Small steps to a better life

Make use of what time you have to recharge, says local life coach

Michelle Cederberg is well aware there are plenty of self-help books on the market.

She also thinks most of us already have a pretty good idea of what we should be doing to achieve a healthier, more fulfilling life.

The problem is we’re not doing it.

“We’re busier than we’ve ever been — and that’s certainly true of Calgarians, because we clock a lot of hours compared to other major centres — and when our time is stretched, our energy gets drained,” says Cederberg, a local life coach and motivational speaker.

Without that energy, she says, many of us feel overwhelmed at the thought of making any significant changes in our lives and, as a result, end up doing nothing.

That’s why Cederberg felt compelled to add her own book to the mix.

Somewhere along the way, we’ve become brainwashed into thinking we have to go big to get big results — and that approach doesn’t always work for people with busy lives, she says.

“My ideal goal would be that everybody is exercising at the necessary levels and eating healthy, but that’s not happening. So it seems unfair to stamp everybody with the ‘do it perfectly’ stamp when that usually just puts them back on the sofa,” says Cederberg.

In Energy Now! Small Steps to an Energetic Life, she adopts more of a “do what you can” approach, encouraging her readers to make the most of what little time they do have available.

“People have to get over the idea that small, unsexy steps won’t make a difference, because 10 minutes of doing (something) are better than the hour that you were thinking about doing (something),” she says.

Based on Cederberg’s background in kinesiology and psychology, as well as more than 20 years in the health and fitness industry, Energy Now! outlines a number of practical ways to help recharge your mind, body and spirit. Themes range from nutrition to kindness, as she believes energy comes from a variety of sources and each one needs to be nurtured.

“People who have lots of it really do look at the world in a different way,” says Cederberg. “If you’ve got good physical and emotional energy, there’s no stopping you from what you can accomplish.”

Her tips on how to start getting more of that energy are generally quite simple, such as deciding to take the stairs instead of the elevator, cutting out butter for a day or smiling at a stranger.

“Energy Now! is all about small steps in all sorts of areas in your life to bring you more energy,” she says.

“I’m trying to help people understand that small, consistent steps can create real results as a starting point for change, but I also believe that once people get going with the small steps, their time and energy will expand to allow for more.”

Conscious of our busy lives, she says the book doesn’t have to be read cover to cover — each chapter stands on its own. And if you’re really strapped for time, you can simply read the list of bullet points at the end of each chapter that covers all the major themes.

Although she uses plenty of humour and personal examples to help inspire readers, Cederberg is fairly blunt in her message that it’s up to you to take responsibility for your life.

“I don’t like to sugar-coat it because if it was easy, more people would be doing it, and I think that’s what we have to recognize in putting ourselves back on our self-care list,” she says.

“It’s a hard job because work and life gets in the way and the first thing that comes off the schedule when we get busy is self care.”

It’s a road Cederberg has been down herself. Slim and fit, with a beaming smile and what appears to be plenty of energy, these days she could easily be the poster girl for motivational speakers. But she admits it took a lot of work to get to this point in her life, describing a time when she was a very “unmotivated motivational speaker.”

“Probably about 11 years ago, I was in a position in my life where I can honestly say that I was unhappy and probably a little bit depressed,” she says.

“Work was unfulfilling, relationships were unfulfilling, my physical health was unfulfilling and I had zero energy.”

It wasn’t a good place to be — especially for someone in the health industry — and it took some counselling and a big reality check for her to get her life back on track.

“I realized that I didn’t have the energy to go big; I just had to start making small changes, because there was so much that needed work,” she says with a laugh.

Changes such as squeezing in a short, intense run rather than the long runs she was used to, getting enough sleep, keeping a close eye on portion sizes at meals and so on. Over time, she says, those small changes began adding up, eventually leading her to where she is today.

It’s a method that may not work for everyone, but if there’s one thing Cederberg hopes to get across to her readers, it’s that if conventional methods aren’t working for you, get out there and try something else.

“I’m really about helping people to recognize that there are different ways and starting small is one of them,” she says.

“It’s not forever, it’s just for now. It’s a starting point for change and it’s the momentum builder for getting you where you ideally want to be with your health.”

SIDEBAR

Taking the first step

Michelle Cederberg says there’s no time like the present to start making changes. Here are a few examples from Energy Now! of simple first steps:

• Replace at least one soda, juice, or sugary drink with a big glass of water.
• Climb the stairs (at least two flights) instead of taking the elevator or escalator.
• Eat breakfast. Last night’s pizza counts.
• Schedule in time for yourself to do something fun.
• Clear the clutter in your bedroom. You’ll sleep better.
• Ban the vending machine as a food source.
• Stretch tight muscles as you sit at your desk
• When that sugar craving hits, eat fruit.
• Sit and stand with better posture.
• Take five minutes to write down 10 things you love about yourself. Read it daily.

—Christina Kuntz, Calgary Herald