Free yourself from 'have-to' and focus on 'choose-to'

Do you ever feel as if you're stuck doing the same things over and over, things you feel you have to do? If you've ever said, "I have to do this," or "I have to do that," you'll want to check out the latest Knowledge Wealth Series newsletter. In it, I share why it's important to shift your thinking from "have to" to "choose to." If you want to take charge of your life, this is an essential mental shift.

Why? Because when we are constantly talking about what we have to do, it makes us feel like victims or prisoners of our circumstances. And nobody wants to feel that way. But when we begin to see everything we do as a choice, then we get a bit of pep in our step as we feel empowered to make choices that benefit us.

As a personal development author, I am often looking for ways we can make our lives better and get more enjoyment or improve our results. This is one mind shift we can make and begin to manifest positive changes in our lives, simply by realizing we can take charge.

Try this: The next time you are tempted to say "I have to do XYZ," stop and ask yourself, "Really? Do I really have to do this?" What would happen if you didn't do that thing? You might find the consequence of not doing it could be minor or you may find the consequence could be pretty big. But regardless, you'll likely find that you don't really have to do that thing. But because you prefer not to live with the consequences, you choose to do the thing.

Big difference between thinking in terms of have to and choose to.

So check out this month's Knowledge Wealth Series newsletter, and learn more about shifting your thinking from the negative have-to equation to the choose-to option. And you'll also get other great information, including learning how to be a part of my next book and getting information about my latest e-book, Turn Your Book into a Business, so you can learn to write your own book and earn more money from it.

Can’t find the time to work out? Stop lying | February 11, 2009

Our lives are incredibly busy these days. But being busy doesn’t always mean we’re doing much of anything. A common excuse for not working out is that we don’t have the time. We’re sooo busy.

Really?

Are you lying to yourself or me? The truth is that none of us are that busy. Or, I take that back. Maybe we are that busy, but we’re really not doing anything that important. Can you honestly say that on a daily basis, you truly have no time to get a little movement going on?

I know, many people are parents, are in fast-paced careers and do lots of things. I’m not questioning whether you do lots of things. I’m just questioning whether every single thing you are doing day in and day out is all that important.

Trust me. I know the busy excuse. I run a business. Travel to speaking engagements. Write books. Develop new products. Cook dinner for a husband who likes good food. I get it. And on any day I can (and sometimes do) fall into the “too busy” routine. On any single day, any of us can find ourselves with too much to do and no time to exercise. But when that excuse stretches on for days and weeks, then something is not quite right.

Chances are, even with everything you have going on, you spend some time: Watching TV, chatting on the phone, hanging out on Facebook, shopping online, daydreaming about the life you really want, dishing the dirt around the water cooler, doodling, going out to eat, taking in a movie, cleaning the house, etc.

Am I saying any one of these things is bad? No. But what I am saying is any one of these things (and countless others) that take up time in the day can be replaced by or incorporate exercise. The point here is that you can find a few minutes in your day to work out — even the president does. And I know he has some important things on his mind.

Getting in a little movement several times a week is helpful, I don’t have to tell you that. But it doesn’t have to be something you use excuses to avoid. Find something you like doing — swimming, tennis, walking, racquetball, running. Me? I love tennis, so I make sure I fit that in a few days a week.

So really, the next time you tell yourself you’re too busy to exercise, stop kidding yourself. You’re not exercising because you have so much important stuff to do. You’re not exercising because you don’t want to. Stop making the excuses and start moving more.