My ship has been floating along for over four decades now. The seas have been pretty calm, the sails are a touch weathered, but the hull is still in pretty good shape. The only problem is the captain – she’s nuts!
Lately, she’s been filling the ship with useless cargo – ice cream, candy, caramel corn and cake. Yep, boat loads of sugar!
If she doesn’t start dumping some of it soon, she’s going to get heavy and take on water. Then it’s only a matter of time before she sinks.
On top of that, she’s been navigating the same waters for way too long. She’s drifting aimlessly back and forth from one port to another and she’s getting absolutely nowhere. This crazy captain who wreaks havoc on my health and screws with my direction in life – this dame of disaster is in for a big surprise. Her time has finally come and she’s about to get tossed overboard.
If your ship is also adrift in stagnant waters, if you’re feeling dragged down by unhealthy cargo, if your internal compass is spinning and giving you no clear direction, then it’s time to launch your very own mutiny. It’s time to grab your scatter-brained skipper by the shoulders, heave them overboard, take hold of the wheel and start navigating towards fresh water – that clear current that carries you towards health and fulfillment and keeps you afloat for life.
Here are five easy ways to launch your own mutiny and toss that unhealthy self overboard:
1. BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES
It’s not easy to cast off old ways and begin anew. Protect yourself. Don’t listen to anyone but that lovely, rebellious voice inside your head saying, “it’s time for a change”, “I’m tired of feeling this way all the time”, “I’m ready to head towards my destiny”. That voice is your inner mutineer rejoicing in the change to come, rejoicing in your inner spirit. This is your mutiny. Hold it close.
2. PLOT A COURSE
Get very specific about your goals and your plan. Maybe you’ve decided it’s time to get healthy, begin a cleanse, eat differently, start exercising, slow down, change careers – whatever it may be, take the time to figure out exactly what you want and how you’re going to get it. Fads, highly restrictive regimes, titanic changes in direction likely won’t carry you through stormy weather. Plot a course that factors in your routines, your relationships, your strengths, your likes and your dislikes. Keep it true to you, and simple and doable under almost any circumstances.
3. BE BRUTAL
Don’t be tempted to toss a life jacket over to the flailing arms of your banished self. Be brutal. Let everyone know that you’re now the one steering the ship. Follow the course you’ve set for yourself and don’t let anyone, any temptation or any sudden shift in the winds steer you off course. Waves of good and bad days will come, but don’t give up. Visualize the golden horizon up ahead and strive to stay on course.
4. SWAB THE DECKS
Keep your focus neat and tidy by preparing for the changes or challenges to come. I’m going vegan next week and prepping my kitchen and menus will clear the way for success without too much struggling and searching for what I need. Keeping things shipshape can make the difference between swimming and sinking.
5. TAKE CHARGE
Listening to yourself, having a plan, vowing to stick to it and preparing for change might launch your mutiny, but action is what truly gets that old self out of the ship and out of your way so that you can take charge of your life. The waves of momentum will come if you just start.
So, is it time for your mutiny? Join me – a good mutiny loves company.
“This post first appeared on Momentum Gathering.”