Excuse Me

As I wrap up the first week of 2012, I have been thinking about how rejuvenated I feel. Over the past week, I have gotten back into running routines, reading routines, and had enough time to do some of the the things that I love. Things that escaped me a bit during the latter half of 2011.

As I springboard into the new year, I have chosen the following phrase to live by for the year:

I have realized more and more that I succumb to excuses when things aren't ideal. Here's a few examples:

Fitness: I am a HUGE sufferer of the "my diet starts tomorrow" illness. So if I am not giving my all, I slip up, believing that I can just turn a switch on. To an extent, I can... but it gets harder and harder every time. It's so easy to watch a movie rather than go for a run. It's so easy to run to McDonald's late at night rather than cook dinner or fix a snack. And when I got banged up a bit toward the end of 2011, I was content to just take it easy rather than to find other ways to stay healthy. I've always had this all-or-nothing mentality that seems to trip me up.

Reading: I am "too busy" became my excuse. Granted, I have a lot going on, but if this is something that is truly valuable to me (which it is), I should find consistent time to do it. I have restarted the early morning/late at night routine that allows me to start and end most days with some quality books.

Work: Something I rarely (if ever) write about on here. I noticed as I started this position, I found myself to be content with letting things happen and taking things as they come. There has been some frustration with figuring out a new position and my role in it, and when things haven't been ideal, I was quick to blame outside things. The best thing I realized over the past few months was how much my attitude affected my work, my happiness, and my life. So I made (and am continuing to make) a shift in my attitude, and it has made a huge difference. Instead of taking things as they come and rolling with the punches, it's time to make things happen.

This has become a growing trend in my life, and something that I am not used to. I have never really let excuses control my actions, and this recent string of them has taken its toll.

So as I start the new year on a positive note, I realize there is only one way I can be successful and ride this momentum. And that is by finding the joy every day, and putting all of myself into everything that I do - and not letting things get in the way. No Excuses will become my mantra that I live by. So that way, when either the world ends or we welcome in 2013, I can look back on this past year and truly feel that I did everything I could to make this thing called life a little more special.