Whenever I find myself dreading a workout or trying to give myself a reason to take a day off or not finish for the day, I remind myself of my mantra and repeat it until I am finished.

A mantra is a simple word or phrase that is easily repeatable. A mantra can be a something that defines you or words to live by, a statement that motivates you to a goal, a self-affirmation or reassurance (think Stuart Smalley), or a mix of all of the above.

Some of the mantras of my friends include “This is Great PR,” business-oriented words by which to live; “Just breath through it,” a statement of self-motivation; “I have everything I need right now and am filled with peace, joy and gratitude,” an affirmation; and “Whatever it takes,” a statement of goal-commitment. Although they are all very different, each can powerfully shape one’s life.

We all have moments when we are trying to accomplish something and then we lose productivity; this can happen for a variety of reasons. Drive is an inherited trait for me, so I usually like to work at something until it is done. In the past, I have delayed workouts until I felt like I had enough accomplished. Although this is a temptation of working at home, working at home also gives me a perfect way to shift my attention and keep productivity high, rather than losing energy and inspiration overly focused on a single task. If I am waiting for inspiration or thinking out a problem or waiting for a response on an issue, it is a perfect time for me to do laundry, wipe down the sink, vacuum, or scrub the toilet. When I am tired of housework, I find it very easy to sit down and do some work. Lacing up my shoes and grabbing a quick run is another great option, if I don’t have a meeting coming up.

When I first began my weight loss efforts, I could not walk around the block without needing to rest. Seriously. I sat down twice on the curb and cried. But I kept on and kept on, a little bit more each day and then, one day, I realized I had walked seven miles. Despite all of this walking, though, my weight loss efforts had stalled, so I decided to take up running.

I had no idea how to do it – just put on my sneakers and run? I looked around and found the Couch to 5K program, which breaks running a 5K down into easily manageable increments. The thought of using the program was overwhelming – was I supposed to count to 60 in my head while I was running, and then remember how many times I’d done so? There’s no way – I could barely remember to breathe while running.

So, in the beginning, I compromised. I used my Garmin, a gadget that I wore on my wrist that calculates time and distance. That was an awkward endeavor, though, trying to remember exactly when I’d started this particular interval and how long I’d already run. I was delighted when I discovered that there was an iPhone app that offered the same program, and the fact that it both buzzes and sounds off a siren virtually guarantees that I won’t miss an interval.

Anyone who has watched even a commercial for the Biggest Loser knows that Jillian Michaels yells and she packs a lot of intimidation into her 120 pounds. I know that she cares, I have witnessed phone calls to her contestants when the cameras aren’t on, I know she gets the emotional issues involved in weight gain and weight loss, but sometimes even I wonder why does Jillian sound so mean? My concern is generally if the people whom she is helping are even able to hear her caring and concern through the yelling.

So many times, in communication, the message can be lost in the delivery. If I am too challenging, as a therapist, before a client trusts me and knows everything I say comes from the motivation to encourage, equip, and empower, then that client can feel judged, which is never my goal.

When something doesn’t go quite right or as I had planned, I generally try to consider it a “lesson learned” rather than beating myself up over mistakes. By doing so, I can keep myself from getting too frustrated, keep my sense of humor, stay focused on creating a better me in a better future, and hopefully find a way to help someone else. Although, at times, I am more inclined to make up an example for the lesson than use my own experience. What you are about to hear is one of those things I probably wouldn’t normally share online (I didn’t even tell my co-workers).

One thing I have to guard against on a regular basis is doing too much and overpacking my schedule. As a result, I sometimes feel rushed even when I am not. This morning after assisting my friend to take his great dane to the vet and a quick drop off at doggy daycare, I jumped in my car to get to one of my weekly therapuetic client meetings. I could either get some breakfast on the way or run out for something in the 30 minutes between my client and staff meeting. Still debating my timing until I pulled in to my favorite brunch restaurant, I made the better choice of fresh, local ingredients to go. Dipping my fork into the syrup rather than dumping it on my cinnamon pear french toast was also a wise choice; trying to do so while driving was not…