Often not. We have self limiting actions that set ourselves up for failure.

We know we know, and we know the likely outcome of our actions.

Before making a self limiting choice it helps to remind ourselves of the positive outcome and also that, in the words of that glib ad, “you’re worth it”. Each correct choice strengthens our positive decision making abilities, our self-discipline.

Perhaps “I’d rather it didn’t” you reply, since you perform a service check every few thousand miles. By having its regular maintenance check you hoope the car will continue to function well for a very long period without interruption.

When last did you have a health check  up for your body?Your body is irreplaceable (for the most part) and unique. Worth far more than any car (that is being regularly serviced). You deserve at least an annual health check. Can’t afford it? Generally, you can only afford the things that matter most to you.

Preparedness is key and critical. By having a first aid kit as well as the necessary training you can be prepared for any eventuality.

Not knowing what to do in an emergency situation can be debilitating. Learning first aid gives reassurance during times of high stress. Knowing a set of actions, and steps, to take to alleviate the situation and to bring about a positive conclusion to the events is a great aid – First aid.

We all deal with money, yet there is no mandatory education in its creation, use, management, or movements.

Learning about, and getting to know this classroom stranger is a useful life exercise, because Finance is a stranger that lives around us in some form and really should be a friend whose nuances we are accustomed to.

As in health, we know what we should eat, yet may not. So in finance. Schools teach many subjects, but many are not taught with practical application. Financial health is poor, and our bank balance may appear undernourished.

We know the importance of looking after our finances when we try to exist on a lack of it. Surviving on £20 a week is an instructive life lesson.

It is pennies that make pounds, and taking the time to plan and exercise a strategy for looking after those pennies is time well spent. Increased financial fitness will be the result.

Lightning reflexes are a useful ability to maintain as the years go by. Thankfully there is a entire industry devoted to it.There are many computer games that have been created to assist in rapid eye tracking and muscle motor response. This has extended over the years to games that help maintain and improve fitness, stability, and other aspects.

So looking after your health, and in particular maintaining cat like reflexes can be immense fun.

Obviously because they would not want to harm their lungs with the deadly pollutants. Strangely, we often do the equivalent and far worse to ourselves.

We pollute our minds. We feed our mind on thoughts which are harmful, and continually ‘smoke’ ideas that do our lives no good whatsoever. What kinds of thoughts?

Negative ones.

We may smoke “can’t do”, instead of drinking “how can I do?” water, or draw on a pipe of “it’s no use” instead of downing a refreshing glass of  ”I’ll find a way”.

The neighbour of Negativity is one to move far away from. Replacing the negative inputs with positive ones, and ‘smoking’ these positive ideas many times daily will burn in a long lasting beneficial effect on the mind.

(* ‘smoking’ positive thoughts is good for your mental health)

However, life is not a constant. It is dynamic, if nothing else.

Routines do have a monotonous down side that they can make us too comfortable and we can easily get stuck in a rut.

So doing something new should be one of our routines also. Embracing the dynamism of life, and being flexible to adapt to changes inoculates us against the fear upset routines.

If the road is removed some would not walk, for others if the road is removed they will happily dance in the grass as they create a new path.

For some, I may as well have said slay your first born,  as its too scary a concept to consider.

Speaking to a group of friends generally would cause no issues, yet to give voice to an equal number of  people when they are thought of as an “audience” fills people with fear.

Therein lies a key, seeing the “audience” as friends does assuage the fear factor, and the key of being prepared eliminates it entirely.

Having experience of being on radio, as well as speaking to audiences in the thousands it’s still rare that I’d ad lib. Preparation is the key, and often the preparation takes longer than the faultless delivery you practised for.