RESOLVE

Resolve: to reach a firm decision about

Obviously to all I have missed a couple of posts. I offer no valid excuses I just missed them.  In looking back, I see how much more of a challenge it is to sit at a desk and write content. It takes not only time but energy. What happened? I wanted to look at contributing factors but, in the end, they became more like excuses. I didn’t want that to be the case. With life being busy, writing a blog post became secondary. Starting one at the last minute seemed more like work or a job than a healthy habit. Not wanting to pound something out just to write something to meet a deadline gave me all the reason more not to write one. Thus, I missed one, then two. Even now I am coming close to three. Friends were asking me when is your next post? The guilt and even shame overtook me. “Right?” “When is my next post?”

I thought about it. Sure, the weekends got busy, life happened. The initial enthusiasm of the fist few posts had begun to wane. I had lost that resolve I was so determined to have. My eating had slackened, and movement began to slow down. It had appeared I had lost my resolve. I realized no matter how small the habits you needed resolve to carry them out. Yes, that determination that I will not stop wasn’t present or had simply walked away. I had wound up turning habits I desired into developing habits that were undesirable.

I was talking with a coworker and they were telling me about how they wanted to lose weight and be fit. After trying many things such as some spin classes, a form of fasting and some other things they had seen some results but really not achieving what they wanted. Even at times back sliding and regaining some weight and not doing exercise. They decided to try a new approach after looking at their deficits. They didn’t want to think much about eating just have some guidelines. With exercise they didn’t want to plan workouts just do them. With that they joined a gym that had group workouts already planned out and offered nutrition guidelines. Plus, group workouts and having a coach gave them sense of community and social presence, something they found helpful. In a sense a form or accountability.  And believe ne the workouts they are doing, ugh super intense. Think crossfit and metcon workouts. This gym is further from their home costs more and is early in the morning. Yet they are going on 3 weeks. I am amazed and proud. Along with reasons above, they had asked themselves why? Why do I want to do this? In my own head I interpreted that as, who do they want to be? They want to be a parent who enjoys their kids and being active with them. When grand children come they want to enjoy them also. They don’t want to become a burden to them because of preventable health problems. They want to have the ability to enjoy life and live it in health. Very solid and noble reasons.  They had obtained resolve and held onto it. The clear-cut focus to keep their decision firm.

What did I take away from that example? That no matter the habit, eating right, exercising regularly or writing a blog. I have to ask what is my why?  What do I need to accomplish my why? What habits will help and things will hurt it? I have answers to many of those and in future blog I will touch on some of them. But I can answer one right now. What will hurt my why? What will weaken my resolve? Giving up.

Here is a quote attributed to Thomas Edison.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

It is so true, you only time you fail is when you give up. Motivational speaker Eric Thomas said the following. “If you are not where you want to be DO NOT QUIT, instead reinvent yourself and change your habits.”

Quitting, giving up, stopping. How easy is it to say that. I’m tired and I am done. My habits came and some stuck around but most went. So could end the story, but you have resolve within you so you keep going. It was said once by someone somewhere. I am never down; I am either up or getting up.

That’s me at this moment, I am not down, not having a pity party but no I am getting up! I’ll figure out my enemies, find my allies and develop the habits I need to succeed.  Here I go trying one more time, I am resolved eat better, move more and of course write my blog regularly.

Let me know if you have felt like this or are going through times similar to this. Let’s build that positive community together friends.

I will be posting on April 6 so I hope you will be there. Until next time, we are in this together!