Free of Excuses

Once Upon A Time...
(not based on a true story)

Wife: Uhh... I'm so tired.
Hubby: Really? Did you have a bad night?
Wife: No, I got a full 10 hours. I'm just always tired.
Hubby: Maybe you need iron.
Wife: *death stare* I don't think so.
*start getting dressed for the day*
Wife: Grrr... nothing fits anymore! Having children totally wrecks your body.
Hubby: I just started going to this really fun work out class! Wanna come with me?
Wife: *getting annoyed. clearly he thinks I'm fat and is not attracted to me* It's not that I need to work out. My clothes don't fit because I'm always making meals YOU will like instead of making food I SHOULD be eating. And I have to feed Child, and they're a picky eater, so I don't want to make 2 meals at each meal time. And besides, even if I DID want to join a club, I wouldn't have any time to do with all the other stuff that's expected of me! I've got laundry, cooking, cleaning, school, church responsibilities, community service, job, family and pets to take care of! And you're never home anyway, so who would watch the kids?! We can't afford a babysitter every time I want to go to the gym! And if I work out at home, the kids just climb all over me and the dog licks my face! Then I would have to take a shower and who knows what kind of state the house would be in after I got out, then I'd have to dry my hair which takes forever, and clean up the disaster around the house due to my 20 minute disappearance!
Hubby:....so, is that a no for the class?

I know you've got them! A list as long as the Great Wall of China of reasons why it's not your fault you're where you're at. I know that because I have them too! And I like whipping them out once in a while!

You may have noticed I used the word REASON instead of excuse (I tried to help by underlining it :) )
I really do believe that there are valid reasons for why we may put on weight and not be able to take it off. Heck, there are medical conditions that prove that's true! For me, a reason I started putting on so much weight was because of my health (or lack thereof) due to my sinus infection! You just can't get up and work out when you're sick, especially when not even Benedryl or Nyquil will work to make you feel a little more human--and especially when you're sick like that day after day!

However, there are true excuses:

noun:

8.

an explanation offered as a reason for being excused; a plea offered in extenuation of a fault or for release from an obligation,promise, etc.: His excuse for being late was unacceptable.

9.

a ground or reason for excusing or being excused: Ignorance is no excuse.

10.

the act of excusing someone or something.

11.

a pretext or subterfuge: He uses his poor health as an excuse for evading all responsibility.

12.

an inferior or inadequate specimen of something specified: That coward is barely an excuse for a man. Her latest effort is a poor excuse for a novel.

Sometimes I feel like people to are too mean to me when I'm giving what I believe are reasons, and they tell me I'm just making excuses for myself. "stop whining and DO IT!"  Maybe in some things they are right and I just haven't come to that realization yet. Or maybe they're being quick to judge. There's always two sides to a pancake no matter how flat you make it (Thanks, Dr. Phil!)

Here's my current thought on excuses:

Stop thinking of them as a bad thing, or that you're a bad person because you have made excuses for yourself! That will only lead to you feeling down on yourself, or adding unnecessary guilt--and no one should expect themselves to do better when they're making themselves feel worse.   Take responsibility for your excuses. You believed them to be true at one point. Maybe you still do. And that is okay, because you're allowed to learn at your own pace. No one can force you to be ready to make a life change--except God. :) And I encourage you to do it yourself before He has to intervene!  If you are at the place where you want to be happier by being healthier, then own your excuses, and move on from there.  Cut the rope of guilt of past mistakes that's keeping you at rock bottom, and start your climb up to better things ahead!  I promise you will feel more in control of your life than you did before--because you are! I will touch more on this topic in a later post about training your mind and you train your body!

SO, I'm going to be making more of a effort to free myself of my excuses, remember my reasons for why I got to the state I'm in, and focus on where I want to be! How am I going to do this? Lemme list some ways.

1. Accept that I can't do everything perfectly
2. Consistent action; be anxiously engaged in trying to reach my goals (ie: prepping food, playing with Terrah, staying true to my meal and workout plan...)
3. Remember to be flexible! Things change, and it's nothing to afraid of. In fact-- I WANT change! Especially in my body! But if I focus too much my on my schedule, I'll loose the joy of the journey, and miss learning opportunities. 
4. Have patients with myself. I may not be seeing the results I want right away, but by being consistent  they will come! 
5. Take more responsibility for the choices I make. Ie: I chose to eat that ice cream tonight. I chose not to work out. I chose not to prioritize my time better. I chose those words I spoke to my husband. I chose to wear a skirt to church even though I chose not to shave the night before... :/ Yikes.  

I am by NO MEANS perfect at this! I am super hard on myself sometime.... and too easy on myself on other things! And I'll admit that I don't like things to be my fault... I'd much rather blame someone else! But I DO believe that by freeing myself of excuses that have held me back, I can become the person I want to be and am MEANT TO BE!