Make Today Your “One Day”

Each day, I have a choice. I can make progress towards the life that I am designing for myself or I can be swept along in the day to day swirl of the world’s demands. I choose my dreams, and I’m going to do it now.

 

On a pretty regular basis, I get some variation of the “I don’t know how you do it!” question. Sometimes, it’s friends swearing they don’t have time to work out. Often, some one wishes they “had time” to put healthy meals on the table.

I have a secret to share – I think those same things on a daily basis. I wish I spent more time playing with my son. I meant to walk the dogs yesterday. I really should clean off these counters before I go to bed. I have a HUGE list of Pinterest-inspired crafts that I have bought all the supplies for and never sat down to do. But more important than any of those things, those thoughts kept my goals and dreams for myself pushed to the back burner for years. It wasn’t the “right time”. Maybe I’d have time when my son was older. There were other things that needed my time and attention more. There were so many more “shoulds” than there was time…

I’ve learned something in the last two years, as I mentioned when I wrote about why it’s so important to decide to chase your goals even when its inconvenient. The best time to take care of myself is now. There will never be a “right time” – only the right priorities for me. I spent so much time agonizing over how I could work out more regularly, lose the weight, or eat better if I only had a couple extra hours in the day – but doing those three things creates a better me for the people and things that are most important.

It is all about perspective.

This year, I changed how I decided what to do with my time. I gave up several volunteer activities that I’d felt like I should do and replaced them with 1 that serves my community and satisfies my need for social interaction with positive women. I canceled my membership at the gym that always made me feel a little uncomfortable and was a pain to get to during open hours and threw myself into my Beachbody programs that I could do at home whenever it worked best for my schedule. I pushed my apprehensions to the side and signed up for my first recognized horse show in years.

I’m not going to lie. Those things aren’t easy, either to begin or to maintain. I regularly forget to allot time to work out and have to talk myself into it. I find myself over committing and spreading myself thin, until I pare things down again. Not every aspect of showing this season was positive – there was some failing forward and a head on crash with my insecurities.

But, it’s been worth it. Every hard, at times painful, inch of growth and development builds momentum forward.

Do It Today

As I found myself crossing things off my 101 in 1001 goal list, some of my more out-of-touch dreams (like losing the extra weight, running a half marathon and qualifying for USDF regionals) started to feel like they were just waiting for a plan. Instead of being an idle thought, I’ve started carving out time and putting that plan on my calendar before penciling in other plans. That is still hard for me. I have to fight the urge to make my plans tentative just in case other things pop up.

Each stage of this journey has had its own lesson, and this is the one I’m working on now – it’s okay for my needs, goals and dreams to be a non-negotiable part of my schedule. I don’t have to put all of that aside in order to take care and support those I love. The two things are not mutually exclusive.

That’s hard for me to remember, accept and embrace. But it’s a simple truth. Accepting that means accepting that the primary obstacle between my goals and I is simply the choices I make. I can choose to do it, whatever it may be, today.

Speedbumps

Don’t get me wrong now – I’m not saying that I magically embrace the opportunity to workout every day and all of the other challenges regarding my weight loss disappear. I still wrestle with an underactive thyroid and the lingering effect of several sports injuries. I have a busy schedule and convenience food is appealing. The same applies to every other goal I’m chasing. But now? Those challenges are speed bumps to be planned for and navigated, not a barrier blocking any access. That momentum I mentioned? Most of the time, it carries me forward just fine as I create new habits and design a life that fosters my top priorities instead of fitting them into the nooks and crannies around an unending list of things I “should be” doing.

Getting Started

Judging by the 23,782 people who liked, shared and commented on that image at the top of this post, a lot of you recognize the value of embracing what you most want today. But that sort of change can be hard.

My suggestion? Start like I did – by creating a 101 in 1001 list. Don’t worry about getting to 101, just list all the things you WANT to do in the 2 and half or so years so you can look with gratitude and appreciation. I would love it if you shared your list. Create a note on Facebook, blog about it, email me – just let me know that you decided to stop waiting to create the life you want most.