Finding Motivation (part 1)

A few months ago I really started studying up on motivation… mainly because I didn’t have any. I was playing the comparison game again, and kept wondering why all my friends could go run Spartan races, finish masters degrees, keep a clean house, and conquer the world. Well, one of them doesn’t have kids and the other decides to wake up at 4am to train every day… Since getting rid of my kids isn’t an option, and there isn’t air on the planet at 4am – where does that leave me as a FTWM of 2 with a hubby?

I was talking with my friend Carrie and just asked her, “How do you get it all done? How are you able to get your ass out of bed and do the stuff you do?” Her answer was simple and profound, she shrugged her shoulders and said “I just do.”

You just do. Wait, you just do?

I had an unexpected road trip to Florida in November, and decided to tap into Rachel Hollis’ podcast. One of her episodes talked about the promises that we make to ourselves. How many times in my life have I said, “I’m going to hang up and put away that pile of clothes in my room today” and then I don’t do it? How many times have I said, “I’m going to work out 4 times this week!” and then it never happens? Sweet Jesus, I can’t even count the promises I’ve broken to myself. I’m the FIRST one I break promises to. 

While on this aforementioned road trip I was on the last day of a juice cleanse that I promised myself I was going to complete. It was 8pm and I was an hour or 2 out from my destination when I needed to stop at a gas station. Staring me in the face was a small pack of Twizzlers, my favorite candy. I had so many excuses and permissions running through my head telling me it was okay to get them – “You’re only 4 hours away from your goal, you can basically say you’re done and buy them now,” “Why don’t you buy them now and save them for tomorrow?” and reason after reason to justify me buying this sweet snack for myself – after I haven’t had real food in 72 hours. Talk about temptation. “NO!” I said to myself… “I made a promise to myself and I’m going to keep it! For ONCE, I’m going to keep it.” So I decided to not let myself off the hook, not purchase the Twizzlers, and I walked out the door with a bottle of water instead.

I can’t tell you how good that felt. I felt something change inside me. I came back from that short trip a different person, because I decided that keeping promises to myself mattered. More to come!