My Time!

Keith writing this:
This is my favorite time of year; it's starting to cool off (kinda), football is back in effect, the leaves start changing, and multiple birthdays this month including mine and my twin bro, Brett.  I live for Septembers!

Jami has been writing about challenging herself lately on our blog.  I think it's good for us to challenge ourselves on a regular basis.  Challenging ourselves to get more sleep, eat healthier, get active and move our bodies, get a job, study a new trade, cut back our alcohol consumption, be friendlier, learn to dance, cut out caffeine, quit smoking, stop watching crappy reality TV, whatever......this list can go on and on.

Goals are meant to be set and we are to take action to accomplish them, but too many times, we set really lofty goals that are so hard to attain at the rate we normally want to attain them.  What we need to do is set smaller goals and stair-step our way up to the ultimate achievement we are shooting for.  Let's make things more reasonable for ourselves and win the small battles so that we can win the war.  Too many times people are so rigid staying the course that when they fall off track they end up throwing their hands in the air and seeing themselves as a big failure.  This is so far from being true! We are humans, we make mistakes.  I see people get so frustrated with their nutrition/diet plans.  They follow a strict plan, they want to lose weight, and they know the foods to avoid that will help them look and feel the way that they desire.  BUT....they have a moment of weakness, they breakdown and eat something they love and know they aren't suppose to have.  The next thing they know, they've gone crazy and had an out of body experience and eaten a whole bag of Oreo Double-Stuffed cookies or a whole apple pie with a pint of french vanilla ice cream (only an example here, although I have a strong love for anything peanut butter, chocolatey,  and even apple pie too! I'll admit, I do like a lot of desserts).  What we have to do is set limits, practice a 80:20 rule (80% strict, 20% some wiggle room) and allow ourselves some foods we really enjoy.  I don't like using the word "treat" or "reward", but you get where I'm going.  Follow your plan but allow yourself to "color outside the lines a bit".  Be reasonable about your diet, stay smart, and if you have a blow-out, start new the next day.  Dust yourself off and get back on.  We all go through this in one way or another.  We all struggle with our own "stuff".  When it comes down to it, you know what you have to do; so, when you're ready to make the change and see progress, you'll do it.
 
As people we want two things, Success and Happiness.  We know ourselves better than anyone else; be true to yourself.  Set your goals, make them realistic, and use the help of an accountability partner (friend or family) to motivate and help get you where you wanna be, which is successful and happy, on the road to winning the small battles that you set for yourself.