Try Again

Giving up, before even really trying, has been a trademark of mine since I was young.  My strong-will demands perfection in the important things (to me anyway) and as soon as it looks like work or not perfection for the get-go, well, I'm out.  I know that's why I was never successful losing weight (the 5-10 lbs) when I wanted to.  I just never really gave it a chance to work before giving up.

I have about 10 more pounds to lose before I reach pre-pregnancy weight and wouldn't mind if I knocked off another 5-10 while I was at it.  The fact that I've lost over 35 pounds is so exciting to me, but overwhelming at the same time.  It just seems like something that should've been too hard for me.  How could I actually do that?  I know a lot of people who desire to achieve things - things like weight-loss, improving certain skills, have better relationships, get better jobs - but day after day, year after year, nothing really changes much.  If you're happy and content with your circumstances, then I am not talking about you.  But to those of us who complain (even if its just to ourselves every night) about how we wish life was and then never try or never try AGAIN, well shame on us.

It took me 30+ years to figure out how to accomplish something really difficult.  We have little to be proud of when things come easy.  When things are really hard, that's when we should be impressed by you.  Do you know the secret to succeeding at something really challenging?  It's a real game changer - let me tell you.  Try again.  No, that's the secret.  Just try again.  Keep trying.  Make those little decisions AGAIN.  Whether it has to do with making a better eating choice, a better word choice with your spouse or a better use of the next 5 minutes, just try again.  It's never going to flow out like honey or happen while you're asleep.  So, just try again.  And after the next 50 tries, look back and realize you're actually getting somewhere! 

I struggle all the time with these little decisions.  It IS easier to stay in bed.  It IS easier to shoot my mouth off with snide remark because HE DESERVES IT! It IS easier complain about my life than actually do something to change it.  At least that's the way it feels at first.  But once those little decisions start paying off, you'll find that it is more work to beat yourself up in discontentment than it is to just make a better choice today.

Let's all try again today, shall we?

Gaining Momentum Without Burning Out

Day after day, we have recorded temperatures in the 100's with no end in sight.  Saying it was hot, well that's an understatement.  Climbing into a boiling car (which imitates the feeling of opening an oven in front of your face), it can be difficult to think of the fall season without rose colored glasses and a heart full of wishes.  How often do you think of times ahead and just day dream?  I do that a lot and with that daydreaming comes these crystalized expectations of how 'perfect' things could be!  But daydreaming does very little unless it is joined with action.

On the other hand, have you ever tried to plan ahead and you seem to get distracted or too involved so you end up spending more time on planning than actually accomplishing anything?  I do that too.  Sometimes we make excuses about our time, saying we don't have time to plan ahead.  The kicker with that one is that usually as time flies by, we moan and complain about how things aren't the way we wish they were. 

This week, I'm taking the week off of piano lessons to prepare for the fall season.  Piano lessons are hit and miss during the summer, as people vacation and what not.  But once school starts, everyone benefits with sticking (as much as possible) to a regular schedule.  I have a few organization things, some projects and some planning that I would like finished before we're locked in for a few months.  As I've been thinking about all of this, I again came to the conclusion of moderation and 'slow and steady wins the race' ideas.  Here are a few pointers I'm going to try to implement in the Butler house.

-Put down on paper where you want to be/what you want to accomplish by the end of 2011, if for no other reason than to just put some thought into it.

-Commit to doing a minimum of 1 thing a week to achieve one or more of those goals.  Something is always better than nothing.  Trying to do everything will result in doing nothing. If nothing else, plan time to plan once a week.

-If you hear yourself committing to mountains of work and insurmountable projects OR if you hear yourself excusing everything and getting ready to quit because everything is too hard, take a step back and realize you're not being reasonable.  Nobody is perfect and nobody is worthless.  We just have to have a little bit of vision and motivation to do a little bit at a time.

I don't know about you, but my world is getting so full - full of joy for births, marriages, enriched relationships; full of heartbreak - sickness, financial struggles, death, heavy burdens; and full of distractions good and bad - gossip, beautiful music, job opportunities, etc.  There is so much to be thankful for and there is so much to prayed for.  Above all, there is no reason to give up and drown yourself in isolation.  Let's grab this life by the horns and have a great day!