Most of us follow the crowd when it comes to using our skills and talents. But my son Matthew, pictured above, likes to push the limits of what he can achieve. Where we would be content to drive a four-wheeler, he wants to coax it to fly. He likes to stretch and see what he, and the tools he uses, are capable of.
I’d like to follow that example and stretch to see what I can achieve, even at 76 years old. I may not be able to do the adventurous things he does, but I can stretch as far as my diet, my exercise, my time, and my goals.
A Bible verse from 1st Peter 1:13 starts with “Get your minds ready for action, being self-disciplined.” So the first step was to focus my mind on the actions I wanted to take to reach my goals.
For example, since I’m diabetic and don’t want to increase my medication, my diet needs to be regulated to limit sugar and increase protein. The app My Net Diary has been very helpful for that goal.
My goal of exercise hasn’t worked well in spite of a treadmill. I need to be entertained as I work out, it seems. So I’ve joined a cardio drumming class at the local community center. So far it’s lots of fun and I look forward to this weekly exercise. In between times I’ve got a mini trampoline nearby and short, five minute spurts seem doable.
I’ve heard that the best exercise is the one you will continue and that seems to be good advice – at least in my case. Find what works for you – if not a class, then maybe a workout or dance routine on Youtube. No matter what your fitness level or ability, there will be exercises you can do.
My diet and exercise are helping with my energy levels but the self-disciplined part is where I am still struggling. It’s so easy to waste the rest of my day and then wonder where it went. Now I’m tracking my time and have realized I need to make some specific goals.
One of those goals is to write more regularly and this blog post is the result of a specific goal that at 10:30 each morning I will sit down at my desk and write. And finally doing this feels so good!
If you also need help with your goals, I’ve created a Goals Planner you can print out and use to plan the ways you will stretch towards your future. I know you can do it and would love to hear how you stretched, the strategies and tools that helped you, and if you found my Goals Planner useful.
All the best as you seize the day!
Carol
