August 20 - DAY 60

Breakfast: Oatbran pancake
Lunch:  Minute Steak and veggies
Dinner: Steak and veggies

August blues

Hi! I'm still at 190 lbs and I find it hard to move on from this stagnation!
Plus I haven't got around to exercising because of the weather. Been busy too with projects and I thank God for those. So here I am restarting!!!

Rebecca Thorman

Imposter syndrome happens when you don't feel good enough. You're afraid that at any moment you will be found out. You feel unsure of what you're doing, that you don't have any expertise, and that you've just been "faking it" all along. Here are six ways to get over that fear and find confidence in yourself:

1. Write it out. We understand and make sense of our lives when we get outside of our own heads. To do that, try to write out what you're feeling—what annoys or scares you about your situation? You don't need to be eloquent. In fact, you could just keep writing, "I don't know," over and over. The point is to break the circle of negative thoughts in your head.

2. Make a list of good things. Try keeping a list of your ongoing accomplishments throughout the year, and every year. When you're feeling down, use your list to take a ride back in history and remember all you did. What may have seemed like no big deal at the time often becomes impressive with a bit of perspective and time. Find strength in the fact that you're the same person today as you were when you did all those positive things. Then celebrate.

3. Take action. Often we feel stress because we are in avoidance mode. You procrastinate a project, or delay making that important phone call. Leaving things for later only aggravates your feelings of incompetence. Deal with issues head on, and cross items off your to-do list. You'll discover a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that will ease the voices in your head saying you're not good enough.

4. Become a mentor. When you help others in their own career paths, you'll realize how familiar your concerns are. Empathy is a powerful healer. Providing strategies to help others overcome their fears will put your own in perspective and will allow you to be more realistic and friendly toward your insecurities. Not to mention that sharing your success with others will reinforce the validity of your accomplishments. No longer will you feel that "luck" got you that promotion, but that you deserved it on your own merit.

5. Find supporters. Not only is it important for you to help others, but you have to realize it's OK for you to ask for help. Surround yourself with people that recognize your brilliance and can remind you when you forget. Often there is no one harder on you than yourself, and you need friends and family to tell you it's OK to be gentle too. Supporters will give you confidence, even when you don't feel like you deserve it.

6. Understand the why. Imposter syndrome is particularly prevalent among high performers, and even more frustrating, the more you succeed, the worse it becomes. Understand that as your career progresses, it becomes more likely that your internal doubt will flair up. You'll feel there is more to lose, and longer to fall if you fail. As uncomfortable as these feelings are, take a breath, and recognize that what you're experiencing is completely normal, and you're not alone.

No one is waiting for you to fail. You're not a fraud, and your success is well-deserved, not just a lucky outcome. It's okay and natural to feel anxiety, but make sure those feelings don't get in the way of confidence in yourself and celebration of your achievements.

Rebecca Thorman's weekly blog Kontrary offers tips to create the career, bank account, and life you love, and is a popular destination for young professionals. Her goal is to help you find meaningful work, enjoy the heck out of it, and earn more money. She writes from Washington, D.C.

Rebecca Thorman

Imposter syndrome happens when you don't feel good enough. You're afraid that at any moment you will be found out. You feel unsure of what you're doing, that you don't have any expertise, and that you've just been "faking it" all along. Here are six ways to get over that fear and find confidence in yourself:

1. Write it out. We understand and make sense of our lives when we get outside of our own heads. To do that, try to write out what you're feeling—what annoys or scares you about your situation? You don't need to be eloquent. In fact, you could just keep writing, "I don't know," over and over. The point is to break the circle of negative thoughts in your head.

2. Make a list of good things. Try keeping a list of your ongoing accomplishments throughout the year, and every year. When you're feeling down, use your list to take a ride back in history and remember all you did. What may have seemed like no big deal at the time often becomes impressive with a bit of perspective and time. Find strength in the fact that you're the same person today as you were when you did all those positive things. Then celebrate.

3. Take action. Often we feel stress because we are in avoidance mode. You procrastinate a project, or delay making that important phone call. Leaving things for later only aggravates your feelings of incompetence. Deal with issues head on, and cross items off your to-do list. You'll discover a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that will ease the voices in your head saying you're not good enough.

4. Become a mentor. When you help others in their own career paths, you'll realize how familiar your concerns are. Empathy is a powerful healer. Providing strategies to help others overcome their fears will put your own in perspective and will allow you to be more realistic and friendly toward your insecurities. Not to mention that sharing your success with others will reinforce the validity of your accomplishments. No longer will you feel that "luck" got you that promotion, but that you deserved it on your own merit.

5. Find supporters. Not only is it important for you to help others, but you have to realize it's OK for you to ask for help. Surround yourself with people that recognize your brilliance and can remind you when you forget. Often there is no one harder on you than yourself, and you need friends and family to tell you it's OK to be gentle too. Supporters will give you confidence, even when you don't feel like you deserve it.

6. Understand the why. Imposter syndrome is particularly prevalent among high performers, and even more frustrating, the more you succeed, the worse it becomes. Understand that as your career progresses, it becomes more likely that your internal doubt will flair up. You'll feel there is more to lose, and longer to fall if you fail. As uncomfortable as these feelings are, take a breath, and recognize that what you're experiencing is completely normal, and you're not alone.

No one is waiting for you to fail. You're not a fraud, and your success is well-deserved, not just a lucky outcome. It's okay and natural to feel anxiety, but make sure those feelings don't get in the way of confidence in yourself and celebration of your achievements.

Rebecca Thorman's weekly blog Kontrary offers tips to create the career, bank account, and life you love, and is a popular destination for young professionals. Her goal is to help you find meaningful work, enjoy the heck out of it, and earn more money. She writes from Washington, D.C.

6 Strategies to Kick Imposter Syndrome to the Curb

By REBECCA THORMAN

October 4, 2012 RSS Feed Print

Rebecca Thorman

Imposter syndrome happens when you don't feel good enough. You're afraid that at any moment you will be found out. You feel unsure of what you're doing, that you don't have any expertise, and that you've just been "faking it" all along. Here are six ways to get over that fear and find confidence in yourself:

1. Write it out. We understand and make sense of our lives when we get outside of our own heads. To do that, try to write out what you're feeling—what annoys or scares you about your situation? You don't need to be eloquent. In fact, you could just keep writing, "I don't know," over and over. The point is to break the circle of negative thoughts in your head.

2. Make a list of good things. Try keeping a list of your ongoing accomplishments throughout the year, and every year. When you're feeling down, use your list to take a ride back in history and remember all you did. What may have seemed like no big deal at the time often becomes impressive with a bit of perspective and time. Find strength in the fact that you're the same person today as you were when you did all those positive things. Then celebrate.

3. Take action. Often we feel stress because we are in avoidance mode. You procrastinate a project, or delay making that important phone call. Leaving things for later only aggravates your feelings of incompetence. Deal with issues head on, and cross items off your to-do list. You'll discover a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that will ease the voices in your head saying you're not good enough.

4. Become a mentor. When you help others in their own career paths, you'll realize how familiar your concerns are. Empathy is a powerful healer. Providing strategies to help others overcome their fears will put your own in perspective and will allow you to be more realistic and friendly toward your insecurities. Not to mention that sharing your success with others will reinforce the validity of your accomplishments. No longer will you feel that "luck" got you that promotion, but that you deserved it on your own merit.

5. Find supporters. Not only is it important for you to help others, but you have to realize it's OK for you to ask for help. Surround yourself with people that recognize your brilliance and can remind you when you forget. Often there is no one harder on you than yourself, and you need friends and family to tell you it's OK to be gentle too. Supporters will give you confidence, even when you don't feel like you deserve it.

6. Understand the why. Imposter syndrome is particularly prevalent among high performers, and even more frustrating, the more you succeed, the worse it becomes. Understand that as your career progresses, it becomes more likely that your internal doubt will flair up. You'll feel there is more to lose, and longer to fall if you fail. As uncomfortable as these feelings are, take a breath, and recognize that what you're experiencing is completely normal, and you're not alone.

No one is waiting for you to fail. You're not a fraud, and your success is well-deserved, not just a lucky outcome. It's okay and natural to feel anxiety, but make sure those feelings don't get in the way of confidence in yourself and celebration of your achievements.

Rebecca Thorman's weekly blog Kontrary offers tips to create the career, bank account, and life you love, and is a popular destination for young professionals. Her goal is to help you find meaningful work, enjoy the heck out of it, and earn more money. She writes from Washington, D.C.

6 Strategies to Kick Imposter Syndrome to the Curb

By REBECCA THORMAN

October 4, 2012 RSS Feed Print

Rebecca Thorman

Imposter syndrome happens when you don't feel good enough. You're afraid that at any moment you will be found out. You feel unsure of what you're doing, that you don't have any expertise, and that you've just been "faking it" all along. Here are six ways to get over that fear and find confidence in yourself:

1. Write it out. We understand and make sense of our lives when we get outside of our own heads. To do that, try to write out what you're feeling—what annoys or scares you about your situation? You don't need to be eloquent. In fact, you could just keep writing, "I don't know," over and over. The point is to break the circle of negative thoughts in your head.

2. Make a list of good things. Try keeping a list of your ongoing accomplishments throughout the year, and every year. When you're feeling down, use your list to take a ride back in history and remember all you did. What may have seemed like no big deal at the time often becomes impressive with a bit of perspective and time. Find strength in the fact that you're the same person today as you were when you did all those positive things. Then celebrate.

3. Take action. Often we feel stress because we are in avoidance mode. You procrastinate a project, or delay making that important phone call. Leaving things for later only aggravates your feelings of incompetence. Deal with issues head on, and cross items off your to-do list. You'll discover a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that will ease the voices in your head saying you're not good enough.

4. Become a mentor. When you help others in their own career paths, you'll realize how familiar your concerns are. Empathy is a powerful healer. Providing strategies to help others overcome their fears will put your own in perspective and will allow you to be more realistic and friendly toward your insecurities. Not to mention that sharing your success with others will reinforce the validity of your accomplishments. No longer will you feel that "luck" got you that promotion, but that you deserved it on your own merit.

5. Find supporters. Not only is it important for you to help others, but you have to realize it's OK for you to ask for help. Surround yourself with people that recognize your brilliance and can remind you when you forget. Often there is no one harder on you than yourself, and you need friends and family to tell you it's OK to be gentle too. Supporters will give you confidence, even when you don't feel like you deserve it.

6. Understand the why. Imposter syndrome is particularly prevalent among high performers, and even more frustrating, the more you succeed, the worse it becomes. Understand that as your career progresses, it becomes more likely that your internal doubt will flair up. You'll feel there is more to lose, and longer to fall if you fail. As uncomfortable as these feelings are, take a breath, and recognize that what you're experiencing is completely normal, and you're not alone.

No one is waiting for you to fail. You're not a fraud, and your success is well-deserved, not just a lucky outcome. It's okay and natural to feel anxiety, but make sure those feelings don't get in the way of confidence in yourself and celebration of your achievements.

Rebecca Thorman's weekly blog Kontrary offers tips to create the career, bank account, and life you love, and is a popular destination for young professionals. Her goal is to help you find meaningful work, enjoy the heck out of it, and earn more money. She writes from Washington, D.C.

August 8 - PV

Breakfast: diningding and chicken breast curry
Lunch: keema and veggies
Dinner: roast beef and beans

Another rationalization for these falling teeth dreams may be rooted in your fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some situation. These dreams are an over-exaggeration of your worries and anxieties. Perhaps you feel that you are unprepared for the task at hand. However, you will find that your worries are unfounded in most cases. Sometimes what plays out in your mind is far worse than what is reality.

August 5 - PP

breakfast: eggwhite and oatbran bread

lunch: roast beef and chicken breast

dinner:chicken thigh and shrimp

exercise: 1 hour and 30 minutes run and walking! 

10 Choices You Will Regret in 10 Years

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“If only…”  These two words paired together create one of the saddest phrases in the English language.

Here are ten choices that ultimately lead to this phrase of regret, and how to elude them:

1. Wearing a mask to impress others. – If the face you always show the world is a mask, someday there will be nothing beneath it.  Because when you spend too much time concentrating on everyone else’s perception of you, or who everyone else wants you to be, you eventually forget who you really are.  So don’t fear the judgments of others; you know in your heart who you are and what’s true to you.  You don’t have to be perfect toimpress and inspire people.  Let them be impressed and inspired by how you deal with your imperfections.
2. Letting someone else create your dreams for you. – The greatest challenge in life is discovering who you are; the second greatest is being happy with what you find.  A big part of this is your decision to stay true toyour own goals and dreams.  Do you have people who disagree with you?  Good.  It means you’re standing your ground and walking your own path.  Sometimes you’ll do things considered crazy by others, but when you catch yourself excitedly losing track of time, that’s when you’ll know you’re doing the right thing.  Read The 4-Hour Workweek.
3. Keeping negative company. – Don’t let someone who has a bad attitude give it to you.  Don’t let them get to you.  They can’t pull the trigger if you don’t hand them the gun.  When you remember that keeping the company of negative people is a choice, instead of an obligation, you free yourself to keep the company of compassion instead of anger, generosity instead of greed, and patience instead of anxiety.
4. Being selfish and egotistical. – A life filled with loving deeds and good character is the best tombstone.  Those who you inspired and shared your love with will remember how you made them feel long after your time has expired.  So carve your name on hearts, not stone.  What you have done for yourself alone dies with you; what you have done for others and the world remains.
5. Avoiding change and growth. – If you want to know your past look into your present conditions.  If you want to know your future look into your present actions.  You must let go of the old to make way for the new; the old way is gone, never to come back.  If you acknowledge this right now and take steps to address it, you will position yourself for lasting success. The Power of Habit.
6. Giving up when the going gets tough. – There are no failures, just results.  Even if things don’t unfold the way you had expected, don’t be disheartened or give up.  Learn what you can and move on.  The one who continues to advance one step at a time will win in the end.  Because the battle is always won far away and long before the final victory.  It’s a process that occurs with small steps, decisions, and actions that gradually build upon each other and eventually lead to that glorious moment of triumph.
7. Trying to micromanage every little thing. – Life should be touched, not strangled.    Sometimes you’ve got to relax and let life happen without incessant worry and micromanagement.  Learn to let go a little before you squeeze too tight.  Take a deep breath.  When the dust settles and you can once again see the forest for the trees, take the next step forward.  You don’t have to know exactly where you’re going to be headed somewhere great.  Everything in life is in perfect order whether you understand it yet or not.  It just takes some time to connect all the dots.
8. Settling for less than you deserve. – Be strong enough to let go and wise enough to wait for what you deserve.  Sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been to stand up taller than you ever were before.  Sometimes your eyes need to be washed by your tears so you can see the possibilities in front of you with a clearer vision again.  Don’t settle.
9. Endlessly waiting until tomorrow. – The trouble is, you always think you have more time than you do.  But one day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to work on the things you’ve always wanted to do.  And at that point you either will have achieved the goals you set for yourself, or you will have a list of excuses for why you haven’t.  Read The Last Lecture.
10. Being lazy and wishy-washy. – The world doesn’t owe you anything, you owe the world something.  So stop daydreaming and start DOING.  Develop a backbone, not a wishbone.  Take full responsibility for your life – take control.  You are important and you are needed.  It’s too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday.  Someday is now; the somebody the world needs is YOU.

The jouney to 150lbs

• Success is a journey, not a destination. Focus on the process.

• Some people dream about success... while others wake up and work hard at it.

• Success is achieved and maintained by those who try - and keep trying.

• Everyday is a good day to SUCCEED.

• When you get to a plateau, think of it as a landing on the stairway to your goal. And maintenance is a lifelong plateau, so a bit of "rehearsal" for maintenance isn't the worst thing in the world.

• I wake up every day with the realization that this is it, that there's only one shot at this life and I can either enjoy the ride and live it to its fullest and to my highest potential or I can stay the way I am.

• You get whatever you settle for.

• Your past does not equal, nor does it dictate, your future.

• One definition of insanity is: Doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result.

• Be specific in what you want, and use specific words. Empower yourself, and become the person you dream about.

• Listen closely: the only time it's too late to change yourself is when you're dead. Until then, you're simply making excuses or lying to yourself.

• We can reverse years of damage to our bodies by deciding to raise our standards for ourselves, then living differently. Old wounds heal, injuries repair, and the whole system improves with just a few changes in what we put into our bodies and how we move them.

• Discipline is remembering what you want.

• You have failed only when you quit trying. Until then, you're still in the act of progression. So, never quit trying and you'll never be a failure.

• If we defend our habits, we have no intentions of quitting them.

• When one approach is not working to reach the desired goal, that's not a reason to abandon the goal. Instead, it is time to devise another approach.

• If you want what you do not have, you must do what you have not done.

• The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Strengthen Your Desire! Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.

• Your body keeps an accurate journal regardless of what you write down...

• Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.

• He who gets up one more time than he falls, makes it through... 

• Start doing what's necessary, then do what's possible, and suddenly you'll be doing the impossible!

• In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest.

•  A year from now, you may wish you had started today.

• The greatest thing you have is the 24 hours in front of you. The past is gone; the future is distant. Today you CAN succeed. Set a goal you can achieve in the next 24 hours.

• The fishermen know the sea is dangerous and the storms are terrible, but they have never found this sufficient reason to remain on shore.

• Obstacles are what we see when we take our eyes off the goal.

• The odds of hitting a target go up dramatically when you aim at it.

• Discouragement

  If you've invested enough effort and energy to get discouraged, you're well on your way to success. Discouragement is a certain weigh station on the road to any worthwhile achievement.   If you know and care enough to be discouraged, you've made considerable progress. Learn what the discouragement has to teach you and then continue moving forward. It may seem as though you'll never make it, but in reality you're already there. Discouragement tempers and hardens you; it does not stop you.   Reflect on your discouragement and you'll discover that it is a result of your commitment. You've already invested your time, your effort, your life. Soon, you'll reap the full reward of that investment. Let discouragement spur you on.   Motivation is born of desire. The stronger the desire for something, the stronger the motivation.    Endeaver to keep the promises we make to ourselves... We deserve to be treated with the same love and respect that we would give to others.....

• Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles; it empties today of its strength.

• Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.

• There are two choices really. You can either surrender to the pressures of life and the struggles of this particular battle....or you continue the fight...and do so with even more vengence and determination to reach your goals then you did before. I choose the fight.....I know what it will get me.

• Focus on where you want to go, not on what you fear.

• The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for.

• There is no one giant step that does it. It's a lot of little steps.

• When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.

• Clear your mind of can't.

• You can't be a winner and be afraid to lose.

• That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.