A new yoga studio in town offers a 30 days for $30.00 unlimited membership. This is an awesome offer backed up by the fact that it’s a very nice facility with great instructors. I’m taking full advantage of it and trying out various classes.

This is resulting in a 300% increase in the amount of exercise I get.

My default is to be inactive, and no amount of shame or guilt has been enough to get me off my butt. But this smorgasbord of classes has done it. I have options, I have choice.

I find freedom like this WAY more motivating than fear. Is that true for you?

How can we apply that principle to other things we avoid doing?

As procrastinators we often delay so long that we have little choice. That deadline looms like an evil authority figure. My first instinct is to cross my arms, dig in my heels and start the standoff.

If I gave myself a little extra time I could choose to do the task of my own free will rather than feel forced because I waited until the last minute.

This might sound crazy if you’re not a procrastinator. You don’t understand the head games we play. In reality I know I’m in charge and nobody is making me do anything, but when I’ve procrastinated I see myself as the victim and my only power is to resist.

So I’m learning to take back the power and choose what to do.

Sometimes the choice is going to be a little contrived, for example my choices at this moment are make dinner, take a bath, write this note, or finish reading my book club book.

In this particular I’m choosing the satisfaction of sticking to the goal I set (to get my newsletter out) rather than any of the other options. I won’t always choose work over pleasure, but I freely chose it this time. And it feels good.

To quote children everywhere and specifically my sister’s friend, Claire, “I don’t have to if I don’t want to, but I can if I want.”