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Offices in White Plains &Mt. Kisco
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Ask Yourself
"What is the best choice I can make right now?" by Linda Richmand, CPC
How can something this simple help? Believe it or not we actually listen
to what we say to ourselves.
Many people
become overwhelmed by long "to do" lists, projects, diet plans, and/or exercise regimes. It is easier in the moment
to say, "I will do it later," which your mind interprets as, "I will feel less stress not having to deal with
this now." This is why for too many people "later" never comes.
When at any juncture we ask - "What is the best choice I can make right now?"
- we are forcing ourselves into present thinking. Your negative thoughts will take a back seat when you answer the question
honestly.
So, the next time
you are contemplating moving forward on a goal versus doing something like visiting a social website or watching TV, ask yourself
this powerful question. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish.
Real
life examples:
1.
Cindy began salivating over the smell of hamburgers and french fries from the moment she entered the restaurant. She
was trying to lose weight and knew she shouldn't order it, but it smelled so good. When the waitress brought over
the menu, Cindy took a deep breath, opened it and asked herself, "What is the best choice I can make right now?"
After deliberating over that question, Cindy decided to order the Oriental Salad with dressing on the side, and have a hamburger
another time. Had she asked herself what she was in the mood for, she most likely would have ordered the hamburger.
It is much easier to make good dieting decisions when you aren't thinking about what you can't have, but what you
should have instead. Positive thinking, begets a positive outcome.
2. Ben discussed the procrastination of a long term project at
his coaching session. We talked about the power of trying to make the best decision at the moment. The next day,
as usual, he completed the list of tasks needing his immediate attention by 10AM. He knew he should start work on the
project, but wanted to check Facebook and emails "just for a minute." His coaching session fresh in his mind,
he stopped for a moment, took a deep breath and asked himself, "What is the best choice I can make right now? "
Answering the question honestly, he decided to organize his notes and begin the project. He knew he would check his
Facebook and emails later. That was something he never forgot to do.
Notice in both examples, the client put off the bad decision, and made the healthy
choice.
Try it! What do you have to lose?
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