a new mantra...

I have shared that I have been "off" since September and tonight, I found this inspirational artilcle that I loved.  Before I commit to begin another "healthy life style change" I need to remind myself and say that I am not upset with me.  Life for me has been different and it has affected me and taken me off of a path that I would say was "routine".  Now, I want to get back on "it" again so this read truly helped me as I always know that's  it's okay to "not do" and "rethink" and "do again". 

5 Ways Successful People Start Their Days via Mrs. January

"In her popular book What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, author Laura Vanderkam writes, “Learning to use mornings well is, in our distracted world, what separates achievement from madness. Before the rest of the world is eating breakfast, the most successful people have already scored daily victories that are advancing them toward the lives they want.”

5 Ways Successful People Start Their Days

We are all given the same amount of time every day. We have a full 24 hours to do with as we please. How are you spending that time? Are you getting to the end of your days wondering where all of the time went? Wondering what you did that day that will propel you further in your life?
People that are successful in life often have a ritual that they follow. A list of things that they do each and every day. I personally know a few very successful people, and recently asked them what those things are. Here are 5 tips that almost every person gave me.

1. Organize Your Day

This is something that needs to be done daily. Whether you plan your days every morning, or you plan your days the night before, the number one thing you need to do each and every day is to plan your day with a to-do list and schedule. Pay special attention to the morning hours. This is when most successful people knock a bunch of important to-dos off their list.

2. Eat That Frog

One of my favorite time management books is titled Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy. It’s in this book that I first learned of the phrase “eat that frog”, which basically means to tackle your hardest, most dreaded task first thing in the morning – before you do anything else.
Once you can cross this task off your to-do list, everything else on it seems like a piece of cake! Are you eating your frog first thing in the morning?

3. Exercise

Exercise is important. It should be a part of your every day life, no matter what. No excuses. Exercise gives you energy, which allows you to get more done with your time. Exercise also helps to improve your memory, boost your confidence in work and life, sleep better and makes you happier. It’s one of the best things you can do for yourself each day.

4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Of course, eating a healthy breakfast goes hand in hand with exercising daily. Don’t bog yourself down with a heavy meal first thing in the morning. Start your day off right with something that is going to increase your energy and keep you alert.
Some good, healthy breakfast ideas: oatmeal, fresh fruit, healthy muffins, fresh juice, yogurt, or whole grain toast with nut butter.

5. Create Good Habits

To be truly successful, you need to set yourself up for success, and this means creating good habits. For example, drink 8 glasses of water daily, clear out your inbox at the same time each day, or get up 30 minutes earlier than normal every day – decide what habits you need to create in order to be successful.
Take note of what is setting you back in your life right now, and start changing those bad habits and switching them with new, healthier ones.
How you start your day is crucial. If you set yourself off in the right direction, doing the right things, first thing in the morning, you will be setting yourself up for success.
There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that having a good, solid, morning routine is what makes successful people so… well, successful.
So – how do you start your days?

Posted on, December 30, 2013