7 of 100 – Be Stronger Than Your Excuses

Exercise is important to me. I started competitive swimming at 7. I played lots baseball and basketball. I ran track, rowed crew. I even toyed with archery.

In my late 30s, I took up running. I've run a handful of marathons and tackled a bunch of half marathons.

Now I'm a committed Orange Theory Fitness junkie. They give a rugged workout and hold me accountable to bust my behind, intensely I might add, several times a week. Their slogan, "Be stronger than your excuses" comes up on their big screens after workouts.

I don't typically make excuses when it comes to working out. In other parts of my life, well...?

As I'm getting older, keeping my weight under control is getting tougher. My pants don't button up like they used to. My excuse is, "I get so hungry because of the exercise." Well, that can't continue or I'll be needing a new wardrobe. Then I'll have to deal with the downside of carrying around more weight at my age.

It's interesting to say, "Be stronger" when thinking about excuses. When I put up an excuse, it tends to be good ones. I'm creative. They are strong, but that doesn't mean it can't be beat. If I work at making a habit out of doing something I don't want to do, that habit can become ingrained. It can become something strong and possibly stronger than the excuse.

This 100 day challenge I'm on is a habit forming exercise. I am committed to daily self-reflection and meditation. I want to make that a permanent part of my life again. With me running my own business these past few years, I've had a super excuse. I don't have enough time. Honestly, it's a really, really good excuse.

Well now I'm on day seven and so far time has not been the issue. This daily blog comes out of the journaling I now do daily and I'm enjoying it. It refreshes and renews me. Let's see how I feel about this in a few months, but it is making me stronger and I'm a better person for it.

Excuses. Bah humbug!