Are you living your best? How do you know if you aren’t?
In Jeff Olsen’s book entitled “The Slight Edge”, he states we are moving in a direction of either improving or declining. There is no static. If you aren’t making the right choices and creating your best life then you are making poor choices that results in a life on the downward slope.
At first, I didn’t believe his statement to be true. After several weeks of self-observation and personal research, I’ve discovered it is remarkably true. I’m not very happy about that.
When I look at my life as it is, there are a few things I’m doing well and getting better at. I’m pleased with the progress. There are small things that I do everyday that have resulted in the phenomenal successes I am experiencing.
However, there are a couple things that I haven’t paid much attention to, they seem to be coming along, holding their own. But I’m not tracking them regularly and I even take advantage of how successful they once were. I’ve not been deliberate about taking action to keep them on the right path. I believed some unseen momentum would keep them tracking properly.
When I look more closely and really see them in a different light - the light of TIME, where I am today vs 1 year ago, 5 years ago, etc - they are in fact,
For example, I pride myself on staying fit. There once was a time when I could do 40+ push-ups in a row, without stopping or being (too) out of breath. Today, I can do 5, and, with a bit of a struggle. Ugh.
So, I’ve just gotten down on the floor and done those 5. That number 5 isn’t very many, a dismal number compared to the prior 40. But I plan to do another 5 in two hours, and another 5 before brushing my teeth, and another 5 before bed. That’s 20! Only half of my previous ability but still 20 more than yesterday.
Keeping up with my new improvements scheme, I’ll do 140 in a week. I’ll be strong enough after a week to do sets of 10 rather than 5, doubling the weekly number. By the end of the year, I’ll have probably reached 1400 push-ups total.
I’ll finish out December gazing at my well developed arms and making plans for push-ups in 2013! One slight change over time equals big improvements...
What small thing can you change today that will add up to Living Your Best?
Share it with me, I'd love to know.
Dawn
dawn@bodywisebodywork.com
