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Day 100: This is how I live!
One of the most common themes among dieters is the phrase, "I know what to do, I just don't do it." Over the past 100 days, I hope you've come a long way from that one. But even with successful dieters, there's another problem that often happens. As time goes by, eventually they will confess, "I forgot what I know!"
Right now, you're feeling excited, motivated and quite focused on maintaining your success. But over time, all of your tools will begin to slip from your conscious mind. Eventually, you can forget even the most valuable ones-unless you develop a system for remembering them.
Your top ten
From time to time, you need a way to remind yourself of the principles you live by. You've probably recorded a lot of your favorite tools in your notebook. Now you need to go one step further and figure out how to make all of these concepts a permanent part of your life.
Start by selecting your absolute favorite principles from the 100 Days Program. Then choose the top ten lessons that fit best for you-the ones you want to live by long-term.
Write these down, and then plan how you'll keep them in mind forever. Think about what would help you remember your tools. Do you need to make an audio tape or CD so you can listen to your own advice while you're driving or cleaning? Maybe you could create a colorful poster for your bathroom wall or post a list of tools on the computer at your office.
This is how I live!
Once you've chosen the guidelines you want to follow forever, you can use them as a foundation for your daily life. To make this easier, create a notebook page or a sign that proclaims, "This is how I live!"
Then list your top ten skills along with any other principles or values that you want to keep in your life long-term. You might even revise your list once in a while, pulling in a few new concepts along with the old ones. Even though you won't always follow these perfectly, at least you'll remember your lifetime goals. Ten or twenty years from now, you should be able to pull out this same list and affirm it's still true.
Yes, this is how I live!
Today's tasks.
Decide what methods you'll use to remember your favorite tools from the 100 Days Program.
In your notebook, make a "top ten list" that includes all of the concepts you plan to use forever.
Create a plan for how you will keep these ideas in front of you always!
Linda Spangle, RN, MA, is a weight-loss coach specializing in emotional eating, and the author of 100 Days of Weight Loss, a book of daily lessons that helps people stay committed to their diet and exercise plans. The text of the book, 100 Days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle, RN, MA (Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2007) is made available through an exclusive licensing agreement with the author. This content may not be reproduced, sold or redistributed without express written permission of the author.
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