HUMOR, HABIT, and HOPE

The second week of any reset is never as exciting as the first, right?

Bah! That’s what it feels like sometimes! Or this:

Or maybe it feels GREAT! You’ve got the wind at your back! You’re hitting the gym five times a week (or whatever schedule you committed to)! You are making healthy meal choices time after time, night after night! You are revving and raring to go! That is FANTASTIC!

Keep it up! Carry on! Don’t Stop! You rock!

On the other hand, if you are a little more tired due to renewing your regular workouts (like I am!). If you are a little more antsy about healthy eating. If you are stressed out or burnt out, TAKE HEART!

These are the doldrums. They happen every time you choose to commit to something. (I am writing this for myself, too, you know.) There really is light at the end of the tunnel. For one thing, September won’t last forever! 🙂 For another thing, my husband never tires of reminding me that it takes 21+ days to MAKE a habit, and 3 to BREAK one.

He really isn’t far off. In fact, it may take 21 days, it may take even longer! Insert surprised (and a little nervous) emoji here! Check out this article, “How Long It Takes to Form a New Habit.” (hint: sometimes 50 days?!!!!!?)

Or better yet, in the words of William James, 3 clear objectives to apply to oneself when seeking NEW HABITS.

1. The acquisition of a new habit, or the leaving off of an old one, we must take care to launch ourselves with as strong and decided an initiative as possible. Accumulate all the possible circumstances which shall reenforce the right motives; put yourself assiduously in conditions that encourage the new way; make engagements incompatible with the old; take a public pledge, if the case allows; in short, envelop your resolution with every aid you know. This will give your new beginning such a momentum that the temptation to break down will not occur as soon as it otherwise might; and every day during which a breakdown is postponed adds to the chances of its not occurring at all.

2. Never suffer an exception to occur till the new habit is securely rooted in your life. Each lapse is like the letting fall of a ball of string which one is carefully winding up; a single slip undoes more than a great many turns will wind again. Continuity of training is the great means of making the nervous system act infallibly right … It is surprising how soon a desire will die of inanition if it be never fed.

3.Seize the Very first possible opportunity to act on every resolution you make, and on every emotional prompting you may experience in the direction of the habits you aspire to gain. It is not in the moment of their forming, but in the moment of their producing motor effects, that resolves and aspirations communicate the new ‘set’ to
the brain.

So much good information there. First, launch with strength (flexed bicep emoji). Then, NO EXCEPTIONS (big eyes emoji). Last, ACT! At every opportunity, reinforce the habit you are seeking to gain!

So here you are, for whatever reason you followed me into this endeavor. I applaud you. I have to applaud you because I am certainly applauding myself, cheering myself on to keep going.

So today. Friday. The end of our Week 2 September Sweat Session, check in with yourself. What have been some high points for you this week in terms of exercise and healthy eating? What have been some lows? What do you plan to improve upon next week? What will you do to continue to motivate yourself? What will you do to build upon what you’ve started?

I challenge you to KEEP GOING!

I’ll be posting another cycling workout on Monday. Remember, you can use it at the gym, at home, outside, on a recumbent bike, or even on an elliptical machine!

Because honestly, as tired as you are from hitting a workout, aren’t you MORE TIRED of the excuses you’ve been using to avoid exercise? I thought so. Check out this article on the Huffington Post to prepare yourself to banish those excuses.

If you need ever MORE MOTIVATION, don’t forget the TUNES! Here’s a good playlist from earlier this year you can tap into. I’ll be talking more about MUSIC next week. Until then. Picture me atop that ugly old stair climber today. Pounding out 40 minutes, cause that’s where I’m headed!!!

XX, Megan