October 13, 2019: No Excuses

My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.

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If there is one thing most of us cannot stand is people making excuses, and if there is one thing we all do it is, wait for it...make excuses. This week, we’re going to talk about why we make excuses and how to stop doing it.

There are tons of quotes about excuses that you’ve likely heard before (or said, or Instagrammed), like “make an effort, not an excuse” or “excuses don’t burn calories.” Excuses are normal, but they can sure be unhelpful when you’re trying to reach a goal.

Why do we make excuses?

We use excuses as a distraction from a task, but they really come from a deeper level of our desire to shield ourselves from any type of anxiety or shame. How many times have you not gone to the gym because you didn’t have time? Saying that you are not going to your workout because you have too much to do, or making dietary changes is just too hard, is really just a way of making you feel less burdened and less ashamed. Unfortunately from a psychological standpoint, it works...temporarily.

Not all excuses are equal

Everyone out there has had one of those days in the gym - you’re not into it, not motivated, your mind just is not focused. When you are being honest with yourself and admit it just isn’t in you today, you are able to rebound the next day and, often times, want to perform at a higher level because you now have a clear head. That’s self-care and self-awareness. The opposite approach is saying things like it’s too hard, or I can’t do it, and I give up. These are the type of excuses that are self-handicapping and in the end will do nothing but undermine your efforts.

At the end of the day you can either have excuses or you can have results, but you will never have both.

Next Sunday, we’ll talk about efficient, effective high-intensity interval training as an option for your fitness routine.

Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.

Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!

I hope you have a wonderful week,

Kelly

Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.

Tsirona - www.tsirona.com

My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.