Looking Out My Back Window #270

Originally posted on Facebook HERE

This morning I was thinking back to when COVID hit in March of 2020 and the gym I worked out at closed down for a while so I changed my whole workout routine. I think I decided in May of that year that I was going to run 2+ miles, do at least 15 minutes of yoga, write three pages a day, read at least 10 minutes a day and meditate at least ten minutes a day – every day. And I went 292 days in a row without missing any of them. I’m just amazed at that now, and it wasn’t really even that long ago. How was I able to keep that up every day for so long? As far as running and yoga goes – I was motivated for sure. I wanted to lose 15 pounds and I knew if I kept running every day I would (and I did). I also knew I wasn’t very “bendy” and that unless I started a yoga routine, at my age, that would most likely get worse. I had the tightest hamstrings in the country when I started. So, I had the motivation. I also knew myself well enough to know that if I want to keep up with anything I need to do it every day. It has to become part of my routine. And once I get a streak going, my competitive nature will take over and never let me take a day off. For 292 days. Then we went on vacation and my idea was I’d take that time off from everything and get back to it when we got back. But I never did. I still run and do yoga a bit every week – but not daily. The motivation wasn’t the same any more. I had lost all that weight. It was nice taking all those days off. I have managed to keep the writing and reading streak going, though – hit 561 days in a row today. The writing is really just journaling. Please read The Artist’s Way for more on how writing three pages a day can be beneficial (I’ll post a link to the book below). It really helps me sort things out even if a lot of it is nothing. Now it’s a habit. So is reading. I start every day writing and reading. Sets the whole day up properly. And meditation, well – if you know me, you know this – my mind runs at an insanely high speed. I always have many irons on the fire, too. To keep my brain from exploding out of my head, sitting peacefully and meditating is the best thing I’ve found to stay grounded and in touch with my spiritual side. Because really, everything we do every day should start there, right? There are other things I like to do as well, like playing music for example. So many options. What I’ve found in my life is this – if I’m neglecting something, eventually that neglected aspect will come knocking and give me the motivation I need to make a change. This is easiest to see with physical health. I’ve totally gained the 15 pounds back since I stopped running on a daily basis, and I’m not exactly thrilled about that. I love to run, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for me. It’s a lot easier NOT to run, actually. And I’ve seen this pattern throughout my life now. Get lazy, get fat, get disgusted, get motivated, get fit… get lazy. Right?… maybe that’s human nature. It’s harder to be motivated to do something until and unless you have that inner drive that comes from hitting a bottom sometimes. Nothing is constant. Nothing is static. Everything ebbs and flows. So, what are you motivated to do today? Step one is to begin. Often, that’s not as easy as it sounds – getting started can be the hardest part. Then make it a habit. Our habits create our lives, right? Bad habits are easy to fall into. The good ones take a bit of effort. Right now is as good a time as any to add a good habit. Identify what you want to do and begin.