Changing Your Life

Here’s a course I wrote a few years ago. Once a week, for six weeks, I’ll publish the Changing Your Life information. I hope it is useful to you. Let me know.

Week 1

Begin by assessing what you have to do to have 17 minutes each day—seven minutes in the morning and 10 later on in the day. In first seven minutes, you will do a short breathing exercise and write for a few minutes.

I will ____________________ to have an additional seven minutes in the morning. (You aren’t required to do this in the morning, but most people find it sets the tone for their day and they find they are most likely to honor their commitment.) If you have a family who are getting ready for their day at the same time, you may have to get up earlier or go into a separate room to have the quiet and privacy you’ll need.  

I will _____________________ to set aside 10 minutes later in the day for walking.

 Week 1 Activities

Breathing: Breathe deeply for 3 minutes. Sit comfortable with you feet on the floor. As you breathe in, expand your belly. As you breathe out, contract your belly. Breathe like this for 3 minutes. Set a timer or play a 3-minute song so that you don’t have to think about when the time is up.

If you get a little light headed, it’s because your body isn’t accustomed to getting this much oxygen. Slow your breathing rate or breathe a little less deeply. As you continue with this practice, your body will adjust.

It’s best to do the breathing first and then the journaling. Deep breathing centers you and enables you to turn your attention inward so that your journaling is more an exploration of you inner self and not a chronicle of your activities.

Journaling: Write one page. (One 8 1/2 x 11 page or two pages of a smaller size.) Don’t think about what you should write but use this medium as a means of getting to your inner most thoughts. When you sit down to write, if nothing comes, just write what you are doing. “I’m sitting here with this blank page and writing about nothing.” You may fill up the whole page with nothing or you may prime the pump to write about something important.

Appreciation: Think of one thing you appreciate every day. Write it in your journal.

Walking: Walk briskly for 10 minutes. Don’t carry anything so that your arms and swing freely. It is my belief that walking is the very best exercise you can do. Even if you go to the gym regularly, or do some other more strenuous exercise, add walking to your daily routine for duration of this program.

Self Nurturing: Buy yourself a journal—get one you really like. Make sure its something you will like to write in. For example I love the looks of journals with blank, unlined pages but I prefer to write on lined pages. I like spiral bound books from an office supply store  because they lay flat and they are inexpensive–I rarely reread what I write and I hesitate to do a brain dump in a beautiful, expensive journal. Since I loved school and homework, I actually like writing on notebook paper and sometimes that’s what I use for a journal.

While you are out shopping, buy an inspirational book. Here are some of my favorites:

Wayne Dyer: 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace

Jack Canfield: Chicken Soup series

 

Rachel Naomi Remen: Kitchen Table Wisdom

 

(C) 2007, Jacqueline Hale