October 1st, 2018 The Day

October 1st, 2018 The Day

Yesterday: I maintained the integrity of my maintenance calorie budget, I remained refined sugar-free, I exceeded my daily water goal, and I stayed well connected with exceptional support.

Good morning! It's Monday of a brand new week on the first day of a brand new month!! It's funny, really-- all the years I made a day like this "THE DAY" it all changes. A day like today always stood out to me on the calendar. It's a perfect "start" day! Monday and the first day of the month!! Any day we determine to be "the day" is great--it's wonderful really, changes starts now. But as I look back I can see where this mindset of the perfect "start day" also helped keep me stuck. How? Well...

When I was dead set on having the perfect start day before beginning any kind of personal commitment--and I didn't do as well as I intended, then I'd scrap it and wait until the next perfect start day. It might be postponed a week until the next Monday, or maybe until after a special event, or perhaps I'd get lost into thinking next month might be a better time to start.

Needing the perfect start day became a barrier in front of my positive progress many many many times.

The perfect time is always now.

Excerpt from December 2009-- Keep in my mind, I've learned a lot since this was written, specifically about how I needed a recovery mindset rather than a diet mentality mindset--note the following still applies--and even though it was written less than a year and a half into this decade-long experience, you can see shades of this realization in the words:

If our ideal weight loss path is something that we can live with forever if the changes in our food behaviors are real and well intended, then why wouldn't anytime be a good time to start? You know why? Because I always looked at weight loss as a chore. We've been conditioned our entire lives to believe that losing weight 'is hard work.' I was never successful before, truly successful because I never focused on the positive mental changes I needed to make in order to ease the “pain.” All I focused on back then was how hard it would be...eat less and exercise more, what a struggle that'll be. It's amazing what a different perspective can do for you. I'm still going to eat and enjoy food, I'm just going to eat responsible portions and perhaps move a little more every day. I'm going to learn what constitutes a “regular” portion, I'm going to enjoy the journey. I'm going to experience some wonderful changes along the way. I'm going to be happy. All the while---I'm still eating what I love, I'm still being me. I don't have to wait for the stars to align properly, you know? Positive perspective, awesome attitude, super high importance level---add them all together and you get success any time of year.

What's also interesting to me is how the tendency to use the "perfect day" motivation still lives in me. As I drifted off last night I was thinking of a few things that need a double down commitment--and low and behold, this "it's Monday and October 1st" came to mind. Old habits, right?

One thing is for sure-- regardless of the date, the practice continues. And if it isn't perfect (doesn't need to be), then I will not scrap it and wait until the next "perfect day." I'll evaluate and make necessary changes now, not relieve myself from the responsibility of change until it looks good on a calendar.

-----

Mom and I had a great visit last night with Amber, KL, and little Raegan. Rae Rae was trying bananas for the first time!! She loved 'em!

Today will be a great day. I'm going to do my best to make it that way! Okay--I'm headed to work!!

Thank you for reading and your continued support,
Strength,
Sean