Cheers to The Better Years: 3 Agressive Ways to Conquer 2014!!!

Let’s raise our hands to the sky, clench your fist,  squeeze your biceps, and flex your abs with a toast to the new year. Grab hold of your sword and shield as we prepare to journey into 2014. This is the year where our resolution’s will NOT end faster than the ball drops (Clarification: New Year’s Ball in Times Square). It is time to return with a vengeance and slay the only competition that matters -YOU- with a lifestyle change dedicated to conquering 2014!!!  

1) Set Unrealistic Goals in Life

This is hands down one of my favorite things to do. It is easy to overlook how unrealistic many major successes in our world today actually are.

For example, think about the whole process of birth, honestly it is ridiculous. A splash of sextastical magic, 9 months of craziness than…BOOM! a baby and- there we go – the miracle of life. Are you kidding me?! How insane is that? It’s probably as unrealistic and awesome as it gets.

Alright…so getting back to my point. We are all brought into this world the same way, and many of us are content with our own birth (coming into the world) being our biggest success story. Why settle? Set unrealistic crazy goals for yourself, face adversity, conquer the obstacles and become whatever you truly desire to be in life. This year I grabbed a pen (old fashioned writing utensil) and some paper (ancient material used for writing, drawing, and/or printing upon), and I wrote down close to 10 unrealistic goals I had for myself and the small steps I’d take to obtain them. In all seriousness, I really wanted to connect with each goal, and felt writing it the old fashioned would be better than using my pointer finger as a pen on the iPad ( I don’t own an iPad) or typing it up on a word document. Here are some of examples from my own life:

1) Last year I set a goal to launch a health and fitness blog/website by the end of the year. Many people told me there was no need for it, and some said that no one read the articles I publish. Well now you are reading my article and thankfully- so are many other people.

2) This year I came up with an idea and business model for an interactive obstacle race company. My goal was to turn it into reality. The first two parties I approached denied the idea and told me my “lack of experience in event planning as a 21 year old scared them”. The next two parties much larger than the first two- both loved the idea. We are meeting this week to speak about planning a date for the event this spring.

3) This year I wrote a check out to myself for a large sum of money (thousands) and dated it January 1, 2015. With this I plan to constantly remind myself of where I want to be financially. As well as the steps I need to take everyday to ensure I will be able to cash it by next year. (Wish me luck!)

4) Start my mission fitness charity, and follow through with my plans to hold our first event at my old grammar school this March.

Track these goals with a laser focus, doing all that you can to conquer them.

2) Step Outside Your Comfort Zone

Everyone has a comfort zone, whether we want to admit it or not. The difference in each of us is how we decide to build upon them. Comfort zones come in all different shapes and sizes. Some people have comfort zones built out of stone walls, with a moat filled with crocodiles, an armed stick-figure milita (shown below), some high-tech powered security cameras, and an albino guard dog with a lightsaber named Pacino – that’s one extreme. Click Below:

Others build comfort zones with a little less security, you know, like a tree house with a tire swing or the best friend who always leaves his front door open (we all have that friend). Click Below:

You can never truly progress and develop as a person – for yourself or for those around you – by boarding up inside your comfort zone.

Try to have an open door policy, or at least a tire swing, give yourself and those around you a chance to take part in something adventurous or exciting.

Far too often we find comfort in telling ourselves “no” or wanting to do something but we don’t because we are scared of what others around us might think or say. Don’t hinder your potential for greatness and the rewarding gifts and memories life can grant you. Inside your comfort zone you are just that – “comfortable.” Over the last 6 months I began putting myself in uncomfortable situations, and it is amazing how much I have learned from those around me and myself.

Here are few ways that I have recently stepped out of my comfort zone:

1. Took a Zumba class, I do not enjoy dancing as it is, so this was way outside my comfort zone. I told myself as a fitness professional and MAN this is something I needed to do.

2. Drove somewhere I had no clue how to get to without using my GPS. This sounds crazy- but I have a terrible sense of direction, I even rolled down the window to ask for directions!

3. Enrolled in Modern Dance class as an elective for college, every time I told someone I was going to dance class they would look at me like I was crazy, I winded up getting a 97 on my final presentation and an A overall. My favorite part of the class was the 1/2 dance 1/2 yoga in the beginning.

4. Shut my phone off or leave it in the car when I go out to eat with someone. This feels absolutely amazing, you will be shocked out great this technology detox feels.

5. Bought a spontaneous one way plane ticket. I very recently just purchased a one way plane ticket to California, and have yet to decide how long I will be there or when I will be returning to NY.

3) Cut The Puppet Strings

Do not get caught up in the never ending race that many of us are running!

Start your own race, with a starting line, unique middle ground, and a successful breakthrough finish.

We all tend to have these strings tied to us from birth. We go through life being told what the “norm”  is to follow. Say no to peer pressure.  Be your own person, control who you are now, and take yourself where you want to be. Stop letting society and fear “pull the strings.”

We enter school and from the time we are young we are drilled repetitively to:

Stay in school, study hard, pass your tests, get into high school and if you don’t do well here you won’t make it to college, go to college- this is where you figure out your entire future, than get a job working for someone, wake up every morning sit in traffic work like a robot each week hoping to one day get a salary raise or promotion

…oh yeah and while you’re at it pay your college debt off until you’re in your 30’s and retire around 65 than start living life.

This is the dream often hammered into our heads. Thankfully I have made the decision to make my own decisions, and I hope this inspires you to do the same.

College is great, but broaden your horizons.  The world is changing and a 9-5 job may no longer be the best option. It’s what you do with your education from school as well as on your own -self eduaction- that make all the difference.

Be curious, ask a shit-load of questions, break things and put them back together and learn the reason why. Everyone needs to have a “why” as a driving force behind what they do. Don’t just settle for what you think society, your family, or friends expect from you. Tear down these mediocre expectations and be exceptionally great.

Push your body beyond the limits of your mind, don’t just dream about the body you want to have or the person you want to be, dream big and act upon it.

Stay Healthy - Lifestyle