The Power of 12 Minutes

12  MINUTES!

I just got reminded of what sometimes works when all I want to do is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

12 minutes.

I need three good songs. I can dance for three good songs and that's about 12 minutes. Or, I can handle 12 minutes jogging in place watching TV.

A coach I worked with once told me the biggest mistake women make is to aim for bigger goals than they can face. It's one of her secrets of success. If you aim for something very small, then Voila! Success! You've done it! You can do that!!

Then, if you want, everything more than that little increment is extra!

It's sort of a mind-game for me. If I can make it FUN!, no problemo (and I'll say more about ways I like to do that in another post).  But sometimes, exercise is just plain not fun and hard work and then just thinking about 30-35 minutes is too much for me to want to do. But even then, I really can't argue too much with 12 minutes of effort.

So it's a mind game. And most of the time, after 12 minutes, I can do another 12 minutes and then a third. I know the 30-35 minutes is going to give me the best results, but some days are harder than others.

Keeping to the 12 minutes as a base goal for days I don't feel like it, keeps me on a daily path. After my 12 minutes, if I really am still feeling beat , then I did my minimum and I stop, for the day, but I still accomplished staying with the program.

Likewise, sometimes I have to take the mat work in increments too and stop after each section for a mini-break.

But the most important part is the staying with a daily minimum effort part.

So, when I get burned out, tired, sluggish, etc., the worst thing I can do is drop the ball entirely.  I have to remember to break it down into minimum increments, find three great songs, and remember the 12 minute principle.

Right now, my three songs are going to be from The Rolling Stones, Stripped CD!!!

-bbffair