This morning as I was riding on a ski chairlift, I saw a sign for a ski run called NO Excuse.  As I sat on the lift for a good 20 minutes, I reflected on the past 11+ months when I started my health and wellness journey.  Every day (other than a few illnesses), I have honored my commitment, I have been stronger than my excuses, and I have not allowed anything to get in my way.  This has taken a lot!  I did not start from this place where I am today.  However, I made a decision to myself and a commitment and have decided to overcome any excuses that creep into my head.  How do I do this?  Well, you see any time an excuse comes to mind, I find something with which to combat the excuse.  For example, “I didn’t sleep well last night” is the excuse and then I think to myself what is the way I can look at that positively to ensure my workout, my food choices, my hydration and my overall health is honored that day.  I would then say “but I will fell so much better and have so much energy after a workout” and be on my way.  I lace ’em up, press play, and give myself 5 minutes to forget about the excuse.

“It’s not about the cards you are dealt, but how you play the hand”. Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture. No matter where we started, no matter our weaknesses, no matter past failures, successful people know that they and only they are responsible for their life. Each day, I must remind not only myself but my accountability group as well that we must be stronger than our excuses. It is so easy to let an excuse get in the way and to justify why we don’t have time to exercise that day. By waking up early, I have found that I am the only one who can get in the way of my daily move time. If it is meant to be then it is up to me. Nothing can stop me other than my own mind. That being said, I must make sure that I get to bed at a decent time, plan my day out, schedule in my exercise time and most importantly, HONOR MY COMMITMENT to myself. I must remember to honor my commitment rather than my feelings. If I honored my feelings when my alarm clock rings at 5:00 AM, I’d stay in bed. Of course I’d like to stay in my warm bed with my head against my soft feather pillow. Who wouldn’t’? However, these are the times when I must be stronger than my excuses and honor that commitment I made to myself. I challenge you, write down a commitment you are making to yourself today. Next time something is about to get in the way, think to yourself ‘am I honoring my commitment or my feelings?’ #noexcuses  Try it, write down your excuses leaving a line under each one. Then, come up with a reason that you can overcome that excuse.  What is the opposite and flip side of the excuse?  You can do it!  Be stronger than the excuses that creep into your head!