Are You Letting Life Pass You By?

It’s Only July. Make the Second Half Your Better Half.

I was walking down the streets of Obidos in Portugal last year when I was captivated by this sweet golden staring out of his parents’ window. He looked like he was missing out on playtime, longing to run the stone paths that circled this little quaint hillside town.  In a similar way, many of us can relate. We get so caught up in the daily routine of stress and obligations we end up swimming circles inside a fishbowl while life is happening on the outside. Months turn into years, turn into decades and then we come up for air and say “Where did the time go? How old am I now??” Breaking it down to a month at a time…. So, are you doing well so far with your 2017 goals?  Great! That’s enough to drive your motivation to a whole new level and keep climbing that mountain or perhaps find a new one to climb!  And for those of you who are staring at that list (ok, the one in your head if you lost the actual list), wondering how you came up with these over ambitious goals, you may be feeling that pang of anxiety or depression.  You may be wishing you can hit the rewind button and have a do-over! The New Year’s Resolution Burnout long passed and now you are trying to catch up, or maybe you surrendered to making 2018 the better year. If there is at least one aspect of your life you are dissatisfied with, then repeating the patterns which are keeping you “here” are not getting you “there”! We’re in the second half now. It’s not too late. I call it the Mid-Year Crisis, much like the mid-life crisis when mortality hits you in the face and you start see the reality of your finite time on this earth. Some try to recapture their youth- searching for the quick fix to dropping weight, erasing wrinkles or they engage in activities of immediate gratification just to just to feel better about themselves. The Mid-Year Crisis is similar in the sense that the Jun/July reality check kicks our butts into high gear to accomplish our goals, whether it’s a health goal, career goal or personal goal. And we can look for the fast track solution just to catch up, often incurring some unnecessary expenses to get you there. It’s only July. Pace yourself. Is the Glass half full or half empty?  In other words are you celebrating your January to June accomplishments and ploughing forward or are you beating yourself up over the things you may have to carry over to the 2018 list? Here’s a Tip: Remind yourself you are human. Humans are the most stressed out species on the planet (hence, the sickest) because unlike the other animals and plants, they easily place unreasonable demands on themselves to meet the expectations of other humans or the society in which they live. We, humans sometimes forget to be accountable to ourselves. Re-group with yourself. Take a time out and revisit or recreate the list of things important to you. In July, 2015 I wrote an article “Putting Yourself in a Timeout”. I shared my personal experience of taking a break from the hysteria of work and life and creating my own space to escape. In January, I listed some strategies for setting the stage for a successful year ahead.  Here are a few key reminders:  For the details, visit the published article by clicking HERE 1. Set goals (ok, reset goals) with a clear mind. Pick the top three areas you want to work on. Can’t focus? Refer to #2 2. Clear your mind by oxygenating your brain. Exercise and tune up your nervous system with chiropractic care. Adjustments stimulate healthy nerve flow to the brain! 3. Breathe. Don’t allow that ticking calendar clock induce anxiety and stress. The clock ticks regardless so just be, breathe and get in the present. You need to get connected with yourself in the now in order to set the stage and perform for a better future. 4. Going in circles? It may be time to Ask for Help.  Seeking the perspective of someone on the outside (outside your “fishbowl”) can help you identify a missing link to your success. This could be an honest friend or colleague. 5. Be accountable. If you are having trouble being accountable to yourself, seek out a certified or licensed coach. You will be more likely to follow through when you invest in services of a professional who will give you objective advice and skilled guidance. I told a patient the other day, consistency is the key to progress in healing from the injuries she sustained in a car accident, meaning consistency in her home care and exercises, in keeping her appointments with me and her medical team.   Likewise, you need to be consistent with your daily tasks to help achieve these goals and move forward in your life! Set a daily reminder on your phone, journal and most of all, stay conscious of your thoughts and actions. Are they moving you towards positive results? Or keeping you in the fishbowl? If you are stuck and not sure what direction to take in your quest to move forward, it’s important to rule out any underlying physiological and neurological issues which may be blocking you. For a complimentary 20 minute introductory consultation, please contact my new office number at 480.447.9205 or email me at info@nakedtruthbydrmelanie.com. Office locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix will be posted on my website soon. Announcements for my Patients and Readers: I’m Published!  I am proud to announce I finally got my first eBook published on Amazon! The kindle version of “Stress Secrets” is available now for only $2.99. It’s a quick read and I designed it that way because let’s face it: the most stressed individuals are the busy ones. The busy are looking for quick tips to get their stress under control. I welcome readers to write a review on Amazon and sincerely appreciate your support!  Click HERE to see and follow my author profile and link to the eBook!   My sequel to the “Detox is a Dirty Word” series is in the works and the eBook will be published on Amazon soon.  I’ve been underground a bit in order to focus on some very important projects so please stay tuned and thank you for taking the time to read this article! If you found it helpful or simply entertaining, feel free to share it with your friends! (more articles below!) 🙂 Dr. Melanie Related Articles: July 2015 “Putting yourself in a Timeout” https://www.nakedtruthbydrmelanie.com/put-yourself-in-a-time-out/ July 2016: Mid year Crisis  https://www.nakedtruthbydrmelanie.com/are-you-having-a-mid-year-crisis/ January 2017: Tune Up your Brain for a Successful New Year’s Resolutions  https://www.nakedtruthbydrmelanie.com/tune-up-your-brain-and-energy-for-successful-new-years-resolutions/ Article written by Dr. Melanie: Green Living Magazine January 2017 publication: “Conscious Resolutions for a Healthier New Year. Make Them and Keep Them”