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Once you have successfully made it through the initial phases of behavior change and you’ve experienced some success with new, healthier behavior it is natural to begin to feel some well-deserved confidence! You’ve made it through the hardest part, right? Certainly you will be able to continue with your new behaviors and outlook!

It’s important to never fully let your guard down, however. Be ever vigilant so that you can avoid temptations. Reward yourself when you successfully avoid temptations and relapses and try to replace old negative habits with new positive habits.

If you do trip-up, however…don’t be too hard on yourself…and above all:

NEVER GIVE UP!

Instead, look on any mistakes as just minor setbacks. Relapses are common and they are actually an important part of the process of accomplishing lifelong changes.

Common feelings associated with relapses are failure, frustration, and disappointment. Don’t allow any setbacks to take away from your self-confidence.

A good thing to do after a relapse is to look very carefully at why the relapse occurred. Can you pinpoint what triggered it? If you can pinpoint a trigger, you may be able to avoid future relapses that are similar in nature.

Yes…relapses are not fun. The only thing to do, though, is pick yourself back up, dust off the dirt, and get back to work. If necessary, start again with the preparation, action, and maintenance stages. Reaffirm your motivation, your plan of action, and your commitment to making these changes. Then make plans for dealing with future temptations.

Like I said before, most resolutions fail because proper preparation and actions were not performed. When you approach change with a solid understanding of how to prepare, implement and maintain a new behavior, you have an EXCELLENT chance for lasting success!

Happy 2009 - and may all of your resolutions be permanent changes!

Technorati Tags: lifelong changes, new behavior, resolutions

When we get to the place where we are empty-nesters, my husband and I would love to relocate somewhere warm and pleasant. Sometimes in the middle of winter, I can’t help it and I explore sites like this one with luxurious Atlanta condos. The Sovereign Buckhead is a high rise condo that I would consider luxury living in a beautiful setting.

I wouldn’t consider these Buckhead condos suitable for families, but singles or couples either before or after children would be the ideal residents of homes like this. There is a really nice photo gallery on this website that will give you a good idea of what these luxury condos are like…so if you’re in the mood to dream a little bit, go look!

…is a statement. A mailbox is often one of the first things you see when entering either a residential or commercial building. Whether you realize it or not, something as simple as a mailbox will give you a feeling about the home or business you are entering. When a homeowner or business owner takes the time to select a mailbox that is distinctive and attractive this is an indication that quality is valued.

There are many different mailbox options to choose from. From commercial mailboxes to cluster mailboxes to apartment mailboxes to residential mailboxes…finding just the right mailbox for your needs doesn’t need to be a difficult task. In fact, mailbox shopping can be downright fun!

OK - we’ve become aware of problem areas and have thought about it enough to actually be motivated to institute some kind of change!  Onward!  While the motivation is the strongest it is best to continue on to the preparation stage where we plan how to successfully institute a change (or changes).

One way to prepare for a successful change is to begin by making small changes to prepare for a larger life change. By this I mean that if losing weight is your goal, start by eliminating processed foods from your diet. If you want to quit smoking, start by trying to smoke less each day. Often it helps to take some sort of direct action such as consulting a therapist, joining a health club, or reading appropriate books.

In the preparation stage there are things you can do to improve your chances of successfully making a lasting life change.

• Gather as much information as possible about ways to change your behavior
• Prepare a list of encouraging statements and write down your goals
• Find outside resources such as support groups or friends who can offer advice and encouragement

Once you feel fully prepared to succeed, begin taking direct action to accomplish your goals. When resolutions fail it is often because these preparatory steps have not been given adequate thought or time. Many people make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight and then start a new exercise program, begin eating a healthier diet, and cut back on snacks. These are good steps to do, but these efforts often are abandoned in short order because the previous steps have not been done adequately.

When you are taking action towards achieving a goal, congratulate and reward yourself when any positive steps are taken. This reinforcement and support are extremely important for helping maintain positive steps toward change. Also remember to review your motivations, resources, and progress so that your commitment and belief in your abilities stays fresh and strong.

Next Time:  Addressing Maintenance and Relapse

Technorati Tags: accomplish your goals, life change, New Year's resolution

So…the new year has dawned bright and crisp and we all have high hopes for the opportunities stretching before us. The skies the limit! So much to accomplish! This is a great time to channel that motivation and enthusiasm into making some changes that will help you to be a happier, healthier, more fulfilled person.

As we already discussed, making changes that are successful and permanent takes experimentation, patience, and tenacity. It can be done, though…with some planning and reasonable expectations.

The first stage of change is called precontemplation. During this stage people are not actively considering any changes. People in this stage are typically described as being “in denial” because they claim that their behavior is not a problem.

If this describes you, you may feel resigned to your current state or you may believe that you have no control over your behavior. Often people in this stage do not understand that their behavior is harmful or hurting themselves or others.

If you are in this stage, ask yourself some pertinent questions.

• Have you ever tried to change this behavior in the past?
• How do you recognize that you have a problem?
• How would you consider your behavior a problem?

The next stage of change is called contemplation. During this stage, people are more aware of the potential benefits of changing but the costs are more apparent. This conflict makes it difficult to commit to trying to change.   For this reason, the contemplation stage can last months or even years. Actually, many people never make it past the contemplation stage.

If you are contemplating  a change, ask yourself:

• Why do I want to change?
• Is there anything preventing me from changing?
• What are some things that could help me successfully change?

NEXT:   Successful Preparation for Permanent Change

Technorati Tags: contemplation, precontemplation, Stages of Change

You start off with the best of intentions when the year is  new.  A brand new year full of promise and opportunity and the possibilities seem endless and expansive!  The skies the limit and you are going to do great things!  Sound familiar?  I know…me too!  Then the momentum wanes and you start to slip a little here and there and before you know it not much has been done to make those resolutions happen permanently.

Well…the bottom line is that changing behaviors is not really as simple as just deciding you are going to do something or even announcing it.  There is a substantial commitment of time, effort, and emotion involved in making changes like this.  Whatever the goal, making it happen will be a little different for everyone.  Try to find out what works for you and then go with it.  This trial-and-error process (where you are trying to figure out how to make these changes permanent) is where people typically get frustrated and end up quitting!

Don’t do this!  If something isn’t working for you, reassess and try something different!

This is the time that you need to be looking for the techniques that work for you and finding the ways to keep yourself motivated.

One thing that may be helpful for anyone trying to incorporate behavior changes in their life is to understand the “Stages of Change”  that researchers have found that helps explain how people react to change.  Basically, this model explains that change is not easy and often making smaller changes toward a larger goal is a better way to succeed.

The Elements of Change:

• Readiness for change:  Are you prepared with the resources and knowledge to successfully make a permanent  change?
• Barriers to change:  Is there anything that might prevent you from changing?
• Expect relapse:  Consider what might trigger a return to a former behavior.

Remember, change is most often successful when it occurs gradually and also know that relapses are an inevitable part of the process of change. People are often resistant to change at first but with time they will develop a committed approach to changing a behavior.

Next time: How to prepare yourself to successfully make a change in your life!

Technorati Tags: changing a behavior, resolutions, Stages of Change

I don’t know about you, but as the years progress and technology advances ever farther I find myself enthralled by the many gadgets they keep coming up with!  There just seems to be a never-ending, fascinating selection of little tools and techie helpers that make life a little more interesting.

I was browsing a little today…and here are some of my top picks.  What do you think?  You like?  Are there any on your wish-list that you’d like to try in the new year?

• Just look at this little pocket camcorder!  The  Aiptek A-HD 720P camcorder is very portable and pocketable. It takes 5 MP pictures or 720P high definition video and it retails for under $150.

Sticking this in my purse would be really  nice for all of those occasions when the kids do something totally cool and you want to remember it!

• Here’s something for everyone who multi-tasks regularly in the kitchen.  It’s called a Stir Chef’s Sauce Pan Stirrer and it is a circular device that clamps down onto the rim of a pot…and yes…it stirs your pots for you!

At first I thought this seemed a little over-the-top, but once I really thought about it, I decided that this may actually be a pretty cool thing to try.   It adjusts to fit 1.5- and 4.5-quart sauce pans and stirs for up to five hours for continuous stirring or ten hours for intermittent stirring.

• For those with a little quiet time, the Sony Reader lets you bring along your latest read wherever you go…in the carpool line or waiting at dance class. The reader can hold about 160 eBooks or loads more if you use an optional removable memory card. It has a six-inch display, weighs 9 ounces, and is 1/3-inches thick.

• Here’s a great option for on-the-go entertainment, downloading music and movies or just surfing the ‘net on the go.  Play your favorite music, watch a video or surf on the 3.5 inch widescreen display. It has built-in Wi-Fi so you can buy your songs or movies  or check email on the go.  I have a birthday coming up in a few months, and I may be putting this on my wish-list!

• If you go through batteries like we do it can be expensive.  We are trying to switch over to rechargeables now, but this little gizmo intrigued me because rechargeables are expensive.  With the Battery Xtender you can recharge regular old alkaline batteries. It won’t charge a completely dead battery but you can extend the life of nearly dead batteries by quite a lot.  I read that batteries can be recharged multiple times with this.  It retails for $39.99.

Try some of these for unusual and useful ways to use a variety of nuts easily purchased from the grocery store.

1. Grind shelled almonds into a fine powder in a blender.  Wet face, rub the almond powder in, rinse.
2. Grind two tablespoons of almond slivers in a blender and mix the powder with 2 teaspoons of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of flour, and honey to make a thick paste.  Rub into skin and rinse.
3. Mix 1/2 cup dry oatmeal, 1 tablespoon honey and cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon ground almonds.  Wet face and smooth mixture onto face.  Allow masque to dry completely and remove with a warm washcloth.  Rinse face with warm water and dry gently.
4. Shell brazil nuts, pecans, or black walnuts and rub the nutmeat directly onto scratches in dark wood, floors, or woodwork.  Be careful not to rub nuts into surrounding areas.
5. To avoid the odors associated with cooking cabbage, throw a whole, unshelled walnut into the water.
6. Make a fabric eye, wood stain, or ink from the hulls of black walnuts.  Put a couple of cups of walnuts (in the shell) into a slow cooker and add just enough water to cover.  Cook overnight on low.  In the morning, the water will be a very rich brown color.  Strain out the nuts and use.

Lastly, but not least…if you want a healthy heart, research is now showing that eating about a 1/2 cup of nuts five or more times per week will cut your heart attack risk in half (compared with those who don’t eat nuts).  Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are the most beneficial nuts.

Nuts to you!

There is a huge variety of bird food available. It can be hard to decide which to choose. This should help you select the right type of food for the birds you want to attract. Keep in mind your feeder style too.

Black-oil sunflower seed attracts the greatest variety of birds. It is small and thin-shelled and this makes it easy for small birds to handle and crack. Striped sunflower seeds are bigger with thicker seed coats.

Although sunflower seeds are the all-round favorite some birds prefer different foods.

Blackbirds like corn and doves like white millet or red milo. Doves are ground-feeders, though…so keep in mind that they need their food on the ground.

Watch the commercial seed mixes you may be tempted to buy, though. They are usually a blend of sunflower seeds and other less appealing “filler” such as millet, oats, wheat, flax, buckwheat seeds, and red milo.

These mixes may seem to be a bargain, but a lot may end up being wasted because the birds pick out the sunflower seeds and leave the rest. You may try making your own birdseed mix instead. Put about 25 pounds of black-oil sunflower seed, 10-pounds of white millet, and 10 pounds of cracked corn into a clean trash can. Stir with a broom handle and you’re good to go!

Remember to store your bird food carefully. If you buy a lot of seed it needs to be kept in a dry, cool place…safe from rodents. Check often for mold and throw out any seed that is questionable.

Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches: Sunflower, Safflower, Suet
Finches: Sunflower, Safflower, Millet, Niger
Cardinals, Grosbeaks: Sunflower, Safflower
Sparrows, Blackbirds: Sunflower, Corn, Millet
Jays: Sunflower, Corn, Milo, Suet
Woodpeckers: Sunflower, Suet
Orioles, Tanagers: Suet
Pigeons, Doves: Corn, Millet, Milo
Indigo Buntings: Sunflower, Millet, Niger

Do you have a bird feeder in your backyard? Bird watching is becoming more and more popular among Americans. Recent surveys show almost half the households in the US feed wild birds with birdfeeders in their yards.

It’s not hard to see why…feeding birds allows us to bring them close so we can see them better. They can bring entertainment and something interesting to focus on during a long, cold winter.

It’s not only good for us, though. By setting up a backyard bird feeder we can make birds’ lives easier, too. Winter can be especially hard for birds and finding food can be difficult during periods of extreme cold.

So…just what should you serve your birdie friends for dinner? And how would it be best served? There is a lot to choose from as far as food types and feeder types. It can be hard to choose what kind of food to serve and exactly how.

Today I have some basic info about feeder types that may help you decide what will best for you and your little feathered friends.

Tray or Platform Feeder:

This is any flat surface for spreading bird seed. Trays attract most species of wild birds, but the disadvantage is that they offer no protection against squirrels, chipmunks, or precipitation. Also the seed can become soiled by droppings from the birds. A roof will provide some protection from the weather. Be sure your tray feeder has drainage holes.

Hopper or House Feeder:

This is a platform feeder with walls and a roof. This feeder protects seeds against the weather, but not against squirrels. It keeps seed cleaner also. Hopper feeders attract most feeder birds. Hopper feeders can be mounted on a pole or hung from a hook or a branch.

Window Feeder:

This is usually made from clear plastic and suction-cupped to a window. This type of feeder attracts finches, sparrows, chickadees, and titmice and is nice because it allows close-up views of the birds as they feed.

Tube Feeder:

This is a hollow cylinder made of plastic with multiple feeding perches. Tube feeders keep seed clean and dry and they are somewhat more squirrel resistant. The birds attracted depend on the size of the perches under the feeding ports.

Thistle Feeder:

This is a special tube feeder with extra-small openings to dispense tiny thistle seeds. Thistle is also known as niger. These feeders attract finches mostly. Thistle “socks” (fine-mesh bags) can be hung for birds to cling to extract the seeds.

Suet Feeder:

This is a wire-mesh cage or plastic-mesh bag that holds suet. This type of feeder can be nailed or tied to a tree trunk or suspended.

Next: Choosing the best bird food

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