Finding Something To Say
Some days I sit at my computer trying to figure out the most important things to write about. Sometimes it comes easy and other times I struggle to put words in front of me. Today I am not struggling with what to say, I am struggling with how to say it. I keep thinking about how consistency is what really matters. How sticking with something for the long haul is so hard to accomplish that most people give up before they have reached six months. I am trying to say that life is what it is and if we want to set goals that are achievable we have to first believe that we can do it and then put one foot in front of the other to accomplish them.
So here is the beginning of a post I have no idea where it will end. I will start with Consistency. It is so easy to think about what we can change and how we can change it. We can restart and refresh every week. But to finish the week with the same motivation can be harder than it seems. If I want to lose five pounds, what would that take? And I don’t mean change for a day or a week. But could I make changes that would last a week, a month, even a year? Because what really matters is the consistency of sticking with it for the long haul. Those plateaus can be discouraging, they can be frustrating and they can make even someone with a lot of motivation want to give up. It can be really hard to dig deep and push ourselves just to stay consistent. Sometimes we need to take a deep breath. We need to find ways to stick with it see what happens in when we just stay consistent.
Most of the people I work with have goals that they want to accomplish. Coming into the studio and training a few hours a week is a great way to begin. The athletes that are consistent make gains that don’t come from a month or two of training, those back muscles come from the consistency of working out three mornings a week. The ability to do a strict push up comes from showing up and pushing yourself for months or years. Goals don’t come easy and putting the work can sometimes feel like an uphill battle. Instead of committing to the short term or the easy way, look ahead and farther down the path. See if you can find the steps that will get you closer to your goals in the next six months or year. Looking ahead can help set baby steps that will lead to little successes. But it can also test your patience and your humility, And it will probably test your confidence and insecurities.
Here is where I litter the page with stories about myself. Because I know the stories well and it is easiest to write about myself. The past two weeks was a bit of a shit show with the kids. The first week was parent-teacher conferences and the kids got out of school at 11:50 every day and the second week was spring break. I love structure, I thrive knowing what my day is going to look like. Having two kids home leaves me with neither. It is hard to be consistent with my training and my nutrition. And as much as I talk about separating the two, it is hard when I’ve got the minis to entertain and arrange and manage. The past two weeks were not perfect. I got in my workouts but they were a shorter, easier version. I had popcorn dates and baseball game treats. I was having a hard time being consistent with anything and looking ahead towards my long term goals felt more like a failure than something achievable. When the boys went back to school this week I felt like I finally had time to take a deep breath and evaluate my goals and my consistency. I found I was a lot closer than I had thought. I had put in the work, I had got the workouts in and I kept my nutrition on par when I was home doing the daily things.
The past two weeks were filled with a lot of fun times with the boys and with friends. They were a time to remember that I can let go of some of the expectations I put on myself with both nutrition and training. And for me, the consistency part is more about being flexible when opportunities arise and getting back on track when life is in its groove. I didn’t look back at the past two weeks with regret or remorse. I looked back at the fun that I had the opportunities I took advantage of and I moved forward once the minis were securely back at school. I took the time to think about my successes over the past two weeks and honor the consistency I had. Getting back into the groove felt a lot easier and I was happy, maybe even proud of my ability to get back on track. Time away from everyday life can be a blessing, it can be a reset for the mind and body. Just don’t veer too far away from where you're wanting to go.