“All or Nothing”...How about “All or SOMETHING”!
So, I recently had a conversation with a gal that was super interesting. She mentioned that she wanted to start a fitness program, but her schedule was super tight and she didn't know where she could fit it in. She then made the comment that she was an "all or nothing" kind of girl. Since she couldn't get started with a fitness program, and give it the full attention she wanted, then she didn't want to start at all.
Now in some instances, I TOTALLY understand, and agree, with that mindset. In some situations, I think it really does apply.
Then I started thinking about times when this mindset doesn't serve us well, and came back to that conversation I was having with my friend.
While I believe it is so important to give whatever you are working towards 100%, there may be times in life where you just don't have it to give.
You are exhausted after a long day at work, and you WANT to have an amazing workout, but all you have in you is a quick 20-minute walk on the treadmill.
You have been trying all week to eat healthy but today was a total bust and you figure you might as well eat that carton of ice cream. I mean, it's been looking at you for a week now!
You want to get started on writing your book, but you just don't feel like you have enough material yet.
You ALL know the feeling I am talking about, and can probably give me tons of examples when you have had these same thoughts. The ones where the little voice in your head tells you that you need to have everything figured out BEFORE you can move forward.
It needs to be perfect - perfectly planned, perfectly executed, perfectly thought out, perfectly perfect - before you can take that first step.
Well, here is the bad news...it will NEVER be perfect. Feeling as if you need to have it all together has killed more dreams and stopped more amazing things from happening than anything else.
Sometimes you just need to take a baby step, an imperfect, messy baby step, knowing that each step you take will get you just a little bit closer.
You don't feel up to your normal butt-kicking workout routine? Then there's nothing wrong with today just taking a walk on the treadmill.
You ate bad this week and are feeling like tossing in the healthy-eating towel? How about you just make this next meal a super healthy one! (Throw some Brussel sprouts in there - that will take away the guilt!)
Andrea Wiggins Strong