In 2010 I beat the odds and actually kept my New Year's Resolution to live a healthier life. Earlier this week I shared with you that I did three simple things to make my Resolution a reality. Step one was to take my "big picture" resolution and break it down into a series of small goals. Setting small goals allowed me to celebrate victories often which helped to push me forward toward success.
Step Two: Accept the fact that I am going to MESS UP.
My life is not perfect. I am far from perfect. So why should I ever think that getting myself from point A to point B should play out perfectly? Back in 2010 I did.
All or Nothing Thinking. If I make a single mistake or if things aren't going exactly as I planned then let's just scrap the whole idea. I messed up. The whole thing is ruined. It's over. That's a very unhealthy frame of mind because no one is perfect.
When I was training for that first 5k, I kept missing Tuesdays. My kids would have a lot of homework. I'd have to work late. There would be a basketball game or soccer practice. For whatever reason, Tuesdays were always rough. After a couple of weeks of missing the Tuesday workouts, I was talking to my mom and told her that I was giving up on the 5k. I couldn't complete the training. I remember her asking me what was so special about the training on Tuesdays. When I thought about it, there really wasn't anything special about Tuesdays. It was just a regular run. Then she asked me if the training schedule had a rest day. It did - Sundays. She suggested that I simply adjust the training schedule to work for me and make Tuesdays my rest day. What a brilliant idea!
"Messing up" isn't an opportunity to "give up." Rather it's an opportunity to look at WHY you stumbled and make an adjustment to prevent it from happening again. Or, it could simply be a time when you say "Oooooops!" and move on.
Even now, four years later, I still have lots of "Oooooops" moments. Finding myself sitting on the couch devouring a bag of chips after a stressful day rather than putting a handful in a small bowl. Letting several days pass without lacing up my running shoes. Yes, I always feel bad when I let those things happen, but I use those times to push me to "get up" and get back on track.
Remember - Messing Up does not mean Giving Up. Messing Up means Getting Up and starting again.
2014 is almost here. I have one more tip for you to help you set and Achievable Resolution . . . check back tomorrow!
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