Working in the fitness industry, I hear many many excuses on a daily basis. I can’t workout. I can’t come to class. I can’t find time. I can’t because I’m not in good enough shape. I can’t get away from work. I can’t make it to the studio.
On the flip side, I see all sorts of people make a choice to invest in their self-care (Alkalign or otherwise) on a regular basis. Individuals with hectic jobs, busy kids, lots of kids, lots of busy kids, exceptionally stressful situations at home, serious illnesses, mental health challenges, physical limitations, etc.
The reality is that all people have exactly the same amount of time in the day. The difference is how they choose to spend it. Before you jump on me about this particular circumstance vs. that, hear me out.
Life is full of choices. Choices are a gift. We are lucky in that many of us have so many of them. When I look at all the really crappy stuff that happens in life that isn’t a choice (top of mind: Iran, Ukraine, hurricanes and cancer, to name a few) it’s devastating. Inevitably shit happens that isn’t a choice. And so many things are.
Embracing the power of choice is one of the most empowering things you can do. It puts you in the driver’s seat of your life. It gives you agency. It puts you in charge of your path vs. going the way the wind takes you, throwing up your hands and convincing yourself you had absolutely no choice in the matter. Being at the mercy of someone else’s rules and choices is miserable. Ask the women of Iran. Ask the victims of hurricane Ian.
Choice can be overwhelming. Choice can also be extremely liberating. Over the years, the most integrated humans I’ve had the fortune to know are the ones who made choices for themself. Of course the big choices come to mind, but the big choices are built on a foundation of many little choices. The foundation comes from adopting a practice of being intentional about your choices each and every day and prioritizing the things that mean the most to you at that time. That changes day to day and year to year. There were years where I prioritized my career over a social life. There were also decades where I prioritized my workouts over my sleep. There were even points in time I prioritized Alkalign over spending time with my family. I chose that.
I encourage you to look at your own talk track. How often in a day/week/month do you find yourself telling yourself or someone else that you can’t do something. What if you rephrase that as “I choose not to do that.” Just that little shift in perspective can be really liberating. Choose to exercise. Choose to sleep in. Choose to eat vegetables. Choose to eat a cookie and choose to ENJOY IT.
Want to try it? Start small. Before you go to bed tonight, write down the 3-5 things you want to put at the top of your “choose” list for tomorrow.
Ie: “Get up at 6 and exercise.” Then when your alarm goes off, choose to get up or choose to snooze. Make a choice. No shame. No guilt. No second guessing.
“Hold 12-1 pm to go for a walk.” Then when someone sends you a meeting request, choose to accept or decline.
It’s not to say you won’t regret your choices. We all do. If you find yourself in a pattern of regretting the decision to hit snooze on your self-care, make a different choice tomorrow. It sounds so cliche, but new habits and patterns don’t happen overnight. They happen one small choice at a time repeated over time.
And when life throws you a curveball, choose to change your list around so you can catch it. I’m not saying that stuff won’t happen. It always does. I’m suggesting reframing it as something you choose vs. something that was chosen, at least part of the time, is an empowering step in the direction of helping you feel a bit more in control of your life.
