In June of 2011, I started a journey that has made a profound difference in how I look and feel. I began working out with a personal trainer one day a week. The price was right, the trainer, Ashley, had flexible training times and we hit it off from the moment we met. In the past year-plus, I’ve worked out with her consistently one day a week. She faithfully texts me the exact sequence of exercises weekly and on rare occasion I have gone to the gym to try and replicate one of our training sessions, per her instructions.
Nonetheless, in the months since I began working with her, my physical condition has improved dramatically: my clothes fit better, I feel happier, I enjoy exercising and I have eliminated numerous injuries as a result of my one day a week with her. Now, I have been a fairly consistent exerciser for many years, attending yoga classes and other great exercise programs prior to starting my workouts with her. But myconsistentone-day-a-week workouts have enhanced every other form of exercise I do and I absolutely look forward to my weekly sessions with her! It has been a huge win for me.
At the beginning of the year, I set one small goal: to simply do one more workout a week. It could be another yoga class, an extra walk, another class of any kind, on my own or at the gym. And that goal has happened almost effortlessly. So what is my point today? Hint: It is not to brag or point to my success, rather it is to challenge you to begin making changes in your life—in any area—startingjustone day a week.
So often we dismiss the idea of doing anything for only “one day a week”! What difference could that possibly make and how could it really result in an improvement? That’s not “enough” our inner naysayer argues! So we end up doing nothing no days a week! But my experience has shown me what a difference “just” one day a week can make.
First, some of the reasons why I believe this “one day a week” idea has worked for me and why it might work for you too:
1) The very simplicity of “just” doing these sessions one day a week completely eliminated my objections of: a) I don’t have the time; b) I don’t have the money. One hour a week, and less than $35 a session was doable.
2) The results I began to see almost immediately (and consistently since then) reaffirmed my decision and strengthened my commitment.
3) The benefits of working out with someone else to hold me accountable and to vary the processes we used has kept the workouts interesting and fun! By the way, these are often the same benefits I point out to people who are considering hiring a business or personal coach.
4) The fact that I have now added just one more workout on my own is an indication that the motivation has become internalized—which is actually the goal of any kind of coaching!
5) The threshold of focusing on just one day a week has been so low that my self-critical mind hasn’t spent inordinate amounts of time thinking up ways to sabotage me!
So as you’ve been reading today’s message has anything resonated for you? Have you been thinking of doing something but delayed for fear that you won’t have the time, the money, or see the results; you’ll get bored, won’t keep it up or any of the other oft-cited reasons for NOT doing something? There is one sure “cure” for the delay—ACTION!
So here are 20 action suggestions for things that might make a huge difference for you—for anyone—if you adopt the philosophy of “one day a week” starting now:
1) Start meditating just one day a week.
2) Start making your bed just one day a week.
3) Start cleaning off your desk just one day a week.
4) Start writing your book (you know, the one in your head) just one day a week.
5) Start walking just one day a week.
6) Start making a few extra sales calls just one day a week.
7) Start reading more (30 minutes) just one day a week.
8) Stop criticizing, complaining or worrying just one day a week.
9) Stop putting yourself down just one day a week.
10) Start being kinder than you usually are to yourself and others just one day a week.
11) Stop spending any money just one day a week.
12) Start drinking more water one day a week.
13) Stop drinking alcohol just one day a week.
14) Stop smoking just one day a week.
15) Stop eating sweets just one day a week.
16) Start sending out loving, healing and forgiving thoughts just one day a week.
17) Start focusing only on what you want to manifest in life just one day a week.
18) Start practicing gratitude once an hour just one day a week.
19) Start writing out your daily/weekly goals just one day a week.
20) Start journaling 30 minutes just one day a week.
I don’t know what big change you’ve been thinking about making. Maybe it’s something on the list above, or something else. But I want you to know making that change is possible. It’s possible to begin. It’s possible to make a huge shift, just one day a week. The time is going to pass anyway, so why not make a decision to do something powerful just one day a week!
Experiment with this idea one day this week. Let it be an experiment. Look at it from perspective of a “game”. Whatever you do, commit to that action for just one day this week. Do it for a month, just one day a week. Then evaluate what has happened in your life as a result. You may move the satisfaction or success needle a little or a lot. The results are less important initially than the commitment to consistency.
The 12-step programs all say that we need to focus on one day at a time. I love this concept. It has worked for me. Try it on and see how it fits for you. Anything is possible if you start just one day a week.
Betty Mahalik – Life & Leadership Coach Dynamic Solutions – Specializing in Your Success! http://www.Dynamic-Coaching.com “The world is blessed when you do what you do best!” bettym@dynamic-coaching.com