No Break In My Stride

This post may contain affiliate links, by which I may be financially compensated. See Disclosures & Policies on my About page.

So—how are those resolutions going? 

You know the ones—we all made them on January 1st, didn't we? How are they going?

Typically, by this time in any given year, I'd already be losing interest in keeping whatever resolution I'd made on 1/1.

Later, I spent many years decidedly NOT making resolutions because I felt it wasn't worth it. It felt like pressure. I was just going to fail, so why bother?

I'd already pre-determined I was going to fail before I'd done so. 

WOW!!!

Why did I do that to myself?

I know a lot of people make a resolution but then get discouraged after the initial "new thing energy" (as I call it) wears off. "New thing energy" is that energy boost you get when you're excited by something new, when you're eager to try out an idea,  follow an inspiration or start a new project, and you feel all energized and happy and optimistic.

And then life happens, and we start losing interest or faith that we can keep that resolution.

Maybe that cupcake was too good to pass up, so you went over your calorie goal.

Maybe the weather was bad so you didn't get out and walk or run as many times as you wanted to last week.

Maybe that class you signed up for is suddenly clashing with the kids' basketball practice.

Maybe you're overwhelmed with where to even begin.

Does that mean stop trying to do the thing?

Nope-a-roonie!

I think, at least for me, the answer is to find another way past the road block and keep striving for the goal. Create strategies for dealing with potential blocks. Be persistent.

I know it can feel overwhelming sometimes with not knowing where to start. For myself, I look for a social media group or talk to friends for some ideas on what to do in those situations. Just the other day, I expressed some frustration to a coworker about something I really wanted to do and couldn't even get started with, and within 10 minutes she not only had some strategies for how to deal with it, she found me some resources, and BAM! I was off to the races! So don't try to keep a resolution or meet a goal from inside of a vacuum. Get out there and talk to people.

ANYHOO...this morning I woke up with the chorus to this song BLARING in my head:

(Please enjoy all the lovely early '80s dancing and fashion while you're at it! 👍)

As soon as I "heard" it, I knew it was not only a hint to myself, but something to share with you as well.

Don't let anyone or anything break your stride. Keep going! Keep trying! If you want to do the thing, then do the thing! Set the pace for yourself and go for it.

If you have a bad day or week, so what? Get back to it.

Join a gym with a treadmill if the weather is too bad to walk or run. Or do what my husband I did, if you're able and have the space: buy one. I used to think we could never have one, but it turns out, they're a lot cheaper than you'd imagine and take up much less space than I thought they did.

If the kids' schedules get in the way of that class you wanted to take, then find another way to do a similar class. Whether you find a video online or sign up for an online course instead of an in-person course, you're creating another opportunity to rock that goal.

Find creative solutions to the problems you are experiencing and keep on truckin'. Momentum is a powerful thing, but if you lose it, it doesn't mean it's dead, you can always build it up again.

For my own resolutions, I've been examining patterns that are holding me back and giving them the boot. I've been asking myself:

What are your goals?
How do you want to live?

My answer to both of these questions is simple: to live my life happy and fulfilled, being exactly who I am and doing exactly what I am meant to be doing. Not holding myself back with artificial failure-thinking. Not hiding myself from people, but being my authentic, true self.

So that's my 2018 "resolution." Well, that and seeing if I can get 500 miles of walking in.

~👟~👟~👟~👟~👟

To that end: this past weekend, I took a full-day workshop that built upon some concepts that I'd already been examining for a few years, and it blew me away! Even though I didn't have any idea what to expect, I followed my intuition and signed up for it, and I have NO regrets. I briefly talked about it on positively b.e.e.'s Facebook page, and I will be writing more in-depth about the experience in my next post.

In the meantime, ask yourself the same questions: what are your goals, and how do you want to live? Then create a plan, get into YOUR stride, and don't let anyone or anything break it!

Until next time—go ahead, sing along with me (you know you want to!)

🎶 Ain't nothin' gonna break-a my stride
Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no
I got to keep on movin'
Ain't nothin' gonna break-a my stride
I'm running and I won't touch ground
Oh no, I got to keep on movin' 🎶

 ~~ positively b.e.e. is on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest! Follow me there! And please comment below if you want to share your resolutions or strategies for keeping the pace up!