2018 was a great year that brought on a lot of changes for 2019. When I think of this upcoming year and what the next 364 days have to bring, I’m excited but know it will fly by, and before we know it, I will be writing my blog on 2020! I remember when I was a kid it felt like years for one year to go by, now it feels like it passes in the snap of my fingers. Every year I make new year’s resolutions, which are more like yearly and life long goals. This past year I focused a little more on personal development, as I know there is always room for growth to help me live my best life. Its easy to just go along in life, but where is the challenge or personal satisfaction in that. We all face daily life challenges and sadness but I have learned that we truly do have the power to change our own lives. Our mindset, and outlook on life plays a huge role in the choices we make and the paths that we choose. Positivity is the biggest asset one can have in their daily mindset, I know its not always easy to stay positive, believe me there are days I struggle, but in general I’m a really positive person and I feel that has helped me carve a certain path in my life that I’m proud of. Why am I sharing all this with you? Simple, It’s January 2nd and most of you probably made New Year’s Resolutions, some of which you will keep and accomplish, and others you won’t when life gets too busy. If your resolution included anything to do with becoming more fit, read more, take more time for yourself, make more money, grow in your career, become a better you and live a happier life then keep reading.
I finished out 2018 by reading Hal Elrod’s book “the Miracle Morning”. My good friend shared Hal’s Ted talk with me a few months ago and his miracle life story inspired me to read his book. I thought to myself if he can accomplish everything he has, after all he has been through, he must be on to something. His short 136-page book is a quick easy read, if you drive in the car a lot download it from audible. The book discusses Hal’s past and what inspired this book. Its main focus is on the six Life S.A.V.E.R.S, which are small daily practices to help you live your best life. These life S.A.V.E.R.S are practices that most of us already try to accomplish daily but are sometimes guilty of putting on the back burner because we think we don’t have time. The truth is we really do all have 60 minutes or less a day to spend on ourselves to makes our lives better. “Success is something you attract by the person you become” – Jim Rohn
The six life S.A.V.E.R.S are:
S: Silence (5 minutes)– Purposeful Silence can help reduce stress, illness and increase self-awareness. This can be accomplished many different ways, for example Meditation, Deep Breathing, or Reflection. Meditation is also becoming more well known for its health benefits.
A: Affirmations (5 Minutes)- This is an effective tool to help achieve greatness, and everything you want in life. It’s based on positive thinking and specific details. You want to read them out loud daily, as constant repetition leads to acceptance by the mind. They should never be considered a final draft, because they will change as you grow. “It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. Once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” – Muhammad Ali
V: Visualization (5 minutes)- This is not always an easy task, but Hal suggests starting by visualizing your ideal day. You can also make a vision board that includes things you want to have, who you want to become, what you want to do and where you want to live. It’s important to remember that nothing in life changes without action. www.ChristineKane.com is a great place to start if you need help with your vision board. “See things as you would have them be instead of how they are.” – Robert Collier
E: Exercise (20 minutes)- This is where I have been the most successful in committing to my health and personal growth. It is not easy getting out of bed and working out at 5:30 am but it makes a HUGE difference in my day. Exercise has been proven to boost energy, enhance your health, improves self- confidence and emotional well-being. If you’re not into going to the gym that’s ok- Yoga is a great practice, and I would even encourage joining Beachbody on Demand. It’s not always easy going to the gym which is why I also love being part of my BOD challenge group. We encourage and support each other when you need a little extra help to get the job done. Even a small quick workout that gets your heart rate going is better than sitting on the couch looking at your phone. “If you don’t make time for exercise, you’ll probably have to make time for illness”- Robin Sharma
R: Read (20 minutes) – Reading 5-10 pages a day is a great way to gain knowledge, ideas and strategies that you can use to improve your daily life both at home and work. Its also a great conversation starter.
S: Scribing (5 minutes)- Also known as Journaling. Journaling is something I have read about in many books and how beneficial it is. The key is to not over think it. You can get a brand-new beautiful journal, a cheap 99 cent spiral notebook or download an app on your phone but just write as thoughts come to your head. It can be things you did the day before, what you plan to do today, lessons learned, break throughs, and successes. Plan to keep the journal and review and reflect at the end of next year to see how you grew and the accomplishments you made.
The end goal is spending an accumulative 60 minutes each day, preferable morning, doing all six of these practices. You can change up your schedule and the amount of time you spend doing each based on your own preferences. The goal should be to do this every day, but life does happen so if there is a day you need to modify and only spend 1-2 minutes doing each of them, then make it happen.
These six life S.A.V.E.R.S are all things I have been working towards myself over the last few years separately, as my own personal development and even as part of my New Year’s resolutions. I have been very successful with some, but not all and that’s because life always got in the way. This book showed me how to take all of these practices and put them together into one short period of my own personal time before my family wakes up and the must dos of the day start. I would encourage all of you to read this book and see where it takes you. Many successful people practice some, if not all of these life S.A.V.E.R.S daily. A big part of success is creating the daily habit as well as surrounding yourself with others who have the same goals, beliefs and positivity allowing you to grow and live your best life. “Motivation is what gets you started, Habit is what keeps you going.”- Jim Rohn
“Remember, the moment you accept total responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you claim the power to change anything in your life.” – Hal Elrod
