As a weight loss coach for more than 20 years, I’ve heard it all. There’s no excuse (er, I mean, reason) that surprises me. As King Solomon noted “there’s nothing new under the sun.”
If I were to survey, coming out near the top would be the issue of time. Say, not having enough time to plan, exercise or meditate. When I dig in, clients tell me that everyone and everything else comes first. They feel like if they take the time to do the things, that everything else will suffer. They will disappoint others. Responsibilities will fall through the cracks.
Now, if you relate to feeling that way, I could mount several arguments to convince you otherwise.
I could tell you about the high-powered people who make time for themselves despite their busy schedules.
I could give you the oxygen mask analogy – that you can only take care of others (and other things) really well when you take care of yourself first.
I could give you statistics on burnout and over-work.
But you know these things. If they haven’t made a difference, my repeating them won’t either.
So how about an experiment? During a clients-only group call, one client suggested the idea of proving it wrong. Brilliant! (Of course, she has an extraordinary weight loss coach 😊.)
Pick a period of time and commit to one thing. Like walking a minimum of 5 minutes everyday for 30 days. Do it and see. Does everything fall apart? Go to hell in a hand basket? Do your family and coworkers think you’re a selfish flake?
Probably not.
I don’t know what your particular excuse is. And I’m sure you have more than one. (I do, too.) But choose one and set out to prove it wrong.
Because I do this work every day as a weight loss coach, I’m on to myself about my excuses. Most of the time. But when they “feel” real, I’ve got to poke holes in them.
Defending our excuses makes no space for transformation. Excuses lead to a default future that will simply happen if we do nothing to change it.
So, pick one excuse and poke the hell out of it. Prove it wrong. Repeat.
Live into an intentional future. Not a default one.