3 Reasons You May be Procrastinating, that Aren't Your Fault!

When we avoid going for a goal, we often blame ourselves, call ourselves "lazy," etc., but we sometimes don't realize there are REASONS we aren't taking action. Three reasons in particular.

To attack a goal, or even create a goal, requires ENERGY. Mental, physical, and emotional energy. A lot of us become DRAINED over time, by negative people, the small (and big) annoyances of life, or taking a lot of action without getting the results you want -- frustrating, yes? STOP and take note of the areas where you feel you need more energy. You may be physically strong, but emotionally drained. Or emotionally strong, but feeling weak physically.

RECHARGE:

1) Boost your PHYSICAL energy with daily exercise (a variety of types of exercise you enjoy, and some weight training), a diet of organic vegetables, fruits; healthy carbs like brown rice and quinoa; and organic proteins like lean chicken or beef, nuts, tofu, or rice and beans (together they make a complete protein). Also cut out caffeine, sugar, and processed foods whenever possible -- it's impossible to follow this perfectly, but make an "energizing choice" whenever possible (which means choose exercise and a healthy snack, to feel better). Also consider taking vitamins, as most of us really don't eat perfectly or get 5-9 servings of vegetables/fruits per day. Even if you do eat perfectly, the nutrient level in the food and your digestion may not extract enough of the nutrients you need, and vitamins help make sure you're not depleted. I mention this because lots of people lack B-vitamins and Vitamin D, among others, and it can lead to lethargy and lack of energy.

2) Emotional energy can be re-charged by doing an "emotional cleanse" to help you identify and let go of all of your baggage from the past. You have to feel it to heal it! Make a list of your "unfinished business" from the past, and spend some time each day simply noticing how you really feel about this. Write your feelings down, or tell someone about them. Get to the key idea that these emotions are signaling. Perhaps you felt slighted by someone, ignored, harmed, etc. -- once you "get the message" from your emotions, you'll be able to move forward. Also identify people who tend to bring you down! These people are negative, or they cancel plans often, show up extremely late, are flaky, and you simply can't rely on them -- this adds stress to your life and drains you. So limit time with people like this. There is a LOT more that can be done in this area, especially with coaching, so find a coach who understands you as a unique individual. The right coach will show you how to stay emotionally motivated and centered, so that you'll know how to keep yourself energized for life!

3) Mental energy will increase -- You will notice by improving the above, almost instantly, your mental clarity naturally comes into focus. You'll feel sharper, quicker, and more eager to take on new challenges. We often procrastinate or avoid work simply because we don't feel our best. Once you have the ball rolling with strong physical and emotional energy, you can CHALLENGE yourself by taking on new mental tasks -- perhaps starting a business, researching a new career path, considering a move, deciding what type of relationship would work best for you, or even discovering what makes you happiest in life and crafting a life plan. These things are FUN once you are re-charged with physical and emotional energy. Without energy? Doing this will sound like a root canal! That should be a clue to you about where your energy level is at, and what you need to do to improve it. :)

And as we approach the holidays, it's a very good time to take notice of your energy level. You won't make all of the changes over night, but every small change you make (even eating some vegetables), DOES make a BIG difference! YOU and your goals are IMPORTANT and you deserve to create the life you're meant for. The world needs you to be your best self.

So stop BLAMING yourself for not being perfect, and look for the reasons you aren't hitting your potential yet -- everything is happening for a reason. It can be difficult to notice objectively what's going on, so try talking to a non-judgmental life coach who can help you map out how things are going (or not going!).

Good luck everyone!