Whiners Don't Win. Face The Music, and Just DO IT.

Good Morning Kittens!! How has your weekend been? Good I hope. Mine has been good, although last night I was about to channel my inner Lara Croft and go postal on my assclown neighbors like this:

but, I channeled my inner Zen instead and prayed for them. To evaporate. Kids, I have the MOST inconsiderate neighbors on the planet. Loud, obnoxious MORONS with a yippy ass dog and a child terror that may or may not be the Anti-Christ. 

That could be a picture of the kid - or ME last night looking for my blasted ear plugs. You decide. 

This whole ridiculous neighbor thing brings up the topic I want to talk about today. The title of this post is "Whiners Don't Win. Face The Music and JUST DO IT.". 

I read in a book once (probably something by Brian Tracy or John C. Maxwell) that we only complain about things that we have the potential to change. Think about that. We don't complain that "Ohhhh I hate the sky being blue!!!" It's like we know that sky will always be blue. We don't complain, "OHHH MAN I wish I had 6 toes and not 5!!". You get the idea. Think about the things you complain about- and ask yourself if there is ANYTHING you can do to change that situation. 

• Don't like your job? Work on changing it or find a new one.
• Don't like your relationship? See above. (and please don't take this as me advocating divorce if you are married. I went through a divorce and it was the worst experience EVER. But I do believe that couples that loathe each other and are a misery to each other and their kids are better served apart than suffering together.)
• Don't like your neighbors (like me)? Find a way to move, and in the meant time, find a way to accept what IS and find a way to deal with it until you can change that situation.                            

I could go on and on but in the last bullet point- this is preaching to me. I cannot stand my neighbors. There is no justification for their behavior and I can bitch and moan about it ALL DAY. But, what is that accomplishing? Sure, it can be funny here and there but really, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO CHANGE. Period. So, that said, the situation, as I "diagnose it" is that this will not get better. And I do NOT get to enjoy my home here in any way because of them. It is time for me to face that music, and make my own plans to get out. Selling this house in this market, I've understood won't be easy or fast and I won't probably make a dime on it. I'm over that. I'm not going to whine about it. 

Enough Whining.

I don't know about YOU kids, but I don't want to be that whiny person. One of the topics you've heard me talk about lately is me figuring out my "tummy" problems. Why am I focused on this? Because I don't want to spend part of my days being uncomfortable because of food and WHINING about it. I'm figuring out the problem and how to fix it. Done. 

I don't want to WHINE in 2011 (or the rest of 2010 mind you) about what I haven't done yet with my body. Just like I read in that book, "If There Is Something I Don't Like About My ________, Then I Have the Power to Change It." 

The next statement that I feel MUST be attached to this is: "If You Keep Doing The Same Things You've Always Done, You Will Continue To Get The Same Results."

Too many people GIVE UP. They want to blame outside sources for their failure to figure things out. DON'T BE A WUSS. If your body isn't where you want it, FIGURE IT OUT. It is NOT impossible. God did NOT make our bodies "destined" to be fat. Period. The only way you can FAIL is to QUIT.

YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU SET YOUR MIND TO DO. 

"If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think that you dare not, you don't. If you'd like to win, but think you can't, It's almost certain you won't. Life's battles don't always go to the stronger or faster man, but sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who THINKS HE CAN." (from John C. Maxwell, Talent Is Never Enough)

When I look back at 2010, I am proud of myself for stepping up and making strides to move past the (what I label) crappy 2009 I had. I stuck with it. I did a TON of reading and learning and I tried new things. I faced some fears. I got out of my comfort zone. I became a runner! I learned to TRUST MYSELF. FINALLY.

Now. 2011 is the time to take this "warm up" (as I label it) and GET IN THE GAME. You know what the best feeling is? Getting out of your comfort zone and CRUSHING IT. Do you know what the worst feeling is?? Being scared or timid (read: not believing you can do it) and NOT trying harder or pushing MORE and then SETTLING FOR LESS. 

My Motto has always been; AIM HIGH. NEVER SETTLE. 

Guess what? It's time, I've decided....to AIM A LOT HIGHER. I've realized that I've been settling. I've been doing a bit too much feeling sorry for myself in this area or that area. I vow to STOP WHINING about what's wrong and FIX IT.

Excuse the language but SHIT HAPPENS. Get over it. Figure out HOW to get over it. There is a world of information out there and a world of people wanting to help. ASK FOR IT. TAKE IT. MAKE IT HAPPEN. 

I've STARTED this, but now, I'm IN IT TO WIN IT. My plan for the last two weeks of 2010 and for 2011 and beyond? 

I'M GOING TO AMAZE MYSELF. I'M GOING TO AMAZE YOU. WATCH ME.

I've featured Lolo Jones a TON the latter part of this year, because she is my new girl crush and because she is BadAss. Totally. This video never ceases to INSPIRE ME:

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What is YOUR GOAL for now and 2011? Stay in the comfort zone and keep getting what you've always gotten?? Or STEPPING OUT of that comfort zone, aiming high and amazing yourself?? 

Lessons Learned.

“Mistakes are the portals of discovery.” James Joyce

Sometimes we get so focused on our goals, we allow ourselves to get sidetracked by mistakes. If we have an eating bender or we get sick and miss our workouts or any combination of the two, we can become so focused on the failure that it then affects the future.

Mistakes happen. Life happens. The most important thing is our inner attitude and determination to KEEP GOING. In a broader sense, mistakes or tough times in LIFE can either sidetrack us, or MAKE US BETTER.

I can tell you from personal experience that this much is true: mistakes or tough times can and should be something that you accept as a GIFT. If you face them head on, and understand that you can LEARN from them, you will become a stronger person. You will develop character, resilience and determination to excel. You will get BETTER not BITTER.

When I was going through my divorce a few years ago, I resolved that I would do just that. I would get BETTER not BITTER. To this day, I resolve in all areas of my life that I will focus on getting BETTER in every way that I can.

Of course I fall behind. Of course I mess up. But that said, I will always bounce back, stronger than before.

To apply this to fitness goals, I have realized that every mistake, every misstep or screw-up is indeed an opportunity for me to DISCOVER something new and get better. This morning, I went out for a run, so thankful to have my health back to normal and ready to make this 2^nd half of 2010 COUNT.  I had my usual cup of cappuccino in the morning, and then I had a banana, because I’d read about eating something like that prior to a long kick-butt running session for fuel. I thought I’d try it. Now I KNOW it isn’t the banana, but I was down with a tummy-ache. Just bloated. Like, when you know that you’ve eaten something your body doesn’t dig so much. I was TICKED OFF. Not only because it FEELS bad but because I was going into my workout assuming I wouldn’t be able to do it.

I had that inner conversation with myself and said, “Let’s just GO to the track and see what we CAN do. Worst case scenario, I’ll do non-jumping, non-running drills and then weights.” I went to the track and guess what, that bloated tummy-ache was still there reminding me “Helloooo!! I’m here!!” but I did my one lap warm-up followed by a 4-lap run, AND my time was better than before!! I was more like 5.5mph than 5mph. (NOT that speed is my main focus right now, but I’m just observing how I’m progressing)

After that, the tummy-ache DID impede my progress. I stuck to a ton of walking lunges, sideways Jenny-Lynn-style drills, straight legged front kicks and a little jump-rope (til I had way too much cramping).

I was NOT happy that I couldn’t run more and that my workout was only a 650 Calorie Burn. However, I see this as several good lessons learned.

Lessons:

• I am clearly more intolerant of dairy products now than before. I'm REALLY going to cut back, and even not have my morning cappuccinos this week to see if it helps. I seem to be ok having a bit of cheese but dairy at more than ONE meal a day makes me sooo sad, tummy-wise.
• I really, personally, do better working out on an empty tummy. My body takes forever to digest food and I'm going to stick to just hydration and then refueling post-workout as needed.

So!! Lessons Learned are good. Now I can ADJUST ACCORDINGLY and do better tomorrow. I’m not going to get down about today and whine. I’m going to LEARN.

Also the Nike tops I mention in my vlog are Nike Women's Pro-Core Sport Top. <--Link provided if you like. 

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What fitness “lessons” or mistakes have you embraced and learned from? How did it make your workouts better??