Today I’m at the gym for a cardio workout and some stretching. I really don’t feel like working out. It’s gray outside, drizzly. I would have preferred to stay home.
As I climb onto the elliptical machine, thirty minutes feels like forever. But I told myself I only had to come to the gym and do a few minutes. Thirty minutes is optional and I can quit any time I want.
I am listening to inspiring music and focusing on the lyrics and my surroundings. I just noticed ten minutes have passed. Wow, I am one-third of the way through! I feel like I can keep going. Suddenly thirty minutes seems a lot more doable.
I’m continuing to enjoy my music, while focusing on my body doing the work and feeling grateful that my body can do it. When I glanced at the time again, another five minutes had gone by. Now I’m over halfway through! The goal seems very attainable. I’m on the back side so there's no need to quit now.
If I’m struggling to do something, it helps to keep reminding myself that I can quit anytime I want. Nobody’s forcing me to do anything, this workout or anything else in my life.
Quitting is always an option, except in the case where we never even started.
When we begin something, we don’t have to know if we’ll be able to finish it. We simply have to start and set our intentions for the outcome. After that, we just have to keep taking steps, one after the other, evaluating our progress and deciding whether or not we’re willing to keep moving forward to achieve our goal.
A slow pace is better than no pace!
If we remember we can quit at any time, it gives us choice. Choice is so important for true empowerment. When we do anything and we’re operating with less choice and we’re doing it because we think we should (guilt- or shame-driven), a negative force is driving us rather than an empowering one. That doesn't feel nearly as good.
When we remind ourselves we can quit at any time, but we’re choosing to keep going a little longer, that’s empowering. That’s us in the drivers’ seats of our lives, rather than feeling reluctant and driven by negative motives.
Where does this speak to you today? New Year's resolutions to get fit? Other goals you'd like to achieve? Maybe you’re in a job or a relationship that’s challenging or not working well, but you’re muddling through it anyway? Perhaps you’re afraid to do anything different or you’re enticed to stay comfortable. Maybe you're just doing what you’re “supposed” to do?
Nothing has to change in our worlds in order for everything to change. Our life experience will shift by making our decisions choice-based instead of guilt- or shame-based. We do this by getting and staying in touch with our true motives to change.
The funny thing is once we change our approach to our world and our inner landscape changes, our outer landscape will actually begin to shift also.
If you doubt this is true (your negative or reluctant voice is loud), try it for a week. If we’re going to do something anyway, why not do it empowered?
Make this a week of choice. Jot down any thoughts you have about that and any resistance. Now use choice as your fuel today and see what happens.
When your thoughts slip back into negativity, and they will because we’re human, remember the intention for seven days is to cancel out feeling forced, obligated or trapped, regarding what’s going on in your world.
Say NO to feeling like a victim of your own life. You may have been a victim at one point, but we’re all adults now. Adults have the power to choose what happens next.
Remind yourself why you’re choosing to do or not do whatever it is you’re doing or not doing and watch what happens after a week of choice.
I would love to hear from you. Please share your experience in our
FTG Facebook group. You can share today and during the week too, if you need support and accountability to see this through for seven days.
Two weeks ago, I shared about the notes I’ve written to myself and posted around the house to remind me what I believe so that my actions line up. Did any of you do that? I’m still reading mine (they're helping!) and I will try to remember to share my progress on this empowering choice experiment as well.
So far, I’m finding that I’m having to remember my choices on an hourly basis, sometimes even moment by moment. But I am determined to let my mind dictate my reality rather than have my perception of reality dictate what’s running through my mind.
I hope you will join me. What have you got to lose? More importantly, what do you stand to gain?
Well look at that, my thirty minute workout is almost done, only twenty seconds left. I think I can do it! I’ve started the day with a small victory because I chose to, not because I “had to” and despite the fact that I didn’t really want to. I had to keep remembering why I chose to do it: working out clears my mind, gives me energy and improves my outlook.
Yay! Every little win boosts our self-discipline muscle and our self-esteem, and encourages us to get started on the next choice.
Happy seven days of making choices that feel good! I look forward to sharing the experience together in our
FTG Facebook group.
