What's your Excuse? Here are Mine

A while back I performed this "wellness" exercise with one of my clients. I try to be a positive person, but I am also my greatest critic. Negative thoughts are produced from triggers; social media, a conversation, stress, comparisons, change, etc.

Recognizing your excuses can actually help combat them. Regardless of my excuses and negative thinking, I have to find a way to counteract these thoughts when they become present. Otherwise, excuses will ruin you. They will ruin me. They ruin anyone who is in pursuit of living a strong, healthy and balanced life.

So, here are my excuses:

-SHE DOESN'T HAVE A BABY (therefore, she doesn't understand, she has the time and ability to be "better." than me.)
-I had a traumatic delivery/harder postpartum recovery than her
-My body will never be the same/I'm ruined
-I work
-I work late, random hours and am emotionally invested in my career
-I have a husband who works nights, has a dangerous job and an inconsistent schedule
-I'm missing out on parts of my son's life
-I don't have family that lives locally to help watch Cade
-I have limited time to workout
-I'm not strong/as strong as I was
-My freedom is gone
-Limited support system
-I can't leave the house...Cade has to nap
-I'm a slave to my baby's schedule
-I'm breastfeeding
-I had a 9 pound baby inside of me
-Stretch marks. Loose skin.
-I suck at cooking
-I'm tired. Chronically.Tired.
-I don't have time to prepare meals
-I need time to spend with my husband
-My abs are still separated and are trying to heal
-We can't afford to do ____
-I just don't have time to do it all


These are just some of my excuses and negative thoughts. Recognizing them, NOT justifying them, allows me to move past them in order to be healthy...mentally and physically. Some of these can easily be countered, others just have to be accepted and embraced. And some, well they just boil down to insecurity and comparison. I realize how awful and destructive some of these are, but after working with a ton of women, I also know that I am not alone with these thoughts and excuses.

What are your excuses? Recognize them, combat them and conquer them. Become stronger through action every day.

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." - Reinbold Niebubr