Dare This...

  Dare Do This…
 
Dare is a provocative word, isn’t it? At any age, the word can send a frisson of apprehension through the most resolute of characters.
At nine or ten, we get dared to rob the orchard, at fifteen, we get dared to ask her for a date, at twenty, we issue our own dares, go for that  interview, try swimming the river, attend the audition, and so it goes.
 Dare; Dee, Aye, Orr, Eee.
It’s a great word as an acronym. And today, we’ll look at the first letter; Dee.
‘D’ is for Decide. Life is a series of decisions. What we decided last week determines this week.
 
What’s your next decision? Have a coffee instead of making the phone call? Saying ‘alright’ when you want to say’no’? Leaving at 3.00 to miss the traffic, when you know a couple of calls may be coming in, skip the muffin, write that note?
 
Decisions are definitely, positively, irrefutably, influential in our lives. Like getting the paperwork done, sticking to the promise that’s going to cost more than you thought it would, honouring your own promise to you, to drink less, cut the fags, be a bit more considerate, keep to the diet, get the workout done, get up on time, say good morning to your colleagues, thank your colleague for the coffee. You get the idea.
And here’s the thing; 90% of our decisions are autonomic, we’re on cruise control, drifting through life as our habits guide us comfortably along, turn here, move there, we know the way, point the feet, or the car, and off we go.
 
Which brings us to the point; what’s your next decision? Are you really going to decide finally to get yourself in shape?
 
Here’s how you do it; with a will.
 
You can elect to make it a decision, not some feeble wish you can abandon if it’s too much hassle.
 
Decisions are like goals; they need to be not undertaken lightly, and once decided upon, honoured with commitment.
 
Many decisions are taken on a whim, which can make them vulnerable.
 
Look at the myriad of things you do during the course of a day. Let yourself be aware of the habits, the patterns into which we’ve fallen and follow without question. Then change the ones that don’t serve you, and reinforce the ones that do.
 
Small changes accumulate. They form a different influence on one’s life. And as they’re small, tend to be easily managed. Within a short time, small changes can result in a huge difference.
 
So look again at the questions above. They won’t upset your life in any major way. They’re well within the range of possibility. For anyone.
Make a few small changes, decisions, and let them be the guideposts for your mornings.
 
Within a short time, like many, you may find yourself rising into each day with a renewed vigour and energy.
 
That’ll happen provided you take the next step, which we’ll talk about in the next post.