It’s easy to be distracted by the nonsense of life. Besides our purpose, we need other day-to-day, positive focuses in order to maintain a healthy and happy perspective. A list of goals may bring you the positive direction you need.

I realized a couple of years ago that I needed a new focus after my divorce. When married, I felt like I was living a ‘status quo’ life. I rarely pursued the things I wanted nor did I make an effort to achieve them. I felt unfulfilled in life. What was holding me back? Me.

You’ve heard my story, and you probably realize by now that I was my own worst enemy. Don’t let this happen to you. Think about your life and what’s missing. What have you always wanted to be? What have you always wanted to accomplish? Where have you always wanted to travel? What have you always wanted to see?

With my clean start, I created a bucket list. It helps me focus on what I want to accomplish, experience and see before I die.

Make your own list, too. Don’t waste your time like I did, continually putting off the things you want the most. Don’t sit back and watch life pass you by anymore. As you complete specific items, replace them with something else. This list will evolve as you progress through life.

Where do you start? By stealing my list! Use my list as an example and start experiencing the life you want most.

• Vacation in an igloo village in Finland.
• Set foot on all seven continents.
• Sip espresso in a café in Italy with Sammy while peering over the ancient ruins of Rome (completed in the fall of 2014).
• Write a book (completed in 2015).
• Learn how to swim well.
• Learn how to dance without thinking.
• Be paid for what I love talking about the most (my book).
• Attend the Olympic Games.
• Ride a hot air balloon in Egypt.
• Ride on the Singapore Flyer, the second-tallest Ferris wheel in the world.
• Ride on a Ggondola in Venice, Italy (completed in the fall of 2014).
• Go on a safari in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
• Bathe in the Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa, a massive geothermal pool inside a lava field in Grindavik, Iceland.
• Visit Machu Picchu, the lost city of the Incas.
• Swim with dolphins.
• Visit the Eiffel Tower (completed in the fall of 2014).
• Visit the White House.
• Take a helicopter tour over Kauai, Hawaii, filming location for the original movie Jurassic Park.
• Forgive daily and let go of grudges (eternal work in progress).
• Attend the next White Sox World Series.
• See a performance at the Sydney Opera House (will complete May 7th, 2016 on my honeymoon :)).
• Visit Easter Island.
• Visit Patagonia in South America.
• Reach the top 20 in Amazon sales for self-improvement book Redefine Yourself.
• Marry Sammy (will complete April 30th, 2016 :)).
• Raise children.
• Volunteer for at least two hours per week.

REFLECTION SECTION

1. Awareness: Are you living the life you want? Describe two goals you have always wanted to achieve. What obstacles have you faced while pursuing these goals? If you haven’t pursued them, why not?
2. Acceptance: Can you accept the responsibility of creating the life you want?
3. Adaptation: Describe at least two answers for each of the following questions and start compiling your bucket list.

• What have you always wanted to be?
• What have you always wanted to accomplish?
• Where have you always wanted to travel?
• What have you always wanted to see?

—————–

Michael Moody is the author of the self-improvement book Redefine Yourself: The Simple Guide to Happiness and the former fitness expert on NBC’s The Biggest Loser/MSN Chicago tour. The owner of the successful Chicago personal training business Michael Moody Fitness, his fitness and life-structure programs have helped his clients lose more than 2,500 pounds since 2005. Michael has been featured in Muscle & Fitness and Today’s Chicago Woman magazines, among others. During his time as the official trainer for PBS’s The Whitney Reynolds Show, he also produced an inspirational segment about his travels in Guatemala.

Having researched emotion and coping behaviors in university-level studies, Michael has presented various fitness, motivation, body image, and stress-management programs at Illinois State University, DePaul University, corporations, high schools, and workshops.

The post The ONE List You Need to Redefine Your Life appeared first on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement.

http://ift.tt/21Uie4Z