So many days, I live on autopilot.
I go through the motions of each day as if the routine has been ingrained deep in the grooves of my brain: I have breakfast, I open my laptop, I have lunch, I close my laptop, and I have dinner.
Has it ever happened to you that you blink and an entire week has gone by, and you wonder, "How did the days pass so quickly?"
But living on autopilot holds me back from improving my life. It's holding you back, as well.
Every year, we say we want to make certain changes. Every year, we want to try something new. Every year, we want to drop our bad habits. But we usually don't...
The doorway to change may feel closed, but there's one word that can open it. That word is "why".
The power behind the word "why" is its ability to question you endlessly. Although we all learned this one question as young children, we've forgotten how to use it to our advantage as we've grown.
I'll show you...
A friend of mine seems to think that starting an exercise habit is impossible. Sure, he's tried time and time again to hit the gym, but it all seems to roll off his calendar after a few weeks... He just thinks he's not cut out for exercise.
But is that really the case?
I sat down with him and asked him our over-simplified yet incredibly effective question. Here's how the conversation went:
"I just can't seem to stick to a workout routine."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure. When I think about the gym, I just don't know what to do there. I haven't spent too much time there, and everyone else looks like they know what they're doing."
"Why does that bother you?"
"When I go to the gym, I feel like people might make fun of me if I walk into the weights area and not know where to start."
"Why?"
"I guess I haven't done enough research about what kinds of exercise I want to do. Or maybe I haven't looked into getting a trainer. Hmm, I could do that. I'm thinking it would help a lot."
In my friend's case, the workout habit wasn't really a problem. It was the fears behind being a newbie at the gym that was really causing the issue. He was living on autopilot, accepting his lack of exercise as a given, something he couldn't change. But the change is 100% in his control, isn't it? No matter what you're trying to attempt, you could try the same approach. You could ask yourself "why". Imagine a world in which you could look inside yourself to uncover the true reasons behind what's holding you back. Imagine a world in which you can create any change, take any action, achieve anything you want to and put your mind to. Imagine a world in which there is nothing left holding you back and no more walls to overcome. This is a world you can live in. This is a world you can step into, at any time. This is a world you can create for yourself. Whenever you're ready for it, all you have to do is start taking action. I'd love to hear from you:What's holding you back from asking "why" you live a certain way? What changes would you like to attempt using the word "why"? How could you incorporate the "why" approach to your everyday life?
About the author: When Marcella Chamorro decided to quit her job to live every day as if it's a vacation, she turned her attention to creating a lifestyle that is both meaningful and exciting. Now (as an author, entrepreneur & speaker based in Nicaragua), Marcella guides those who want to quit their jobs, live their dreams, and live a vacation that never ends at The Perpetual Vacation.The post Stage an Intervention for Yourself With This One Word appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.