Create YOUR Own Normal, Hold Yourself Accountable, and Active Listening
Hi Folks! Connor and Nick here from Healthy Living With Nick and Connor. Thanks again for being on our email list, it means a lot, and we are excited to share our weekly email with you. We hope you enjoy it! Here is what we hope you take away from this one:
Stop basing what you do on what is considered ‘normal.’ Live the life you want to live and make YOUR own normal.
Hold yourself accountable. What is it that you want to do? Do everything possible to make sure you make it happen.
Active listening is a key to improving relationships.
Starter Mindset Tip: Create YOUR Own Normal
What is ‘normal life?’ How did this even become a common saying in our vernacular? How in a society where we all have different genes, backgrounds, families, friends, jobs, beliefs, thoughts, opinions, and ways of life, did we come up with an idea of a ‘normal life?’ We want you to stop making decisions based on what you think is ‘normal.’ Make decisions for YOU, that are right for YOU. Carve out time to sit back and think about your life, about your decisions, about what you want to do and get out of life. Don’t be afraid to try something that is different from the people around you. We don’t want you looking back on your life when you're older and wonder what your life would have been like if you just tried (insert your life goal here). Question ‘normal life’ at every turn. All of the choices you make are a part of your own unique life, YOUR ‘normal life.’ There is no one definition. Make your own ‘normal,’ live by it, constantly evaluate it, and enjoy the heck out of it.
Health Recipe: Hold Yourself Accountable
Timing: Just a little time each to make sure you work toward your goals
Level of Difficulty: Hard at first, easier as you start crushing through your goals
Serving Size: Depends on what you are going after
Spiciness: Mental battles always have a chance of being spicy!
INGREDIENTS
Just yourself, a plan, and a system to make sure you hold yourself accountable
REASONING AND BENEFITS
Who is responsible for creating your routines, setting your goals, and forming your habits? That would be you. Who is responsible for making sure you follow through with them? That would be you again. It is up to you to hold yourself accountable to what you want to accomplish. This is very different from school, work, and sports where you have a teacher, a boss, or a coach who will be evaluating your work and sharing the responsibility of accountability. If you were your teacher, boss, or coach, how would you evaluate your performance on these important aspects of your life? Have you been following through with what you want to do? Our routines, goals, and habits are interesting things. They are so often the first things that get pushed aside. This could be due to becoming busy, a lack or interest, or a myriad of other reasons. The core issue though is usually accountability, more specifically, a lack thereof. How you improve your accountability is up to you, but once you start holding yourself accountable for your routines, goals, and habits, the sky's the limit. Come up with a way that works for YOU and enjoy the feeling of following through with what you want to do.
INSTRUCTIONS
Sit down and write out the routines, goals, and habits you would like to accomplish.
Make them easy, realistic for you, and make sure they interest you.
Write them into your calendar so you remember to do them, and cross them off as you crush through them. Circle them when you miss them to hold yourself accountable to the misses.
Think of a reason why you want to carry out your goals. Maybe you want to be healthy for your kids or grandkids. Maybe you just want to feel better. Maybe you want to be able to do something that you used to be able to do. Whatever your reason, make it unique to you.
PRO TIP: Start with a goal that really interests you, something you are confident you will be able to do. This will build momentum to start tackling all the others!
* Deploy the buddy system. Have someone else hold you accountable.
** What you do when no one is watching is a true testament to who you are. Make yourself proud.
*** Do not start by reaching for the moon. Start by reaching for the low hanging fruit, and then build up from there once you re-learn how to attack your routines, goals, and habits.
Dessert Quote:
“The most important moments in conversation happen when one person is actively, intently listening. There’s an accelerated change to the relationship that happens when you’re able to really listen, to be incredibly present with the person.” — Daniel Coyle, “The Culture Code.”
Now we want to hear from YOU! Please let us know what you think of today’s newsletter, and send us an example of how you applied the health recipe to your life! We would love to share how you introduced this week’s recipe into your life’s unique menu. Thanks and have a great Sunday!
Sources:
Learn more about the qualities of a good team and human interaction:
Coyle, D. (2018b). The culture code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups. Random House.
