Carpe Diem!

Ok, you're ready for a change. You're tired of feeling tired. You're sick of coping with your own funky moods or your appearance. Maybe you've just come from the doctor and your cholesterol, weight, and blood pressure are on the rise.

You're full of hope and anticipation about your new lifestyle changes.You clean out the pantry, stock up on all the right foods, download a killer workout for your Ipod and wham! You get sick, the boss calls a weeklong meeting, you're asked to be the driver for soccer practice every day for a month and health club goes up in flames.

The thing about life, as John Lennon observed, is that it happens when we're making other plans. And in order for your changes to work, you have to adopt the "Rule of Reverse Expectations." In other words, assume there will be obstacles in your path and seize the opportunity (carpe diem!) to use them as ways to sharpen your skills at keeping your self care on track. Don't get frustrated, get moving! Confucius said, "Consider the uses of adversity." When you embrace obstacles you stop dreading the challenge of self care. You stop talking about eating right and you just do it. Your expectations are realistic, and you know you'll have good days and bad ones.

A few years ago I worked with a personal trainer who had a strict no-whining policy. When I moaned about the fact that I couldn't find time to train because of my killer work schedule and the fact that I was a solo business owner and time was literally money to me because of all my responsibilities - on and on.

He just looked at me and said, "Robin, if you tell me you have just 5 minutes a day, I'll find a way for you to get the absolute maximum out of those 5 minutes. But one thing I can't do for you is get you the 5 minutes. You have to do that yourself."

You will do battle against yourself from time to time as old habits and self-destructive ways try to pull you back from your goals. But every time you "seize the day" you win. And that puts you much closer to that joyful, confident, energetic woman you know you are.