Are you tired of hearing yourself complain? Tired of feeling like the world is moving forward and you are still in the same place. After turning thirty, the next day I immediately felt as if I was running out of time to build my legacy and that time was my enemy. Just thinking about the idea of turning forty in ten years was enough to send me into a panic attack. During my adolescence, my goals were to become a millionaire by thirty, retire by forty, and buy a beachfront house in the Hamptons by fifty. So far I am completely behind schedule.
Some of the reasons for me not being where I want to be in life are life events. Life never goes as planned and the biggest reason why is having excuses. We all have them. No matter how much we have our sh*t together, at the end of the day we have an excuse for why we can’t do or haven’t done something. Whether it is why we can’t go with a friend after work for drinks, go to the gym, go on vacation, call our grandmother, visit our mom who lives out of state, or take the creative arts class you’ve been putting off for months. We all know that if it is something really important we make the time, despite the excuses. As much as we all complain about having to get up early, wrangle the kids to school, brave traffic, or get our butts to the train on time we always seem to make it to our 9 to 5. Because we know there is income at the end of the pay period.
Well, the same rules apply to your life. When we consume ourselves with negative thoughts, it’s hard to overcome the battle of getting started on your goals. You are constantly in a downer mode that you don’t see the smallest improvement. Well, I’m here to tell you that you can stop the excuses and start doing.
Here are ten excuses I hear all the time, a few of which I’ve been guilty of saying myself, that we need to quit using:
I’m too old to learn new tricks. Do not even think about saying this. If you are still breathing, then you can try something new and learn something you didn’t know last year. Quit with the excuse.
I don’t want to change. I’m comfortable where I am. Aren’t we all? We are all comfortable with our life routines. Wake up. Get the kids ready for school. Off to work. Work in robot mode. Think about all the places we wish we were other than work. Check out. Pick up the kids from school. Bath time. Dinnertime. Sleep. Repeat. Do not get comfortable with a certain grind. Life can and will throw you surprises. Change is good. Quit with the excuse.
Everyone has a better success rate than me. You are not in competition with anyone. Run the race at your own pace. Even if there is someone in front of you, it is okay. Quit with the excuse.
I don’t have enough time. This is simple. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “You have the same 24 hours in a day as Beyoncé.” There is enough time to do what you want. Work on your time-management skills, prioritize your to-do list and goals, and stop doing the things you want to do and focus more on the things you need to do.
I have too many responsibilities. Okay, we get it: you’re a parent, an employee, a caregiver, a provider, taking care of your sick mom who lives in the basement, etc. You have no time to commit to anything other than your day-to-day obligations. Again, this comes with finding ways to properly manage your time. Time management is key to having productive days when there is always a laundry list of things to do on your plate. Quit with the excuse.
*Stayed tuned for a post on time management, coming soon.*
I’m a single parent. Find a way to include your children in your goals. I am trying a new lifestyle that includes being happy, eating healthier, and working out. With running a business, working, being a mom, and doing a million other things I don’t typically have the time to work out. So instead of never having time to go to the gym, I brought the gym to me. I set up a gym at home and my children help me count and come up with creative new routines. Once the weather breaks we plan to take our workouts outdoors, running in the parks, swimming, climbing, and more. Involve your children. Quit with the excuse.
I’m afraid. Never be afraid to make the change. Stop fooling yourself and own up to your obligations. You alone are responsible for your life and lifestyle, no one else. Make the choice to make the change. You have the choice to face your fears or let them defeat you. Be the one to crush your fears! Quit with the excuse.
I don’t have the money. In this economy who does? Do not let that stop you. More than ever we have to save, save, save. Whether you want to buy a home, start a business, take a class, or go on vacation, saving is the key. Set a goal, create a financial plan, and open a personal savings account that you vow not to touch. Maybe think about opening a new account at another bank so you won’t be tempted to transfer money into your primary account when making other deposits. Quit with the excuse.
Tomorrow . . . next week . . . next month . . . next year. Stop putting off to tomorrow what you can do today, or to the day after that, or the next week, the next month, even the next year. We only have one life and it is short. Start living today! Quit with the excuse.
Negative Thoughts. We are not perfect and never will be. Embrace the mistakes you are going to make. Embrace the lessons to be learned. If we don’t move forward and try new things we will miss out on life. Let’s not let the negative thoughts consume us or we will wake up one day late in life and wonder when it all went wrong. Surround yourself with positive people and positive thoughts. Read inspirational quotes and books, but whatever you do, don’t forget to Quit with the excuses!