"Just do it!"

In coining that phrase, Nike captured a philosophy - a way of living that moves you towards achievement or accomplishment and out of "I don't want to..." or "I don't feel like it."

We often make things more difficult than they need be. A lot of energy goes into thinking about why we don't want to do something or how awful we feel about doing something, instead of just getting on with the task, whatever it may be.

I find that when I have something to do, jumping right in and doing it is often a lot easier than sitting around and creating a "script" about doing it. Usually that script is one that is more in the line of a horror movie, fraught with awful endings, which in no way matches the reality of "the doing."

For example, a few mornings, I did not want to take Murphy, our dog, for a walk. However, the longer I fulminated, the worse it became. The fact is that Murphy needed to go. My rotten attitude didn't change that, nor did it make me feel any better. So, I put on my shoes, grabbed the leash and away we went. Once we had established our pace, I realised how fortunate we were to be able to get out and get some exercise in such a beautiful park.

Life is filled with many tasks, some of them mundane, boring or time-consuming. Others move us closer to fulfilling our dreams and goals. When we are engaging in negative thoughts and emotions our heart rhythms respond in a very different way, causing our body to activate the stress response - flight or fight. This happens so quickly that we are often unaware of these changes and what they're doing to our health and sense of well-being.

3 little words that can move you. Learn to catch yourself when you are struggling with doing something (awareness) and then "just do it!"

Do you notice that the more you grumble, the worse the task seems to get? Choose a chore that you normally grumble about (ironing, grocery shopping, filing receipts) and do it without the grumbling. Did it appear to go faster? How do you feel when you say, "Just Did It!"?