Having an exercise buddy can make it easier to stick to your exercise routine. A partner may be just what you need to stay motivated, have fun, and reach your fitness goals. Below are some points to consider for selecting the right exercise buddy so you can work together effectively.

Selecting Your Exercise Partner:

• Choose a partner who lives close by. It’s easier to stick to a regular routine if you don’t have far to travel. Be realistic about how much time and expense you’re willing to devote to commuting and pick a buddy within that range.
• Find a partner among your family and friends. You may need to look no further than your own family and friends to find a partner. The advantages are that you’re already familiar with each other and enjoy each other’s company.
• Find a buddy among your family and friends. You may need to look no further than your own family and friends to find a partner. The advantages are that you’re already familiar with each other and enjoy each other’s company.
• Stay safe searching for a partner online. There’s nothing wrong with finding your ideal partner online, just protect your own safety. Meet strangers in a public place and safeguard any confidential information.

Working Out With Your Exercise Buddy:

1. Agree to a regular schedule. Sit down with your exercise buddy to arrange a schedule that you both can live with. It’s more effective to start out gradually and add on more sessions together if you feel up to it.
2. Take turns coordinating your activities. One nice thing about working out with another person is that you can share the responsibility for planning your exercise sessions. Take turns proposing new activities. Host each other in your own homes or visit different parks and yoga studios in your neighborhood.
3. Encourage and reward each other. The two of you can support each other to stay on track. Make sure you praise each other for your efforts! You could even surprise your friend with small treats like going out for low-fat frozen yogurt smoothies.
4. Monitor your progress. It’s easier get into a rut if no one else knows about it. Keep your goals in mind and track your progress according to your own targets. You might want to weigh yourselves periodically to see how many pounds you’ve lost or keep journals showing how quickly your running speed and distances improve.
5. Keep alert when exercising outdoors after dark. Many women may feel safer having someone along when they run outside after dark. It’s a good measure of extra protection but avoid becoming complacent. Stay vigilant about your surroundings at all times so you can watch out for each other.
6. Engage in other activities together. You might want to get together with your exercise buddy for other activities. It can help you understand each other better, that way you’ll know how to support each other anytime your energy levels start to wane. It can also help protect you from getting bored with the same old routines.
7. Make backup plans for when your partner is unavailable. No matter how committed you are, family obligations and injuries will sometimes intervene. You can stick to your program if you have a contingency plan for those times when you’re on your own. Try out an exercise video by yourself and you can share it the next time you get together.

An exercise buddy is a powerful strategy for making your workouts fun and productive. Keep each other motivated and you’ll both get to enjoy some awesome results.

photo credit: Ashutosh Khandha

Taking action towards your dreams and goals is clearly vital, but it’s not always easy to stay consistent and build momentum. However, taking action is one of those important pieces to the puzzle along with proper planning and the drive to succeed. Those that take action are the ones that see results.

How do you motivate yourself to continue working toward your goals, especially when you face challenges? Although some strategies will motivate you more than others, it’s good to experiment with several different ways of finding your motivation. Then, when the chips are down, you can depend on one of these strategies to get back on track.

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Try these techniques to motivate yourself to take action:

1. Break your goals into smaller, attainable steps. Especially if you’re working toward a bigger goal, break it up into a series of small steps that you know you can achieve. After each step, celebrate and reward yourself for a job well done. With small steps, you’ll be more likely to stay on task because your rewards come often.
2. Know your limits. You know yourself best and only you can identify your personal limits. If you move too slowly, you’ll know deep down that you could be taking more action. However, when you try to do too much, you risk burnout. Figure out that magic point where you can achieve success without much stress, and you’ll remain motivated to keep taking action.
3. Take away your distractions. There are some things that might be more likely to distract you than others. Remove yourself from these situations when you know that you need to be taking action.
   • For example, if you’re a social person, perhaps you’ll need to stay away from friends and family during the times you want to work. Also, avoid surfing the net, video games, and television when it’s time to work.
4. Ask for the help you need. Don’t be afraid to get help from others. There’s only so much you can accomplish in one day all by yourself. It’s true that sometimes you’ll have to accomplish certain things on your own, but if there’s any way at all that someone else can help, consider that possibility and ask them.
5. Find an activity that energizes you. Sometimes you’ll find that there’s a period in the day where you go into a slump. Maybe you have trouble starting your engines in the morning, or perhaps it’s the afternoon that causes you to feel sluggish.
   • In these times, find some activity to re-motivate and energize you. One thing that can energize you is a good exercise routine. It’ll get your heart rate up and send fresh oxygen to your brain. This will refresh you, help you think more clearly, and make you feel more like doing your work.
6. Keep a tight schedule. A good schedule and organized plan will help keep you motivated and on track. In the beginning phases of planning your goals, be very specific when deciding what you need to do and when. This way, when you complete a step, you won’t have to spend time figuring out what you’re supposed to do next.

If you want to succeed, you can do it through purposeful action. Just think about what you’ve done to accomplish goals in the past. Chances are you had a plan and followed through. It might not always be easy, but when you remain motivated, you’ll reach whatever goal you set out to accomplish!

Here are five quick and easy ways to find inspiration:

1. Use motivational quotes and affirmations. It seems that no matter how many times you read or hear your favorite quote, it resonates with you almost as much as the very first time you heard it. Adding to your collection will bring you an ever-flowing well of new inspiration.

• As your goals change, look for quotes and affirmations that reflect your new path so you can gain the inspiration to persevere in your new direction.

2. Find inspirational imagery. Sometimes you come across inspiration by spotting something in nature, like a beautiful sunset or freshly fallen snow. Other times you may be inspired by a photograph, an image in a book, or a painting at an art gallery.

• Perhaps the beauty of an image will inspire you to create something beautiful of your own. In the process, you’ll find new excitement and motivation to carry over into the other areas of your life.
• An image can also remind you of your destination, which will motivate you to work ever more swiftly with laser-like focus to reach your goal.
• Once you find an image that inspires you, rely upon it during stressful or difficult times as a visual reminder to keep moving forward.

3. Confide in strangers. A method you may find surprising as a source of inspiration is to talk to strangers when out and about. There’s an understood confidentiality clause with strangers. Because of the anonymity factor, people may actually become comfortable with someone they may never see again.

• Someone you meet by chance can bring you a new perspective on old challenges. The next time you’re out, try striking up a friendly conversation and share your thoughts.

4. Let your neighbors inspire you with their stories. When you hear someone’s story of personal triumph or hardship while standing in line at the neighborhood post office or sitting in the waiting room at your local doctor’s office, you just may be able to relate to this person.

• Because you’re neighbors or friends, it’s as if you have an instant connection. Their story could very well be yours, with a few different details. Seek out their stories and let them inspire you!

5. Watch motivational videos. Websites like YouTube offer a plethora of motivational and inspirational videos. Some videos, such as the late Randy Pausch’s poignant “Last Lecture,” has inadvertently inspired millions, even though it was originally intended for a much more personal audience.

• People often use YouTube to tell their stories, share successes, and offer advice or encouragement. When facing a challenge, or if you need some words of wisdom from someone who’s “been there, done that,” you’ll surely find inspiration here.

The next time you feel like you need some extra inspiration, try these sources. You may be surprised at how well they work to get you happily working toward fulfilling your goals and living the life you desire.