The beginning of the year is not easy for me, never was. The end of the holiday season, the going back to a routine, the month of January (ugh!) and it takes a tool on my attitude and overall lifestyle. As I wrote here, I struggle a bit to get back into my routine, start to work out, eat better and even work. At least once a year, I lose my focus and my will to do anything and, basically, sit on the couch most of the day wishfully thinking that my thighs are magically going to tone up.
I lose control over my thoughts and it’s a real train wreck, where I break out crying or feel powerless or that my life isn’t going the way it’s supposed to. But, fortunately, after some point, I start slapping my face and realize that I’m the only one who can help me, pull me up, make me go for a run. It’s not M, my parents or my friends, although some external motivation is always great, it’s not what keeps you getting through. By the last week of January, I started exercising again, eating better, indulging from time to time and creating a routine I actually enjoyed and, here’s how I did it.
Easier said that done, right? Ultimately, your mind controls everything you do, so you have to stop feeling sorry for yourself, get up and stick to positive thoughts. It’s not always easy, especially if you’re a pessimist like me, but it does work and if you focus on how good you are going to feel after, there’s nothing to lose. I love sitting on my couch at the end of the day, watching TV with the feeling that I crossed off my list everything I wanted to do that day.
Whether it’s your job, workout routine, friends or relationships, don’t get stuck on doing something or being with someone you don’t like. It seems a little unreasonable, but it can change your life if you are doing something or are with someone you love. A lot of people don’t understand why I’m blogging full time and, even though I don’t make any money, I’ve never been happier. It’s never a struggle to write, take pictures or do research for a post, I’m never bored and I don’t look at it as a job but something I’m working really hard to build!
We all have them and think it doesn’t get any worse than that but, it’s very important to embrace those days and realize we can’t always be okay. Things are not always going to be figured out, people are always going to hurt you but, in the end, if you hold your head high and come through it all, that’s what’s important and worth holding on to.
This is the hardest for me because I like to be in control all-the-freaking-time. But as I’ve said many times before, an important part of a positive attitude and life, is knowing what you can worry and what you can’t worry about. The things you cannot control should be miles away from your mind and, your focus, should be on what you can actually control – like choosing what to wear, eating a salad instead of a slice of pizza, and so on.
This is one of the most destructive things we can do and, more often than not, fall on the mistake of looking at other people’s lives to gain some perspective. Although it’s important to stay connected with your social circle, it’s also important not to be driven by what they are doing because, again, it’s something you cannot control and their circumstances are unique, just like yours. It’s great to talk about your story and hear theirs but don’t draw connection arrows.