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No More Excuses

time to flip the script

By Emma MerrittPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Why is it so hard to make changes? Do you find yourself trying to do better only to end up exactly where you were to begin with? That voice somewhere telling you can't, so why bother? It is like a cycle that never ends. You start. Go all in for the first couple of weeks and then BAM. It is hard. You are tired. You don’t wanna.

Don't let that voice hold you back. Don't let your past hold you back.

Don't let other people hold you back. Don’t hold yourself back!

We all have excuses. Busy..tired..don't feel good..don't have time..don't have money..tried before and failed.

2 kids

3 miscarriages

1 emergency surgery

2 lower back surgeries

Degenerative Disc Disease

1 torn calf muscle (boot for 3 months)

1 full hysterectomy

1 Two level cervical spinal fusion with titanium plate and screws 8 months after hysterectomy

1 two level cervical spinal fusion with carbon fiber cage and screws 1 year after the first fusion to replace the 2 discs below the new ones

(And you know what? I know for a fact that my list pales in comparison to so many others' out there. I have better health than many people. I have a roof over my head, a healthy family, and food in the fridge.)

These are mine. Not my excuses...my reasons..my drive. These are not my excuses. They make me stronger..make me work harder. They do not define me.

Let me stop right here and say that I do not jump out of bed with a smile on my face to eagerly greet the day. I would love to. I aspire to be the person that does this. I want to break all those bad habits.

SO....DECIDE RIGHT NOW. Are you ready to break the chain of excuses and use it to build a better you? Take a moment and actually write down all the things that you have going on in your life. Kids, work, injuries, lack of sleep. etc. List all the reasons you may have let yourself become the "not to best" version of you.

Now, let's take it a step further and flip the script. All of those things that you just wrote down are your reasons to be healthier, get a work out in, go to bed a little earlier, get more fresh air....all the things.

Next, what are the negative things that you want to remove from your life? Bad foods, negative people, stress? Don’t try to tackle everything at once. This sets us up for failure. Make a list of all the things that need to go. Use this time as a complete brain dump. Then go back and number them.

The best course of action is to tackle one thing at a time. Choose the first thing you want to do away with or change. That is your focus for now. Let’s use drinking soda as an example. Don’t try to go cold turkey. Instead of 5 a day, start by drinking a bottle of water for each soda you drink. Do this for a week or so. Next, instead of 5 sodas a day, cut it back to 4 a day. Be sure to continue drinking the water after each soda. Also, drink a bottle of water in place of the one you cut out.

Continue decreasing the soda intake slowly, until you are not having them anymore. You will see a difference in your skin and your waist line. You will also feel more energized. Not only that, but you will feel confident and excited to have changed something. Yes, the process can be slow, but these changes will last. They will not be like a fleeting New Year resolution.

Do this with each one of the items on your list. Find a way to slowly change that bad behavior/habit. This allows your brain to redirect it’s focus to the good.

On this journey together, we will discover how living our best life does not mean it has to be a full time job. Small changes that become habit over time is the true key. I can't wait to have you join me and see where it takes us!

For tips, exercises, nutrition, and motivation, join me over on my Facebook page: HERE.

fitness
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About the Creator

Emma Merritt

Lover of books, music, movies, fitness, chocolate, and the beach. I tend to see things from a different perspective than most.

Wife/Mom/Grandmother

Certified Personal Trainer

Nutrition Specialist

REALTOR

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