Dr. John R. Sharp, who teaches at Harvard and UCLA, has been practicing psychiatry for two decades. He brings his wisdom to the masses with The Emotional Calendar, a book of case studies and advice on recognizing and understanding the annual cycle of your emotions in relation to the four seasons. Here's a re-cap of the Doc's main pointers and how to tailor them for a healthy, active lifestyle throughout the year.

Motivation: It's hard to get yourself out the door to train in the dead of winter or the dog days of summer. When you feel a lack of motivation, acknowledge it, identify how the weather outside affects you, then figure out how to make yourself accountable for getting a move on. A simple way to do this is to set up regular training dates with a buddy. 

Thought patterns: When you start thinking you can't, nip that thought in the bud. Defeatist thinking naturally happens when we're tried physically, mentally, or emotionally. It's important to notice when these thoughts pop into your head so you can counteract them with self-motivating, positive thoughts. Simply put, tell yourself: "Yes, I can." And believe it.

Stimulation: It's easy to fall into a rut physically and mentally if you do the same activity every day. Bring excitement back into your training routine by switching what you do day-to-day. For example, you could alternate the type of workout you do every other day, vary your routine from week to week, and/or incorporate a new activity into your routine every month.

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