Have you ever felt overwhelmed or wanted to quit halfway through a new passion project? Maybe it’s the dream of becoming a successful, entrepreneur, musician, or an elite athlete etc. At first, you’re all gung ho and ready to hit the ground running and you do. You’re gettin’ er done like nobody’s business and you’re on top of the world! However, slowly but surely, you start to encounter unexpected roadblocks and challenges on the way. There comes a time when it feels like a boulder has just appeared out of nowhere and preventing you to go any further.
When obstacles or unfamiliar challenges do inevitably arise, it’s really easy to think about throwing in the towel. You enter into unknown and scary territory where you don’t quite have the skills yet to move forward. You feel stuck and uninspired and the constant thought of giving up keeps getting louder and louder in your head. You have now reached the point of burnout where you no longer feel the desire or inspiration to go on. Congratulations, you realize you’re human.
Instead of giving into the urge of quitting, there is the magical art of Kaizen that you can now employ. Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy and the root words mean
Kai = change and Zen = good
Loosely translated, it means making continuous positive change through incremental improvements. It’s the art of breaking down seemingly impossible goals into bite-size actionable steps. Since the steps are so small, you can practice the art of Kaizen in the most unusual moments. A grocery line-up, a traffic jam, being put on hold on the phone at home are all prime examples of this. Since you are finding time in unusual places, you are also inadvertently boosting your productivity. Win-win!
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Examples of Kaizen for mind, body, and spirit
Mind
Have you ever wanted to read a great autobiography or self-help book but never got around to it? Take it everywhere with you and just commit to one page a day. How long does that take about 5-10 minutes the most? When you find yourself waiting, instead of flipping out your phone, flip out your book! Plus sometimes you will be so engrossed in what you’re reading, you can’t’ help read 10 or more pages. That’s when the magic happens. Before you know it, you will be reading a book a month, then in a week in no time. But what about if you hate reading in general? No problem. Sign up at audible.com, and listen to audiobooks instead. New members will get their first book free! Don’t forget about awesome podcasts and educational youtube videos as well. It’s a way of tapping into the universal consciousness through the use of technology. Education is the key to open all doors to opportunity. No matter what problem or issues you may have. There has been someone who’s been there and done that and thrived to tell about it. So learn something new every day to enrich your life and stop watching so many cute cat videos! Ok, maybe just one.
Body
Would you like to achieve optimal levels of fitness but just don’t have the time? Maybe you have a regular routine but you are at a moment in your life where you’re crunched for time. This may be due to too many deadlines. Maybe commit to just 3 minutes of exercise a day or every second day. Start with calisthenics (using your bodyweight only). Remember your body works as a whole unit so try to do compound exercises that utilize most of the entire body to perform. Burpees, push-ups, and air squats are prime examples. It doesn’t even have to require a gym. All you need is a quiet spot or just enough space for your body to move around. Be on the lookout for these spaces in the most unusual places. The staircase of your work, the park you go to for lunch, or a quiet parking lot are all unconventional workout spots. If you’re shy, your home is just as fine. However, make an intention to set a routine so you don’t blow it off with excuses. It’s up to you how you want to train but I highly recommend the HIIT (high-intensity interval training) or Tabata method. They are basically brief sprints of intense exercise followed with rest and then repeat. They are scientifically proven to build more muscle and burn more fat than standard longer workouts. A sample workout can be doing air squats for 10 secs on and 10 secs off for a minute. Then jumping on to do push-ups in the same way for a minute then ending with burpees. If you find the workout too intense, reduce your reps until you find the sweet spot. If it’s too easy to add reps and more time if it allows. Before you know it, you will be jacked in no time! It’s also been proven that exercising makes you release happy endorphins to boost your mood too. It also enhances your cognitive functions so you will be happier and smarter for the rest of the day.
Spirit
We live in a hectic world. Most of us have full-time jobs and families. Who the heck has time for yoga or meditation? Remember, your inner world reflects your outer world. If your life seems out of control and you’re going at a breakneck pace, you have to slow down and get grounded before burnout happens. I understand you don’t have time to go to an hour plus yoga class but do you have 3 min a day to spare? Commit to 3 min of meditation and/or yoga every day and you will see how it does wonders to improve your life. Remember yoga is not just the physical practice (asanas) but also includes breathwork (pranayama) and meditation. Bonus points if you study the teachings of Patanjali and the Vedas. If yoga is too hokey pokey for you then just doing the things you love to do is also working on your spirit. Things that inspire you and make you come alive are also ways to work on your spirit.
Things to remember when applying Kaizen.
1. Preparation is the father of actualization. Be prepared so that the minute you find the time, all you have to do is execute. Some examples of these are:
Have the yoga mat ready and laid out so all you have to do is start. Have your exercise clothes in the car or even under your normal clothes so you’re ultra ready for a workout. Bring that book or audiobook already downloaded and headphones so when you’re in a line – up… bingo it’s go time!
2. Don’t beat yourself up if you start slipping and going back to your old ways. It’s been proven that new habits take about 21 days to form. So when you notice that, just start again and get back into practicing the art of Kaizen.
3. Have fun with it. Look at it as a challenge and not a chore. Give yourself a little kick-back if you are able to stick with your own assignment for maybe a month. Healthy rewards for yourself could be treating yourself to a spa or going fishing or having your favorite gluten-free dessert for example. The sky’s the limit.
Kaizen, when practiced for years will really add up and compound exponentially. Before you know it, those seemingly impossible goals and dreams have all been realized. What was once your Everest has been conquered and now you’re on top of the world!
