Never Give Up

Habits - whether it's blogging regularly (oops), keeping the kitchen clean, exercising daily, or something else - are only habits as long as you do them.

Christmas knocked me off my walking game, then there were cold, snowy days, cancelled school days, and days when I just didn't feel like doing it - so I didn't. But that doesn't mean I should give up! Yesterday it was sunny and warmer, so I walked. Today it was warmer but drizzling rain, so I grabbed the umbrella and walked! I still have about 10 lbs. that I'd like to lose, but if I want that to happen, I have to be consistent in my movement and eating habits. The weight doesn't just magically melt off (just as my kitchen doesn't magically clean itself, nor do my clothes jump in the washing machine and present themselves, folded KonMari-style, in my drawer) - it all takes WORK and SELF-DISCIPLINE.

Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash

Far too often we fall into the trap of thinking that what we want should come easily. Obedient kids should happen naturally rather than requiring consistent parenting and boundaries. Money should be in the savings account without needing to work more or buy less. Pants should feel looser without giving up Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Well, bad news for us - it all takes work. It all requires us to die to self in some way, setting aside preconceived notions, assumptions, and expectations. We have to be the parent, whether we feel like the adult or not. We have to set up the automatic transfer to savings and avoid Amazon if we want to see that balance grow. And we have to make a choice in what we eat and how we spend our time because there is no magic, side-affect-free pill to make us as skinny as we were twenty years ago.

It's time we learn how to avoid the "quick fix" mentality and develop our Fruits a little bit more (you know the ones: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). When the kids get under my skin, I'm praying for more love and patience as I dive in to figure out what's going on with them that's causing them to act out. As we set financial goals for our year, I'm making the choice to avoid certain stores and shop grocery sales and leave my wants in the Amazon cart. And if I want to see that goal number on the scale, then I must choose to do more of what I did this morning, rain or shine.