Fit for Life: Don't Conform, Be an Outcast
Matt Espeut, Health & Lifestyle Contributor
Fit for Life: Don't Conform, Be an Outcast
What he is talking about is the holiday season is upon us, and it's the time of year when most people start getting complacent with their health, fitness, and business.
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It's the time of year when everyone takes their foot off the gas, gets complacent & lets their nutrition slip.
Obviously, if you are in the retail or restaurant business, it's your busy time of year, and you need to keep your foot on the accelerator; however, other industries tend to retract and slow down during this time.
He calls it separation season because strong, disciplined, and focused people tend to separate themselves from the general population by sticking to their routine or dialing it in even more.
When we do this, we separate ourselves from the pack of "average" even more than usual.
It usually starts around Halloween, picks up steam around Thanksgiving, rolls out of control at Christmas, and continues past the first of the year. Then, after people come out of the holiday coma, they need to either start over or work harder than before to reverse the damage.
I don't want to make a fresh start; I want to keep the momentum moving in the right direction. Energy in motion stays in motion, and it takes more time, energy, and effort to get rolling again when you stop your momentum and dig yourself into a hole.
I fu@#ing hate the term: I'll start, we need to reschedule, or we'll do it "after the holidays." Especially when there is still a month or two until we get there.
It's like the last two months of the year are a time zone or purgatory, where everything is supposed to stand still or get postponed for a couple of weeks or months.
News flash: there isn't some invisible force field around this time of year preventing us from being productive and improving our situation. No rule states we need to go into debt, slow down our earning potential, and ruin our health, yet people seem to do it every year, and it's frustrating to watch.
They are called Holi "days," not holi-weeks or holi-months. YES, you should take the time to enjoy family, friends, treats, and some Holi" DAY" cheer, but it shouldn't last for weeks or months.
Where is it written that we need to sacrifice our self-care & nutrition, multiply our anxiety, lose sleep & limit our financial growth for the holidays? It doesn't so stop using the holidays as an excuse to fall backward into mediocrity.
Here's what you can do to separate yourself from the "ordinary or normal" and IMPROVE your situation for the holidays.
Amp up your fitness and nutrition. If you currently work out, work out extra. If you currently eat well, eat better. If you don't do either, start now and get a head start before everyone else.
If you start now, you will be way ahead of those procrastinating and kick the can down the road for another couple of months. People usually gain 6 - 12 lbs. during the holidays, so if you start early and lose a few pounds, you will be 10 - 15 lbs. ahead of the game when the new year begins.
Instead of compounding the damage most people encounter, you reverse it and separate yourself from the pack.
Start your strategic planning and write out your goals for next year early. Doing this puts you in a better position than waiting for the "ball to drop" before you start.
Have specific, measurable goals with your finances, health, and personal life so you can cruise into the new year prepared and ready to attack.
Save money and budget. We tend to spend recklessly during this time, so be prepared. When you do this, you will avoid looking at a mountain of debt when that January credit card statement rolls around.
Schedule appointments that are important to you now. Be sure to get together with friends, go to events, or do things to improve your finances. Set appointments and keep them.
Call it that even if you can't make time until 1/5/2024; don't just say, "Let's do it after the holidays. If it's important to you, put it on the calendar!!
Use the week between Christmas and New Year's to be productive. Don't just coast through to the other side. When most people are pulling back, push forward even harder. Stay away from a time warp.
I am doubling down on my marketing, focusing more on my fitness, and working on my annual strategic road map. I refuse to use the holidays as an excuse to put on body fat, slow down in my business, and go deep into debt, and you shouldn't either.
If you implement and stick to this plan, you will be light years ahead of most people at the start of the new year, and that's why it's called "SEPARATION SEASON."
Committed to your success,
Coach Matt