Stretch!

"Only as high as I reach can I grow, Only as far as I seek can I go, Only as deep as I look can I see, Only as much as I dream can I be" Karen Raven

In spite of the unpredictable weather (tropical heat, then snow blizzards!) it is Spring! (Or is it early Summer? I can't tell!) With Spring comes the chance to be outside more ? even if it is dodging between rain showers! I know, the weather isn't really playing ball at the moment, but couldn't you be? After a winter conserving energy and warmth inside, and of lovely comfort foods, it is time to shake yourself off and become more active, to add more movement to your life and to begin to breathe.

When you wake in the morning, instead of rolling out of bed groaning, take a moment to throw back the covers, raise your arms above your head and stretch! Take deep breaths and really welcome the start of a new day. This is a day full of possibilities! Have fun adding more movement into your daily life. Dance, whenever or wherever. It doesn't really matter what other people think of you as you take the floor at the supermarket! In fact, you'll make them smile, which has to be good! Run up and down stairs. Enjoy every feeling in your body as you relearn how each muscle works and moves. Join a friend on a walk, or for a swim. It doesn't have to cost much, if anything at all. Borrow a fitness video from the library. Try them all out to find which appeals to you. We all are unique, so our choice of exercise will be personal to us. There will be more warm days. Why not stretch yourself out on the grass? Extend your arms and legs and really reach. Don't forget to keep breathing.

It is not only your body that needs a good stretch. Your mind also needs to be exercised regularly. There are so many things that you can do to stimulate those 'little grey cells', as Agatha Christie's Poirot called them. What appeals to you? Learn something new every day, for pleasure or for improvement at work. How about joining the Library and making the most of the resources there? If you're going abroad on holiday, you could make a stab at learning a new language. If you are staying in your own country, how about researching the local history of the area you are visiting? Or the local history of the area you live in? Embrace change and challenges. Stretch towards a dream. What do you need to learn to get you closer to that dream? Make it happen by taking the first steps. Stretch your voice ? sing! Listen to a different kind of music. Even if you don't particularly like it, it will make you think. Smile ? stretch those facial muscles. Reach out to other people and make conversation with people you don't know. Pass the time of day. Have a curiosity about the world you live in and the people who populate it.

Push yourself. What skills and abilities would you like to learn? Enrol in a class, read up on the subject. Practice. Make a special effort to stretch yourself.

Why do this? If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting what you always got! So take a chance. You will feel positive and confident about yourself, and by developing new skills you will be opening yourself up to new experiences and opportunities and the chance to make new friends. By stretching your body, you will feel better in all aspects of your life and will be physically prepared for anything that comes your way. Don't look back and think 'if only??????..'

STRETCH!

Kate Harper is based in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. Check out her website http://www.harpercoaching.com

She works with people who are fed up with moaning about their lives and have decided to do something about it. If that is you, please have a look at her website. She is happy to work with people from any part of the world.

"The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult." Madame Marie du Deffand

Take your first step today and contact Kate.

---

Stained Glass Windows

Elizabeth Kubler Ross once said, "People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun comes out, but when the darkness sets in, their... Read More

How to Make it Big In Spite of Your Challenges

Imagine for a moment it's five years from now and you are still making the same income (or just a little more), living in the same home... Read More

Stop Squeaking! Align Yourself for Business Success!

Even for a remarkable business owner like you, from time to time, you may still loose motivation in continuing the expansion of a service or product line.... Read More

Why Holding A Vision Magnetizes Great Achievement

The only reason some people enjoy success while others fail is because those who succeed persist in holding the vision of what they want.They succeed, in the... Read More

7 Hot Tips for Self Improvement Part 1

Have you ever imagined that life could be a lot better and more fulfilling than yours is right now? Are you eager to learn a self improvement... Read More

Your Date with Destiny

Destiny. What a powerful word. And the great thing about it? Everyone has one! You have a destiny! Another great thing about destiny? We have a significant... Read More

Frustration, Isolation, Overwhelm

Whether you've been in business for yourself for a day or a decade, you remember that sweet feeling of freedom when you first thought, "I'm going to... Read More

7 Tips For Unstoppable Motivation And Enduring Success

Procrastination is of no use to you in your quest to fulfill your dreams. Lose those old habits and replace them with habits that lead to self-motivation... Read More

Be Action-Oriented

Are you a melancholic online business owner by nature? I have something to tell you.In case you do not know what melancholy is, a melancholic person is... Read More

Succeed Like the Super-Successful

Two undeniable traits of the super-successful are: their belief in self, and an uncompromising expectation that they will succeed ... no matter what. Their dreams and goals... Read More

The Dream I Nearly Gave Up

Hello again to you my loyal readers. My very first article which I published sometime last year dealt with the topic of positive thinking and success. Today... Read More

Motivation, Your Core Resource

Your motivation is one of the core resources you have to accomplish all the things you want to achieve.Let us get one thing clear though before we... Read More

How to Become an Effective Self-Help User

"Know Yourself" That's what the big guy said way back when? Was it Aristotle, Plato or Socrates? Anyhow, that's the essence of what this article is about.You... Read More

Challenge Yourself - Stretch Your Boundaries Daily!

Many times we fall into a sedentary lifestyle because we fear forward movement. We eventually feel as though we've fallen into a rut and can't seem to... Read More

Motivation - The Power of Drive

My experience tells me there are three stages people go through on their way to having the drive necessary to meet their goals:I want to want to... Read More

7 Steps to a New Life Overseas

Research shows that at any one time more than half of us are dreaming of a new life overseas, but few actually succeed in making the transition... Read More

What Is Failing Forward?

What an absurd statement! Absurd or not, progress is not possible without failure. It is part of being an evolving and growing human being.Failing forward is about... Read More

Selective Perspective

Picture this: A mother and daughter are looking at the snowfall from the front widow of their home. The daughter thinks: "Great, No school tomorrow." While Mom... Read More

Commit to Doing 80%

Instead of trying to be perfect, it is better to do your best, and often your best doesn't look like going all out all the time. This... Read More

Are You Addicted to Selling?

The definition of Motivation in Webster's Dictionary: Motive - the sense of need, desire and fear. Based upon this definition, some sources of motivation can be dysfunctional... Read More

How Self-Made Millionaires Overcome Procrastination

Do you want to know how the super successful overcome procrastination?One fascinating hallmark of all highly motivated millionaires is their strongly held conviction that they will succeed.... Read More

Are You an Optimist or a Pessimist?

I have been giving some thought lately to optimism and pessimism. Basically, these are attitudes. Attitudes that shape and formulate our entire existence. I mean, have you... Read More

3 Great Ways To Stay Motivated At Work

Staying motivated at work is easier than you think when you know what to do.1. Decide What You Must Achieve Today.It is easy to get caught up... Read More

Dont Wait For All of Lifes Traffic Lights to Turn Green

Can you imagine getting into your motor vehicle, reversing out of your driveway, selecting a forward gear then just sitting there waiting for every traffic light between... Read More

Contemplating Change And Moving Into Action

Do you ever have the sense that there has to be more to life than what you are presently experiencing? Those are the moments in time where... Read More

Face Your Fears

Yes, that's me up there! Interestingly enough, I used to be deathly afraid of heights. I'm not suggesting para sailing is the best way to overcome a... Read More