter that makes it hard to know what resources you even have.  When you get rid of the clutter both from within and without, you gain room for greater energy to produce your dreams. 

This week:  Start moving out the physical clutter you've held on to.  Give things you no longer need away.  Ruthlessly throw things out.  Look at your inner world as well.  What old beliefs have you been holding on to that no longer serve you?  Do they keep you from trusting others?  Do they keep you from trusting yourself?  If so, this week create a plan for getting rid of them.  Are you holding on to old feelings and disappointments from your past experiences?  If so, be determined to let these go as well.  If you don't know how to do this, THIS WEEK, find resources that can help you do it.

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people let go of "mental clutter"--those negative emotions and limiting beliefs from the past that may have kept you from being as successful as you deserve.  (Don't believe that you deserve success?  Then you definitely have mental clutter in this area).  For more information, go to http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/ .

Believe You Can

"I don't think anything is unrealistic if you believe you can do it."

~Mike Ditka

The importance of belief is everything.  If you believe you cannot do something, you are absolutely right, you won't be able to do it.  If you believe you can, you have created the possibility of success.  That's all it takes--just the possibility.  Once you conceive of the possibility of being able to do something, you open the door to making it happen.  Too often we limit ourselves with our beliefs.  You make not know if you can achieve it or not, but when you believe it is possible, achieving it is no longer an unrealistic expectation.  You will just have to test it out.

This week:  Think of a time in your life when you believed you could do something, even if you didn't know how to do it yet.  What happened?  Were you successful?  If so, what make you successful.  Write down these circumstances as they will give you a hint at some resources you've used in the past that have made you successful.  If you were not successful, why not?  What would you have had to do differently to succeed?  What beliefs, talents, skills or knowledge would you have needed to be able to do it?  Those also provide hints about resources which can help you become successful.  Now, ask yourself what you have been postponing or avoiding because you haven't thought it was possible.  What might you get if you changed that belief? 

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and certified trainer with more than 30 years of experience helping people achieve goals they had not thought possible.  She specializes in helping people get rid of limiting beliefs that block their success and happiness.  For more information about her services and to learn about free resources, go to http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/ .

Stretch Yourself by Aiming High With Your Goals

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark."

~Michelangelo

If you are afraid of failing, you may end up not even setting a goal that will stretch you.  But in doing so, you deprive yourself and others of all that you might be able to accomplish.  Michelangelo is a great example.  Had he not aimed high, we might have been deprived of his architecture, artwork, sculpture, poetry and understanding of human anatomy.  The Sistine Chapel might be painted "ceiling white".  When we stop ourselves from stretching to be the best we can be, we fall short or all that we are capable of achieving.  Aim high with your goals.  Stretch yourself to be the best. 

This week:  Take a look at what you would like to be able to accomplish.  Do you stop yourself from trying because you think it is "too big" or "too difficult?"  Do you let your self-doubt stop you?  If so, set a goal this week that will really stretch you to be your best.  Take at least one action to begin moving toward that goal.  If you don't succeed at achieving it, so what?  Think about what you can learn in the process.  Think about how stretching yourself with this goal will serve you with future goals. 

Linda Pucci, Ph.D. is a psychologist, life coach and expert in helping people achieve goals that they had not thought possible.  She helps clients overcome self sabotage and self doubt so that they can find within themselves the resources to achieve at the highest levels.  For more information and free resources, go to http://www.innerresourcecenter.com/ .