Do you need a Wake-Up Call?

Spring is really here in Northern Indiana. No more excuses, time to spend more time Outside. Take a look at this recent posting from the DLM Blog:

Dumb Little Man - tips for life

Don't Ignore Your Wake Up Calls: How To Know It's Time For a Change

Posted: 22 Apr 2009 06:01 AM PDT

For far too long I turned a blind eye to many indicators telling me that it was time to take control of my health. I was convinced that I was simply too busy to worry about fitness and wrote off any comments or signs telling me otherwise. However, I ignored these wake up calls to my detriment. If you feel burdened about some area of your life that needs changing, heeding these warnings may be the best thing you could do.

Listen to Voices of Wisdom
For me, this came in the form of a health screening at my office. When the numbers came back from the health professionals, I found out that I needed to improve my cholesterol levels and that I was officially classified as obese. That really hit me hard. Even though I knew I was overweight, I had not realized how bad I had let things get. It was very sobering.

Listen to Friends and Family
People that care about us are supposed to be the ones to tell us the hard truths. Often times the ones we are closest to have a more thorough view of our situations and struggles than we do ourselves. If someone is bold enough to share a concern they have in your life, do the right thing and listen to them. Maybe they are way off base, but more often than not, they are right on target. Remember, these people love you and want what is best for you. Don't blow them off.

Listen to Your Body
Sometimes, even our own bodies may be telling us something. My sedentary and gluttonous lifestyle brought me to a place where I had frequent headaches and digestive problems. It was pretty obvious what the problem was (my lifestyle) and what the solution was (a better diet and regular exercise). Others may experience different problems if their situations are different. Lack of sleep, ulcers, tension headaches, etc. are all examples of physiological problems that may be caused by your lifestyle. If you suspect your body is trying to get your attention ask a medical professional what might need to change in your life.

Listen to Yourself
Do you notice that something is wrong in your life without anyone having to directly tell you as much? You don't have to wait until things get out of hand to step in and change your habits. Often times I would look in the mirror and simply not like what I was seeing. I knew I needed to change but I was just postponing it until so many alarms were going off that it became almost deafening. You don't have to hit the snooze bar and postpone the inevitable. If you're going to have to make a change sooner or later, you can save yourself a lot of grief by simply taking that first step.

First Steps Toward a New Life:

• Take Stock of Yourself
  If you have heeded the wake up calls and have begun noticing things in your life that are awry, take honest stock of yourself to see what really needs to change. For me, this was fairly obvious. I needed to drop some weight and get in shape. I simply refused to ignore the obvious any longer.
  


• Make a Decision
  If you are aware of the problems, make a bold and public decision to correct them. I would encourage you to actually come up with a specific plan to get things right. Don't just say "I'm going to get in shape!” Instead, write down a plan for how you are going to do it. Are you going to jog three times a week? Are you going to cut out all fried foods? Another recommendation I would give would be to tell others about your decision. This has the effect of really solidifying your plan of action and making it much more real.
  


• Follow Through
  This is the tough part. Now that you know the problem and you are bold enough to try to correct it, you're going to have to put in some work. Follow through on your plans and don't let anything hinder you. It will be hard and you won't always have the confidence you do at the start, but the rewards of getting in shape, or otherwise getting your life in order, will be worth it.

Written on 4/22/2009 by Brandon Morgado. Brandon is a self-professed fitness geek and blogs regularly at FitHacks.com when he isn't running, playing Ultimate Frisbee or wasting his life away on Twitter.

Photo Credit: Kıvanç