300

HAPPY 300th FOCUS DAY

Today marks the anniversary of 300 consecutive days writing a blog since starting on the 1st of January 2015. This is by no means my last day and signifies nothing more really than benchmarking the last century before reaching my 365 goal, but doing this feat for 300 straight days is an impressively high number all the same.

The idea of writing every day came about by chance. I wanted to get up early and get my thoughts out in the open and see where it led me. I can still clearly remember that first morning. As the world slept off it's hangovers, I was looking at a blank screen and waiting for inspiration on what topic my first blog page would be about. I wasn't disappointed in what my mind chose to write and the words have continued to flow freely from that day forward. The first week was a monumental milestone for me and as the following weeks came and went, the one month's milestone was special. It confirmed something I already knew...that I was well on my way to change.

Today, as I hit the 300 day milestone, it's still a significant number but it's essentially just another daily reminder - as have been all those other days. They reaffirm my decision for positive change.

This live journal I'm writing, with daily evaluations accessible for all to see and play witness to being learned. It is a clear indicator of progress. It's something we should all try and do. The content should not be a concern - as the words should flow freely from the heart.

And if the idea of publishing content for all to see is too much of an intrusion into our private thoughts, there's a great website that someone has created for this very purpose where the content is hidden, so nobody but you can look back on your 'brain dump'. The website is called 750 words. 

Take Action

MAKE IT HAPPEN

Having knowledge and doing nothing with it is the same as having no knowledge at all. You have to apply what's been learned and do something useful with it to make it a benefit.

It's so easy to get everything we need. All the info and he tools are out there to be learned in schools, researched in libraries and gained in every way imaginable online. There's a lot to wade through though before getting the answers - you can't just take what you first read as 'gospel'. There's a lot of different opinions and ways of doing things and you have to find what works for you.

To get the best out of our learnings, we still have to filter out what's good and bad information and take the best advice from those around us that have learned and had success from their experiences. It takes time, will power and effort to source/digest information, assess/trial and learn what works for us. Unfortunately, we're pretty lazy if we allow ourselves to be. Discipline has to be instilled in us in the same way a child has to be shown right and wrong and a pet has to be trained. Without our parents or school teaches around it's up to us to be the role models and disciplinarians. We have to keep tabs on ourselves and take action. 

Rewards
It's really important that we treat ourselves when we've put in the hard work. If something is really hard to do and arduous to keep doing - chances are we'll give up if there's easier more fun things to do instead. Take regular assessments of your progress and set manageable milestones where you can check your progress. Think of it like a game - and that way it will be more fun.

If you're on a special diet, set a target with a reward at the end. Make it something special, one of the treats overindulged on like chocolate - but try and make the treat the best it can be. There are loads of great new raw chocolate, organic, vegan, high in anti-oxidants chocolate brands out there which are a better alternative to the high in sugar, processed varieties. I'm allowing myself to eat special raw chocolate snacks only once a week - on a Saturday night and it's helped cut out all cravings in the week now I have a goal.