Broken Garage Doors... and other excuses

Yesterday I was supposed to take my first Zumba class. It was scheduled for 7:30 pm, and I had planned to leave at 6:45, get there for 7:00, do a quick 15 minute warmup on the treadmill, and then jump into the class. 

That didn’t happen.

I realized at 6:13 pm that the class was at 6:30, not 7:30, so I sat there looking at the schedule, wondering for about a minute and a half “will I make it in time?” No... yes, if I hurry... no, you’ll have to drive pretty fast to get there in time... yes, go for it... no, you won’t make it, but you could go anyway and at least get some cardio on the treadmill... just do it... go... leave now!” So I got up, grabbed my stuff and walked out the door and opened the garage door. 

Which didn’t open. 

I pressed the button again, and it went down and up an inch, where it stopped. Strange. Tried it again... and again... and again. Same thing every time. What was it some genius said a long time ago? If you keep doing the same thing over and over and expect different results, you’re not the brightest bulb in the box... or something to that effect. So I went out the front door, got in my car, and tried it from the car. Nope. Same thing. The light of this bulb is dimming fast. 

Around 6:40 I decided I’d stick around the house, because I really didn’t understand what was going on with that door, and I didn’t want to leave with the possibility that it might actually open on its own, and leave the contents of our garage in plain view for everyone to see, and pick through if they wanted. Oh, yes, please, come pick through my garage! I’ve got so many items up for grabs: boxes, old stuffed animals, clothes that no longer fit, an old rickety plastic table, a mattress cover... and later in the evening I even discovered a multitude of black widow spiders! 

Wait... this feels familiar. I’m acutely aware that I’m using the broken garage door as an excuse to stay where I’m comfortable. To not go to the gym where I may be faced with uncertainty. Or sweat. Or muscle cramps. Or just plain hard work. And I made peace with myself and my excuse, and this time I didn’t beat myself up... as hard as I used to. 

So I made a pact with myself that, no matter what, I would take that Zumba class this morning. I did a 15 minute warm up on the treadmill (and, for those of you who don’t know what Zumba is, you really don’t need to warm up first). I chatted with a few women  as I waited for the class to start, and they were saying that “so and so is doing this class, she’s pretty good”. And then when we got in there, one of the women said to me “that’s not our usual instructor,” and I heard someone else say “she’s really tough.” 

Oh crap. Of all the Zumba instructors of all the Zumba classes in all the world, I had to walk into hers. Did I mention this is my very first Zumba class?

I’m usually up for a challenge, but c’mon, I’ve seen Zumba videos, and I really, really think I’m not ready for this. But I’m also not about to give up and quit early. What was it I said the other day? Oh, yes, this: 

“When you get the opportunity to dance, are you a wallflower, sitting on the sidelines? Or do you JUMP at the chance to do something unknown, and maybe even a little scary, even if you don’t know the steps? Not knowing the steps can be exciting! Today, EMBRACE your adventurous side and do something you never thought you’d do before!” 

That’s what I did today! I certainly did not know the steps. Every minute of that high intensity, heart pounding, calorie burning group workout felt like ten minutes of tortuous sweat and breathlessness to me! Fifteen minutes into this torture I took a quick drink, and I seriously thought “you know, if I left now, they’d understand, they know it’s my first time, they’ll understand, they won’t care.” 

But I chose to stay. Because I’d know. I’d care. 

You should have seen her go! That instructor was all over the place with her moves. It was quite the challenge just to keep up with her pace, let alone “get” the steps she was doing. And you should have seen me, moving all over the place, arms and legs flailing about. And as I’m sweating and breathing hard and flailing about, all the time I’m thinking “I’m doing it! I may not be doing it correctly, but I’m doing it!” 

So, even if you are approaching uncharted waters, considering doing something unknown, even a little scary, just do it anyway! I’m not the same person I was five years ago. I’m not the person I was a year and a half ago. And I sure as heck am not the same person as I was three days ago when I joined that gym! Every chance you have, I encourage you - no, I URGE you - to JUMP outside that box, break down those walls that you’ve felt so comfortable having surround you for so many years, and do something that you never thought you would do! 

You’ll be so happy you did, and you’ll be so proud of yourself! And yes, it’s okay to be proud of yourself! 

Excuses (Part 2)

What exactly is a valid excuse? I can think of a handful of “valid” excuses for not taking action steps toward building my business – the earth cracked open and swallowed me up; the mushroom cloud over my house terminated my internet connection; or other more devastating scenarios I will not offer up to the universe right now, or ever, for that matter. So really, I have no valid excuse for not taking one baby step toward reaching my goals. It got me thinking about the excuses I have been using for not stepping it up a bit regarding my journey to better health.

I consume the best, most pure nutrition on the planet. I’ve released 30 pounds so far, and what an accomplishment that is for me! But I haven’t yet “kicked it up a notch”, as they say. I should really be moving, exercising, getting my blood circulating. I could go for a walk, but I don’t have time. Yoga! I could do yoga in my living room, but not on the rug my dog peed on recently. My mentor and friend, Mindy, asked me the other day if I belonged to a gym. Of course not! I’m not stepping foot in a stinky gym and standing in line for a treadmill or a weight machine. It’s counter-productive to my goal to just stand there. I can sit on my sofa and get the same result! Mindy asked me what my next step was. I just blurted out “I’m going to start walking, and I’ll start with 15 minutes”. But oh how I detest the city-zoned, man-made walking trails in my neighborhood (I’m talking about the sidewalks). Put me on a rocky and challenging hiking trail in Sedona and you’ve got my attention. But cement trails that wind around a suburban neighborhood just isn’t spiritually uplifting to me.

But I made the claim. I can’t go back on my word. It is not in my nature to do so. So I must live up to the claim stated to Mindy and to the universe, to the promise I made to myself. So this morning I did it. I took a walk. A 22-minute walk. This is a big deal for me, so please don’t judge me for walking for only 22 minutes, and not 22 miles. I exceeded my goal. It’s a step in the right direction. It’s a baby step. I’m making progress. I’m not making excuses.

Excuses (Part 1)

A week ago I dined with millionaires. It wasn’t intimidating at all, really! I sat there, hungry as all get out because I hadn’t eaten since 7:00 that morning. At 12:30 I sat down at a table. Staring back at me was a lovely little dinner roll partnered with a teaspoon of perfectly rounded and slightly ruffled butter. The dinner roll was mocking me as I waited patiently for my table to fill before lifting it off the plate and devouring it. A lovely couple sat next to me and my husband and introduced themselves. Then two lovely people sat across from us (those were the millionaires of which I was speaking). Everyone chit-chatted. All I wanted to do was eat. Soup was served, but I was pretty sure I wouldn’t like the soup. So I tucked into the bread. The millionaire sitting across from me was asking me why I hadn’t built up my business more than I had. She was offering advice, I was offering excuses. I couldn’t think – I was famished! When is lunch going to be served?

The more little tidbits of advice she offered, the more excuses I offered. In retrospect, perhaps I should have listened intently and taken copious notes. Because she is, after all, a self-made millionaire. “Are you working with your upline sponsors?” she asked. “No, I’m not because I don’t have time” (oh, good one, yeah, what else do you have?). “Are you on the weekly team calls?” “Well, no” I answered, “those long distance calls are expensive, and we’re down to only one job” (you go girl, you’re on a roll!). “Don’t you have a flat-rate calling plan?” And by now I’m getting ticked off, because all I’ve had to eat was bread and water. I’m still waiting for the main course. She tells me to get the Magic Jack and that will reduce my monthly bill. 

With every excuse I offered as to why I hadn’t gotten into action, I felt myself floating up out of my body looking down at this pathetic looser wearing my new size ten slacks, looking pretty slick, if I do say so myself. I hear this floating person ask (what else you got, come on, you’re really good at this, lay another excuse on her!). I don’t know what floating Beth is talking about! These are valid excuses! (that’s it, that’s the winner – a “valid” excuse, oh stop, you’re killing me!) . Lunch is served, but would you believe that it’s the same salad I ate the day before that gave me an upset stomach? I’m outta here. I can’t eat this, I need some decent protein.

It took three days for it to sink in. Valid excuses – seriously?