| "True ease . . . comes from art, not
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| | momentum and let the dancing begin:
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| chance, as those move easiest who have
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| | 1. Face the music
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| learned to dance."
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| | Whatever you are unwilling to confront
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| Alexander Pope, poet, "An essay on
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| | will control you.
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| criticism"
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| | If you face the music, you usually get
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| In weight loss circles, it is understood
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| | less rather than more wrenching pain and
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| that people talk themselves and act
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| | self-criticism. In fact, it can be
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| themselves into self-defeating life
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| | exhilarating to finally face a task that
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| patterns.
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| | has been draining your energy with each
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| For example, you may have fully convinced
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| | thought that occurs without action.
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| yourself that losing weight is too hard,
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| | 2. Start the dance even if you don't hear
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| too frightening, too much to give up.
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| | the music.
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| You'd like to do it; you know you have it
| |
| | Writers and other creative people often
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| in you, but you tell yourself that it
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| | wait for the perfect moment of
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| would be excruciatingly difficult . . .
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| | inspiration to overtake them before
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| painfully long.
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| | beginning a project.
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| So you put off starting just as long as
| |
| | While losing weight can take some
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| you can.
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| | planning, there is no better time to
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| Years pass.
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| | start than now. Why do diets always start
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| But like the song you can't get out of
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| | on Monday or after the holidays?
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| your head, the extra weight continues to
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| | Don't wait!
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| haunt you.
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| | The sooner you start, the better chance
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| You may even start the process over and
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| | you will have of making progress, whether
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| over, feel frustrated and stop again.
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| | it is Monday or not.
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| Delaying the process only increases your
| |
| | 3. Move your feet.
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| fear.
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| | Don't think. Just do.
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| When you strengthen the pattern of
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| | Go to the gym, walk outside, or step onto
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| starting and stopping yourself, you
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| | a treadmill. Move your feet and see what
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| convince yourself that losing weight is
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| | happens. Maybe it will only last 5
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| only a "pipedream".
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| | minutes. But at least you are doing
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| The task seems nearly impossible, so you
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| | something and you don't have time to talk
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| continue the vicious cycle by avoiding.
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| | yourself out of it. This is a proven
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| As you procrastinate in this way, your
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| | strategy that works for people who
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| beliefs and fears intensify your fright
| |
| | struggle with motivation and need to get
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| and reinforce your avoiding behavior.
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| | going.
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| Each time, you think about losing
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| | 4. Fill your dance card.
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| weight-how nice it would be to be thin,
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| | Write down a list of action steps (buy
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| how nice it would be to have more energy,
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| | the foods you plan to use, work out an
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| fit into your clothes, look and feel
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| | exercise schedule, etc).
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| better-and each time, you stop yourself
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| | Make the steps as specific as possible.
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| from starting.
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| | Make them as small as necessary to move
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| Oh, the energy you use to hold it off . .
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| | you to action and move toward completing
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| .
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| | the process.
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| The only way to overcome this negative
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| | Pick a small one (15 minutes or less) and
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| pattern is to actively do what you are
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| | do it today.
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| avoiding, without judging or criticizing.
| |
| | 5. Keep dancing.
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| Just as avoiding tends to reinforce
| |
| | Make an agreement to be in motion for a
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| negative patterns, taking action
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| | short period each day no matter what. It
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| reinforces the positive if you keep
| |
| | can be as short as 5 minutes. Don't talk
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| moving toward your goal. Remember that
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| | yourself out of it by making excuses such
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| people don't generally regret the actions
| |
| | as "that will only be a drop in the
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| they have taken in their lives as much as
| |
| | bucket". You may get inspired to do more,
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| those actions left undone.
| |
| | but you don't have to.
|
| In the process of losing weight, there
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| | That way, you avoid power struggles with
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| are a lot of opportunities for turning
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| | yourself.
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| back. The world is full of people who
| |
| | You can quit after your committed amount
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| sabotage themselves and never "get to the
| |
| | of time with a clear conscience, or do
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| finish line".
| |
| | more your choice.
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| Don't be one of them.
| |
| | Here's to dancing!
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| Here are 5 strategies to forward your
| |
| |
|
