Day 19 - Following Through Without My "Workout Partner"

Sometimes your workout partner can't make it.

Sigh...Jasper can't make it today. He's injured his paw. I'm not sure who's more disappointed. Probably me. :-( I took him for a short walk, satisfying his desire to keep up with our new habit. Afterward, I trudged off on my jog alone. Despite my initial discouragement, I really enjoyed my private jog!

When taking up a habit that we share with others, adherence must not be dependant on those around you. Take personal responsibility for your actions.

Don't "blame" anyone or anything that changes your circumstances, allowing it to become an excuse to quit.

What are you depending on?
Praise, Companionship, Competition, Reward, Camaraderie? Motivation is good, until it becomes dependence. Eventually, we have to take off the training wheels and struggle a little if we're going to ride on two wheels. Overcoming our despondency/obstinacy will become easier if we remember that once we learn to ride a bike on our own, we are on our way to a place where we can sit back and "feel the wind in our hair".

In the development of any habit, it's crucial to recognize the dependencies we are creating and free ourselves from them. Despite the temporary fears and discomforts we may experience, for a behavior to truly become second nature, we must conquer the awkwardness accompanying the removal of our "training wheels".

I've always said necessity is the mother of invention. Be flexible if you have to, but don't veer off path.

Use your 3 step Guidelines:
1. Celebrate Success - You have learned some important skills and come a long way already! Turn your focus away from your discouragement and Celebrate how far you have come! Don't lose the ground you've gained!
2. Learn from your mistakes. - Developing a habit requires a degree of Learning about yourself. If we aren't willing to see ourselves realistically, we WILL start to blame our circumstances or worse, those around us. Whenever you find yourself blaming, you can be sure you are not taking control of the situation and/or are being stubborn and reliant on your surroundings. Make your own choices and do what you must to accomplish your goal.
3. Keep Going Forward! - Time to muster up an extra dose of will power. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Success and failure may be a choice away from each other. Ultimately, you make the choice. Make it and Keep Going Forward!