How I can improve myself.

So I'm sitting at work the other day thinking about how I can improve myself. I write "How can I improve myself" at the top of a piece of paper and I sit, waiting for inspiration. What do I write? I decided to put achievable things, stuff I could do now. Here is my list:

- Eat Paleo
- Sleep better
- Stretch every day
- Take fish oil
- Meditate
- Take vitamin D
- Run barefoot
- Be more organised
- Don't drink
- Don't smoke
- Do yoga
- Avoid electrical appliances (ie TV, Ipod, Comp, Radio)
- Be more upstanding (Don't sit down so much)
- Change career
- Read more
- Commit to my family
- Set goals
- Do more competitions
- Study
- Personal train people

I discussed this all with my colleague, he gave me good insight on what he thought. It's a good list! I do smoke a bit, often when I drink, and there's no excuse for it. "Change career" was a toughie, but this could hand in hand with "Study" and "personal train people." Hmmmmm...

Today I rang a company offering Personal Training qualifications and discussed their courses. I talked to my wife about it and she thought it was a great idea. Something to take my mind of my difficult job. We discussed finances and decided we had the money for it, it would be affordable.

How did this come around? Because I wrote a list, I quantified my feelings, I discussed it with other people. So bloody easy. I have my list in front of me too - I instantly know everything I want to achieve. I can flipping see it right in front of me, how can I not follow that plan?

Bizarrely, I logged on to Facebook yesterday and saw this article trending:

http://jasonferruggia.com/39-ways-to-not-be-like-everyone-else/

OMG. Almost exactly the same as my list. Floss daily seems to be quite popular as life advice these days, and there have been reports linking dental hygiene to longevity. There's also lots about ditching the TV and computer and getting out on your feet more. 17,18 and 26 seem to suggest the author may have had some organisation issues like myself too!

Two of the list really interested me:
33) Never hang out or associate with negative people.
37) Never hate or be jealous of anyone.

Heavy stuff but very relevant. These are two points I'm going to have to think about. Another post one day, perhaps.

This morning I've had a small coffee, taken my fish oil and vitamin D, let my wife have the morning in bed, I've turned off the TV, started looking at a new career, I'm drinking a big bottle of water and looking forward to reading the end of my book before collecting my son.

If I want to be the person I want to be, that guy, then I need to heed the list. Let's give it a go. What have I got to lose?

Could you write a list? Would this method work for you? Turn the TV off and put your phone on silent. It took me twenty minutes, that's all, to write a list.

Live Smart, Charlie.