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One of my good mates calls me ‘The Planner’… although he’s being cheeky because I’m not so good at  spontaneously dropping everything and cruising to the pub… most often being a planner works in my favour.

It’s great with food and exercise and it generally lets me get the most important things done in my day however it can be taken to the extreme.

You know, to a Control Freak type of extreme!

In todays show I’m sharing what happens when you’re holding on too tight. When everything is planned to within an inch of it’s life and there’s no room for manoeuvring.

You’re inviting trouble. As I invited trouble these past few weeks.

Before we get rolling, I want say it’s great to be back recording Healthification. I missed it! Although it was The Plan to have a lil break and a couple of weeks of encore episodes it very much was NOT the plan to have a week where no episodes were published.

Although this little planner recorded 3 weeks of Healthification in advance pre-Xmas I didn’t plan for my podcast editor to go MIA. I’m actually worried about him as he did say he was working right through and he has been super reliable. Beyond an explanation for a break to my previously untarnished consistency-queen reputation there is a reason for me sharing this little hiccup with you.

I can find a body gain lesson in anything so here it is:

Is there an area in which you’re holding on too tight?

Inviting trouble? About to cruise right off that strictly-defined-non-negotiable course?

Do you have that tendency (like me!) to focus ONLY on what you’re working towards without enough appreciation for both what you’ve already achieved and also for what’s happening right now, this very moment?

If you can relate these 3 steps that I’m going to focus on this year may also be of value to you.

Let’s call them: 3 steps to ease up a tad when you’re holding on too tight!

Step One: Appreciate the Present.

This is a step to implement if you find yourself constantly seeking to control the future at the expense of right now.

=> It’s like not enjoying the delish-bakery-gorgeousness you eat today because you’re back to (still fairly yum) veggie omelette tomorrow… or not enjoying sleep-in Sunday because tomorrow is stupid-oclock Monday.

=> Or even not appreciating the body, the health, the opportunities you have today because you’re so focused on how you really want it to be when you attain that goal in the future. The number of times I’ve heard ladies tell me how they wish they appreciated the body they had when they were younger. No matter what age you are today there’s a lot worth appreciating in the body and the mind that’s working it’s butt off for you 24/7 right now!

This is such a to-work-on for me I’ve committed to it as my ONE BIG THING to change this year.

However you want to frame it, it’s useful to have a theme, a word or a focus for the year. Out ofeverything I could work on I’m choosing to be more present and to, Appreciate the Present.

Step Two: Expect the Best.

This is simply just a more fun way to live. To be honest I spent a lot of my Xmas week away worrying that the people on my team who had agreed to get work done for me over the holiday season might not come through.

It made me anxious and as it happened a couple of people did let me down.

Thinking about worse-case scenario didn’t stop it happening, it just made me a little miserable and a lot moody.

=> It’s like when you embark on a new exercise regime while telling yourself: “I don’t know why I’m even bothering I never stick with it anyway.”

=> Or perhaps believing that even if you stick with that shiny new approach to eating and exercising perfectly it won’t work for you because it never does. It’s not the eating or exercising plan that doesn’t work – it’s the mindset that’s setting you up to get complacent, unmotivated and inconsistent by not expecting the best.

Step Three: Plan for the Worst.

As much as you want to have positive expectations, it’s also important to be enough of a realist to plan for the worst. So you don’t get caught unawares.

So that’s where although you expect that you’re going to love the new gym you’ve joined, or that group training or that membership forum… although your expectation is that you will make it work – you also have a back up plan to throw into gear as soon as something goes wrong.

Not saying something will go wrong – however if it does – well you want to be able to start making progress again asap.

=> So, in my case that might have been lying about the dates I needed certain things finished by just to give myself a little leeway… or perhaps hiring a second editor, as I have now.

So to recap, and remind myself as much as YOU:

You’re enjoying everything good right now. You’re expecting great things to come… and you have a plan to counter the worst if it does unexpectedly show up.

To get actionable today my question for you: Is there an area in which you’re holding on too tight?

Specifically with regard to your body gain goal is there a strictly-defined-non-negotiable course that you’re in danger of cruising right off??

From one planner to another – planning rocks! – however the fine line between efficient, effective planner and control freak does need to be negotiated!

I’ll finish todays show with a quote from Winston Churchill “Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning”.

That brings us to the end of todays show. I’ll be back tomorrow with the Tuesday Tucker show and: Food Court Foraging.

If you liked this you’ll also like: Debilitating shyness, big butt serenades, gym floor humiliation and the biz from hell… 4 weight loss lessons.

If you’re yet to share the Healthification love – just click here to zip over to iTunes and leave an honest rating and review. It’d help me out big time. With gratitude, Kate.