Change Can Suck, but It Doesn’t Have To
IT’S BEEN three-and-a-half weeks since we moved to Connecticut, and while we’re feeling pretty settled, my commitment to my health has yet to catch up. I’m eating like crap, barely exercising, and wanting lots of sugary treats to help navigate change.
Before the move, I exercised about four or five days a week, and did a relatively good job at choosing healthy meals. However, Little Kerri has been running the show for a good while now, and she wants ice cream and cookies to help avoid feeling the discomfort of change
and of being in limbo.
It amazes me that, no matter how much work I’ve done on myself, how easy it is to forget about realistic expectations. I’m can be quick to throw in the towel if I’m not operating at the same level I was before. If I’m not going to work out four days a week, I might as well not work out at all. If I’m going to have that ice cream, I might as well follow it up with a cookie.
When I think back to the start of my healthy lifestyle, I didn’t expect perfection. I simply challenged myself to make one good choice per day — whether that was moving my body, or having popcorn as a snack instead of chips. As I got more confident in my ability to do so, one healthy choice turned into two, which turned into three. The result? Seventy-six pounds lost, stronger bones and joints, and a love for myself that I don’t ever remember feeling before.
These days, that love has turned into loathing. I’m feeling deep in a rut and struggling to dig out. As I sit here and write this note in hopes of inspiring you to love yourself through change, I’m inspired to make a commitment to myself: Instead of expecting to propel from the bottom of the hole to the level of commitment I had before, I’ll follow the tracks of my previous success and make one healthy choice today.
After all, no positive, long-lasting change ever comes from beating yourself up. Loving yourself where you’re at is the fastest way to get where you want to be. (Click to tweet!)
So here’s your challenge for this week:
- Think about an improvement you’d like to make in your life.
- Evaluate your expectations. Are they realistic?
- Identify one small step or choice you can make today to honor that goal. It might be five minutes of loving self-talk, some journaling, or a practical action you can take to move you forward.
- Schedule time to take your chosen step and commit to doing it. Put it in your calendar, schedule a reminder on your phone, and decline any invitation that comes up that conflicts with it. (The universe loves to challenge our commitment!)
- Post a comment on this blog post for some extra accountability.
Mine: I commit to moving my body today, in a way that raises my heart rate and breaks a good sweat (shouldn’t be too hard on the sweat front since it’s mid-80s and humid here!).
I’d love to hear about your improvement plan! Join the conversation in the comments below.
Until next week, keep taking those small steps to Live Out Loud.
Speaking of raising your heart rate….
On vacation recently in the mountains, there is no choice but to do so.
Tie a shoe, walk 10 steps, and climb a few stairs and you are out of breath. Your heart it beating as loud as a snare drum.
Deep breathing is the only way to be in high altitude. No choice unless you stay there for a minimum of three weeks to adjust.
My commitment is to do happy ways of deep breathing:
1. Swim in the lake til my little one rebels and yells, “it’s too cold.”
2. Walk ‘n talk with a friend and go for the hills.
3. Play like everyday is a vacation.
Thanks for sharing, Jan! Slow, deep breaths can be a real gift, even when forced upon you by thin air.
I love your commitment to it and how you plan to execute that commitment. Sounds just lovely. <3
My improvement plan is to get in a conscious habit of putting things away and set few minutes a day to clear out a hot spot in my home. Thank you!!
Love that, Jessica! The gift of space and clarity a little bit each day. That’s bound to make your energy soar!