7 Ways To Put Your Life On A Diet

Life is hard enough without piling more and more
expectations on yourself. It's like trying to diet in a
chocolate factory! Instead try these 7 ways to help you
lighten up, reduce worry, and give yourself a break. You'll
come out on the other side with a simpler, happier, easier
life.

1. Decide Right Now To Expect Nothing.
"Wait a minute", you say, "if I expect nothing, won't I get
nothing?" Of course you can live "down" to expectations.
In this context, however, it means to not get so hung up on
needing, wanting, striving, wishing, and pursuing that you
miss what's right in front of you. Setting goals to move
you towards what you want is definitely important. But what is
good and sweet and wonderful in your life right now? What
are you missing out on by expecting something better to be
around the next corner?

2. Let Some Long-Standing Idealist Goals Die.
This can be the most freeing thing you do, and a tremendous
sense of relief. Always wanted to be the world's first
perfect parent? Are you disappointed in yourself because you
haven't yet won the Pulitzer Prize? Are you comparing
yourself to the body of a runway model? Does your marriage
lack the romance of daytime soap operas? It's time to get
over these types of unrealistic goals. Allow yourself to be
human.

3. Truly Accept that Failure is The Only Way To Succeed.
There's a famous quite that says, "the only place where
success comes before work is in the dictionary." The story
goes that famous basketball player Michael Jordan was cut
from his high school team because he wasn't good enough.
History would have been very different if he had let
"failure" stop him from working hard at what he wanted to do.
Practice patience. Practice failure. Practice. Practice.
Practice.

4. Make Peace With Something That You Already Know.
What do you already know that you will "learn" in 6
months? What this means is, what is in your life today that
is probably going to catch up to you and cause you big trouble
6 months from now? Are you overspending? Is your
marriage on shaky ground? Are you living without
insurance? Do you have a healthy problem that you're trying
to ignore? Make peace with what's going on in your life
now, AND make a plan to deal with it.

5. Find Your Real Self Again.
Are you internally motivated, or addicted to applause? Do
you do things just because "other people" expect you to, or
do you do them because you experience joy and peace when
you do? Are you living up to your higher goals, or just
getting through the day? Is your life a true reflection of
what you believe in? Stop trying to "be" who or what you think
you ought to be, and instead be willing to accept both your
talents and your weaknesses. Then take full responsibility
for how they affect you and other people in your life.

6. Find Out What Your Really Want Out of Life.
Sounds simple doesn't it. Everybody knows what they want
out of life - or do they? Begin by thinking about time
where you were (or are) feeling completely happy , content,
comfortable - and time just seems to fly by. What are you
doing?. Why types of skills and activities are going on?
What resources are you using? Many times your talents and
passions are so much a part of you that they just seem to go
unnoticed. Living your life based on your "big goals"
allows you to focus your energy and achieve much more.
Otherwise you become a pinball in the game of life.

The last step is to "Organize Your Life-Style to Support the
Life you Want. Once you've determined what you really
want, how your Real Self plays a part in that, and let go of
some idealistic goals, you are ready to restructure your
life to be a more genuine expression of who you are. Allowing
your Real Self to come through, and being comfortable in
your own skin and own goals, makes life instantly easier,
less stressful, and outright more fun!

Put Your Life On A Diet. You have so much information
and opportunities coming at you 24 hours a day that it's
easy to get caught up in "just stuff". Filter out what you don't
want in your life. Would you hire a baby sitter to watch
the kids while you spend the afternoon cleaning the closet? Of
course not. Carefully consider how you spend your time.
Then, consciously - slowly, deliberately, one step at a
time - set up your lifestyle to support the way you want to spend
your 24 hours. Surround yourself with attitudes, people,
resources, and tools that will support the life you want to
live.

About the Author

Kathy Gates, Professional Life Coach, helps people set
priorities and goals, take actions, make changes, and
reshape their lives. She is the author numerous articles both
online and in print, an Ebook and several Email Coaching Programs
available at www.reallifecoach.com, call 480.998.5843