(Originally posted September 16, 2013)

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As I was walking my dogs this evening I was listening to an inspirational audio recording and here’s a statement that jumped out at me:

“You can’t think yourself into a new way of action,  you have to act yourself into a new way of thinking.”

I don’t personally know what he’s talking about, as I’ve never tried to think myself into a new way of action (she says with dripping sarcasm…).

I flash back to just a couple months ago when I was soliciting my mom’s advice about the various popular methods of weight loss I could try:

• Weight Watchers?
• Biggest Loser Online?
• Join a gym?
• BodyMedia or other such tracking device that helps me monitor calories in and calories out?
• Overeaters’ Anonymous?
• DVDs I can do at home?
• Maybe I just need the right book?

Do you know how long I sat around thinking about how best to lose weight and get in shape? And can you guess how well that worked?!

I was trying to think myself into a new way of action!! Ever heard someone say, “If you’re thinking, you’re stinking”? Boy was the stench around me getting out of hand!

Then something shifted. I took the easy route and thought about someone in my life (and more specifically in my neighborhood) who has what I desire: the ability to maintain a healthy weight without agonizing about it. And what does she do? She walks her dog every morning around the lake.

I used to walk my dog every morning around the lake…and I loved it. Okay, done. So I took the action required–I started getting up an hour earlier and walking around the lake every morning. And I LOVE IT! It has completely transformed my thinking!

Now I’ve got all kinds of energy and my mind is once again open to possibilities that just didn’t seem possible when I was so busy thinking so hard about how I might possibly just a little bit be able to change something in my life maybe. I remember once again that all things are possible…and I remember that no dream is too big!

So without even realizing it, I acted myself into a new way of thinking!

Anything you’re thinking about changing in your life?

Any chance this post has inspired you to TAKE ACTION instead? (And just a little bit of action counts, BTW, to get you started–action begets action!)

If you lived in my ‘hood, I’d invite you to come for a walk with me and my dogs…I’d even share an ear bud with you…