How Not to Give Up on the Gym

How to Continue Going to the Gym Forever 

We all know that regularly going to the gym and making it a lifetime habit is something we all want, but very few of us can actually hold onto it long enough to reap the benefits. Once we start going to the gym with lots of enthusiasm and optimism, most of us would vigorously go to the gym for the first three months. Then for the next three months to six months it would turn into an occasional venture, rather than a regular one. After nine months to one year, the whole enthusiasm and optimism would die down and most of us would never again put our feet on the gym doorstep. Are there any steps we can take or things we can do differently to hold onto going to the gym for good? Today, I am going to talk about the steps I take to continue going to the gym or doing any physical activities forever.

I started yoga when I was 16 and I started going to the gym roughly 7 years ago. And I have been continuing these ever since I started. Here are some simple steps I have been following to make sure that my physical activities do not turn into a thing of the past:

- Do not overdo anything. Set a routine of how many sessions or reps you will do during each gym visit and stick to it.

- Make each gym session short and brief. Those who stay endless hours at the gym are likely to give up after a few months. Each of my sessions at the gym usually last no more than 30 to 40 minutes.

- Pick two to three days per week to go to the gym. I only go to the gym twice per week.

- Occasionally, stop going to the gym as planned. This planned laziness will give your body a break and you will feel invigorated and encouraged to go back to the gym after a short break. I usually discontinue going to the gym when I am on vacation or some other times of the year. I do it 2 to 3 times every year.  

- The objective of going to the gym should be staying fit and living a healthy life – not to be a  muscle man and show off your abs (unless that’s your line of work).  

Going to the gym should be a part of your daily living and the benefits are endless. I can’t really tell you when I was last sick. Life is wonderful when you are healthy and fit. I am enjoying every moment of my life and I encourage you to continue going to the gym forever.

Words to Avoid for Better Communication and Self-Confidence

Words and Phrases You Should Avoid 

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Simplepersonaldevelopment.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com. This article originally published on the above website on Nov 5, 2011

What you say has a greater impact on how you interact with others and your self-esteem. There are some words that will make you more confident in your daily activities and conversations. Simply put, there are some words that will give your mind negative messages and will make your conversations difficult with others by creating a negative environment even before the actual conversation starts. 
Today, I will go through some of these words or phrases.

Avoid these Types of Words or Phrases 

Here are some words or phrases in bold you should avoid. I am putting these in sentences for better understating.

- I know what you are saying, but … 
- You have to do this 
- You can’t do that 
- I can’t do it 
- I will try to do it 
- I am sorry about that 
- Possibly this will work 
- I would like to … 
- Maybe I will do it 
- Perhaps, this is not going to happen 
- Do you have a minute? 
- Am I bothering you? 
- Am I interrupting anything? 
- Sorry to bother you 
- Sorry to interrupt 

Why You Should Avoid These Words/Phrases? 

When you use these words or phrases, you are projecting yourself as someone who is lacking confidence and weak – someone who is not sure about what he wants and what to do. Some of these words/phrases will create a negative impact and will irritate the person you are talking to the moment you use them. For example, if someone is in a good mood and feeling upbeat, the moment you utter “Am I bothering you?’ or “Sorry to interrupt…” it will make that person really bothered or interrupted although he would not have felt that way had you not mentioned it to him.

Replacement Words or Phrases Suggestions

Try these instead:

- Will you do it? 
- Are you willing to do this? 
- I am unable to do it 
- This is what I can do … 
- This is what I will do … 
- I apologise 
- What we will do … 
- Definitely … 
- Certainly … 
- This will just take a second 
- This will just take a moment 

If you need to talk to someone, instead of asking permission by saying “Can I ask you a quick question?” or, instead of saying “Am I interrupting you?” or “Sorry to bother you…” just ask the question firmly and politely. This will start the conversation with a positive tone and good mood, and you will have better chances of getting things done once you start with a positive tone, positive body language, and a positive approach.

How to Wake Up in the Morning

Wake Up and Feel Fresh In The Morning

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Simplepersonaldevelopment.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com. This article originally published on the above website on Oct 10, 2011

In this article I am not going to talk about how to sleep enough to wake up naturally without an alarm clock. Nor will I talk about how to make waking up a regular habit so you don’t need an alarm clock anymore. While I don’t disagree that it may be beneficial and a good habit to wake up at the same time daily, it may not be a realistic option to wake up at the same time for everyone due to various work-life circumstances. I am not in the position to afford the luxury of waking up at a pre-set time daily due to my lifestyle – and I am dependant on alarm clocks to meet my lifestyle demands. Today, I am going to discuss how to wake up in the morning effectively without causing too much stress and strain on your health.

Keep Your Alarm Clock Out of Reach – Do not keep your alarm clock too close. If you do, chances are you will stop your alarm clock and go back to sleep without knowing. When you wake up in the morning, your mind is not fully conscious yet, and even without realising you will go back to sleep again. Don’t keep it too close and not too far either. It should be placed somewhere that requires you to get up and move from your sleeping position to get it.

Use Gentle Alarm Tone – Do not use a harsh or too loud alarm tone. Use a gentle tone that makes you happy or gives you positive vibrations when you hear it. An alarm tone is the first thing you are starting your day with. If this is harsh and annoying, it’s bound the set you off for the whole day.

Don’t Rush Out of Bed – Once you are up and awake, don’t jump out of bed or rush to leave the bed. Take a deep breath in and out a few times, slowly sit up, and then slowly walk to the washroom.

Splash Cold Water – Splash some cold water (not too cold either) on your face, it will invigorate your senses and will make you happy and fully awake. Don’t forget to drink a glass of water.

Take an Invigorating Shower – Taking a shower works perfect for me to make me cheerful and get ready for the day. However, if I plan to work out or need to do some cleaning, I skip my shower right after waking up.

There are some specific things that work for specific people. The art is to find out what works for you and perform those to make your day more productive and a joyous one.

How to Empty Your Mind

How to Clear Your Mind

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Simplepersonaldevelopment.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com This article originally published on the above website on Aug 24, 2011

Have you noticed what happens when you don’t clear your closet, cabinet, fridge, or anything regularly? Unwanted things start piling up and soon it becomes unmanageable. Our brain is no different than the above situation. In a world of high-stress, work overload, and infinite demands and responsibilities, our mind gets tangled, over-loaded and messy. That’s why we need to untangle and unwind to empty and clear our mind, so it can refocus and work at its fullest potential. Today, I am going to talk about some simple things you can do to empty your mind.

Take Deep Breaths – This is quick technique to clear your mind. Deep breathing puts more oxygen in your body, and your mind benefits from increased level of oxygen. For the same reason, aerobic exercises can clear your mind as well.

Write It Down – Whether on a piece of paper, in a notebook, on a laptop, or on your smart phone, writing down what’s bothering you can clear your mind from clutter. It is a good practise to keep a handy notebook or an online space to write down your thoughts – whether it’s something you want to vent about or it’s something pleasant. If you can’t do it daily, try to do it whenever you can. When you start writing down without worrying about anything else, your mind get rids of its unconscious clutter and makes more room for conscious thoughts.

Talk A Pleasant Walk – A pleasant, unhurried walk around the block, or in the park can empty your mind from accumulated stress and negative thoughts. While walking, try to feel and sense all the bits and pieces of your surroundings. For example, try to smell the air, feel the humidity or moisture in the air, pay attention to the various noises around you, notice anything unusual, and enjoy a beautiful garden, a mild breeze, or a beautiful sunset.

Talk to A Good Friend – Everyone should have reliable friends to whom they can talk without fear or worry of criticism. Share your concerns and thoughts with your friends and you will feel a lighter state of mind than before.

Listen To Light Music – This is one of my favourites. When I feel too burdened, I play some instruments or new age music, lie down or sit relaxed, close my mind, and concentrate on music. Doing this just for a half an hour can clear out my mind a lot and I feel totally invigorated and energized after that.

Enjoy A Great View From A High-Rise Building – As a skyscraper fanatic, I like living in tall buildings. One of the many benefits of living in a skyscraper is that you can enjoy great views from your balcony or through your glass wall bedroom or den (home office). When I feel my mind can’t bear it anymore, I just stay in the balcony or sit in front of my condo glass wall on a relaxing chair to enjoy outside views for some time. This works out perfectly for me to empty out my mind.

These are some tips that work for me. Try some of these to see if it works out for you or not. The art is the find those that work out best for you and apply them to empty your mind for a better yourself.

How to Use Visualization Properly to Achieve Goals and Success

Proper Visualization Techniques to Attract What You Want

To streamline and minimize blog maintenance, I will be discontinuing maintaining the Simplepersonaldevelopment.com website (however, I will still hold the domain). I will gradually move all articles from this site to Ahmed Dawn Dot Com. This article originally published on the above website on July 31, 2011

Visualization is nothing but using our imagination to make dreams or what we want come true. Our mind is behind every success in our life and proper visualization unlocks mind to work to its fullest potential. Visualization is not a new concept. Since the beginning of mankind, we have been using visualization – either with or without our knowing in our subconscious mind. In prehistoric times, hunters and gatherers used to draw their vivid hunting scenes on the cave wall. Fighters were also seen to draw their fights on the ground or on a wall. Both of these visualizations would become reality in later times. Today, I will discuss how to use visualization the right way to achieve what you want and attract success and prosperity.

Visualization is simply a technique for imagining or creating a mental image of something we want to obtain in the future. Yes, it’s just like daydreaming and daydreaming can make your dreams reality. However, you need to use visualization techniques properly. When you envision something you would like to achieve a goal or anything in the future, don’t concentrate on only the outcome or end results. Instead, focus on both the actual process the makes the outcome possible and the outcome itself. Your visualization should be a balanced combination of both process and results. Don’t focus on any one of these too much or too little, leaving the other one.

Let me give you an example to clear up what I mean by a balanced combination. Currently I am working on my second book “Save Now.” So, seeing “Save Now” published is my goal. How do I use visualization the right way to make this happen? I am creating a mental picture of the whole thing. When envisioning the process of writing this book, I am seeing myself going to a coffee shop and working a few hours to write this book. I am seeing myself working even harder during my vacation as I have a full-time regular job. I am seeing myself going to an isolated location and stay in a hotel for a week or two to work on my book without any interruptions. There are many other details – but these are the main elements of my mental visualization of the process part. How do I envision the outcome or result part? I imagine that “Save Now” has been published and make its place to Chapter’s bookshelves (just like “Invest Now”). I also imagine that A Dawn Journal readers across the globe are reading and discussing about “Save Now” … and much more like these.

Just visualizing what you want will not do anything unless you take action. Use visualization with hard work and positive mental attitude to reach your goals. Visualization can be a powerful tool to help our mind to go beyond its limited circle, to change our limited thoughts are beliefs, and to create necessary behavioural change to work towards achieving our dreams.