Blame it on ...

I have an incredibly busy schedule. I didn't have a lot of time, so I had to grab something quick at the drive-thru. My husband always brings home my favorite wine. My friends wanted to go out. The workouts take too long. I haven't been feeling 100%. My kid's school ... my job ... my family ... my life ...the doctor ... the lady who insulted me ...

Where does it end?

There are an infinite number of excuses for not doing the things we know we need to do. I am full of them. And I hate them. If there is a pet peeve that sits at number one on my list, it is the making of excuses. I even have a favorite saying that directly relates to them:

An Excuse is a Justification for a LOWER STANDARD.

Yet ... I still make them. I wasted away months of great work after a very difficult summer. Yes, my Dad died and I deserved the time off, mentally, to mourn. However, when did that become an excuse for giving up on myself? I have physical ailments due to chronic misuse of my body. And the fact that I am getting old. But should I allow this to stop me from achieving the goals I have set for myself?

It's time to stop shifting the blame, even if I am only doing it in my head. It's time to own it and deal with it. It's time to get back on the wagon, not just going through the motions, but putting my heart and soul back into reaching my goals. It's time to lose those subpar standards and reach beyond my wildest dreams.

A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else. ~John Burroughs~