Excuses

Excuses Excuses!! We pile them up one by one like rocks until they form a wall that prevents us from moving toward our goals. We become trapped by barriers of our own making. When I finally decided I was ready to make significant changes in my life I knew that the first thing I had to do was tackle the excuses. It would have been faster of course to take a bulldozer to the wall and dismiss them all at once, but I am a stubborn woman.  My excuses and I had been together for a long time. There was a certain comfort they provided for me, and I wasn't ready to let them go too hastily. So I did things the hard way and dismantled my wall one rock at a time. Taking each one down and examining it before setting it aside and moving on to the next. The first few were the hardest. I wasn't very strong yet and the weight of my whining was a heavy load to lift and toss. But once I got going the work became lighter and before long I was chucking rocks right and left with abandon, until one day the pile was low enough that I leaped right over the top of it and never looked back. Honestly I believe the burden of the excuses on my back was far heavier than the pounds of fat I was lugging around. Freeing myself from those constraints was step number one toward freedom!
The thing about excuses is that sometimes they are based in reality and fact, so we like to translate that in our own minds and call them "reasons". This gives them an air of credibility that we can then hide behind. But I'm here to boldly proclaim that if something in your mind is holding you back from reaching your full potential, it is most definitely an EXCUSE! Plain and simple. If a rock is too big to move out of the way completely there is almost always a way to go around it or over it if you are determined enough to do so! Some are pebbles and some are giant boulders, but one way or the other they all must be met with grace and faith and...sweat!
My most challenging rocks and the answers I found for myself that helped me to overcome them:

1) I have a thyroid condition - Yes this does complicate things, but a visit to an endocrinologist and a daily dose of synthroid got me back on track. Taking a pill every morning is a small price to pay to feel so much better physically.
2) I am too tired - Go to bed earlier and take a nap if needed. This will get better over time as your body gets stronger. But push through it for now. The rewards are great if you do.
3) I don't have enough time - We all have the exact same amount of time available to us. The question is how we choose to spend it. How much time do we waste every day on TV or surfing the internet or moving at a snail's pace because we are so out of shape? I found that by taking an hour a day to focus on my health I actually got MORE done every day thanks to the increased energy level and enthusiasm I had for living. So turn off the television and get moving!!! Or watch it from the treadmill. :-)
4) It's not fair (double whine) - In the proverbial words of mothers everywhere...Life isn't fair. Deal with it! The sooner we learn this lesson in life the happier we will be, because it's a universal truth that we all must accept.
5) It's too hard to start, because I am so out of shape - Start slow. Baby steps. Don't try to run a marathon on day one or you'll burn out. See your doctor for an assessment and begin at your current pace. Just try to do SOMETHING even if it's only walking for 15 minutes at a time at first. Ramp it up over time. You're building good habits and mindsets that will serve you well.
6) I hate exercise - Get over it! I figure that if the alternative is remaining overweight and dying young than a little sweat is not so terrible. I may not love it all the time, but I DO love the results so that's what I choose to focus on.
7) I have no willpower - Time to learn then. One day at a time. With a powerful enough "Why" driving you the willpower will follow.
8) My family doesn't understand how hard this is -  Bummer. Find a friend. Join a club. Read a blog. There is a lot of support out there to be found if you look for it. So many other people just like you who need a friend too.
9) I can't!!! - Yes...you can! If you want it badly enough you definitely can.
10) I'll just fail again anyway so why try? - That was then...this is now! Repeat after me - I have fire inside of me. I can do anything I set my mind to. Many things in life I have no control over, but this I actually do!  Dig deep and find your personal power!!! It's there just waiting to be discovered.

What are some of the excuses you've wrestled with and solutions you have found? I would love to hear your comments!