When the going gets tough, the tough keep going! Oh, that’s not how the old adage goes? Well, maybe it should be changed. After all, it’s those who keep going through adversity who make the most progress in their health goals.
Think back to the last time when you had balance in your life. A time when you weren’t in a hurry, you had plenty of time to get everything done, no one was depending on you, and nothing unexpected came up to throw a monkey wrench in your day. If this is your life now, congratulations. I would like to shake your hand! For many of us, competing interests and demands are so common that it can sometimes seem as if we will never be able to sustain a structure and pattern that supports our healthy goals. That’s when it’s time to turn to physics to learn how to just keep going.
The biggest portion of success is momentum: the power and strength that builds in an object as it moves. The longer an object travels without obstruction, the more momentum it builds, and the stronger it gets. It is through momentum that something as small as a bullet can embed itself into a block of wood before it is forced to rest.
Our habits are the same way. If we allow them to progress unobstructed, they build up so much power and strength that they can withstand even the most chaotic of schedules. The key to building this momentum is in not letting small obstacles get in the way of our forward progress. But, in the crazy world we live in, obstacles pop up every day and try to thwart our healthy habits. When you find yourself wondering how to keep going despite a roadblock in your path, it is time to stop, drop, and roll.
STOP.
When competing interests head for battle, stop yourself and assess the situation. Sometimes whatever is threatening your workout or healthy eating plan is truly urgent and needs to be taken care of. Other times, it just seems urgent because it is unexpected. Recognize when this happens, and how often you find yourself being interrupted. Why is that happening? Is your day structured in such a way that it is open to negotiation? And most importantly, can you deal with the unexpected situation while still maintaining forward progress in your health goals? Most of the time, there is a way.
DROP
Look at your to-do list for the day and determine if there's anything that can be rescheduled, mitigated, or eliminated completely. Let’s be honest: is there ever really an end to your mental to-do list? We will never be done with everything that we could do. But, there is an end to what needs to be done each day. There are even some things on that list that could wait a day without ensuing chaos. Choose what is the least likely to cause a revolt and shift it over. This will allow you to keep moving and build momentum on the habits that best support your life’s vision.
ROLL
Just roll with it. Crazy stuff is going to happen. When is the last day that everything went your way? Exactly. Laugh, shrug it off, and find a way to keep rolling. The key in this step is keeping the goal manageable enough to roll it even when you’re dodging obstacles from all sides. When you have a lot of people to care for and an unpredictable work schedule, training for a marathon is a pretty big ball to roll. But a morning jog or walk could be more easily managed. Set a goal that can roll. The longer it rolls, the stronger it gets and the more powerful it becomes.
You have the power to lean into obstacles and push through them, and it is a lot easier when you can rely on the momentum that you have built up to do the heavy lifting. Take a look at your road ahead, clear the path, and keep on rolling!
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– HEATHER FUSELIER, CHWC, CFP, TTS
Health Advisor | Email Heather
