Eat That Frog

If you are like me, we start out with the very best of intentions. We set some resolutions for the new year and we just know without a doubt that this is the year for us. We will follow through and get things done. Then, as nature would have it, something happens. We get sick, a little one gets sick or the car breaks down or it could be any number of other "little things" and then all of the sudden a month into our new year we find ourselves right back into the old habits and routines and we ask ourselves how we ended up right back there. The answer, although annoying, is quite simple. Habits. Studies will tell us that it takes 21 days to create a new habit. 21 days of consistency in the new forming habit for it to become a ritual. But, what that particular study fails to point out is that if you don't replace the old habit, it stays there lurking just waiting to slide back into place and fit. Ah, that old familiar feeling. So how in the world do we break the old familiar habits and begin anew? Well I will quote another cliche for you. It just takes time. Oh and effort and consistency. You really do have to want to change for it to happen. Easy to say, harder to do. Personally, I can tell you that the struggle is real. I want my clothes to fit better! I want my house to be cleaner all the time! I want to get to bed at a decent hour each night! I really want each of these things. So where is the magic? Is it in a schedule? If I put it to paper does that make it happen? Not for me. Maybe for you it will. For me, the aha moment happened when I looked around at my house, myself and my children and realized that I really wanted more for them. And for myself too. I didn't want to feel so overwhelmed inside my own home. I wanted to feel blessed in my home and be able to bless them inside their home. The answer for me came in two parts. The first, minimize.

Simply put-we have too much stuff! When you have more things than you can manage to store there is a problem. You can't organize clutter. Yep, I have tried. I bought all the cute little tubs from Target and you know what happened, they are strewn about the house with the contents outside of them! So for me, the answer was clear, we needed to get rid of stuff. And so I began the journey of clearing out. And do you know what I found? Freedom! Every box and bag that I filled to donate was like a weight off of my shoulders. Suddenly, I could breath easier and I could actually "see" what needed to be done rather than just seeing all the mess! I worried at first that my kids would not want to get rid of their things, but amazingly there were all for donating their clothes and toys to Haven Hospice so that others might benefit from it. (insert proud mom moment here) Some many boxes and many bags later, I finally have a starting point. And once I was out from under all that clutter, the task before me was actually not all that daunting.

The second part to this journey was a little more challenging but able to be accomplished. In the past, if there was a task that I was not particularly fond of doing, I would do everything else to avoid that task. So in essence, it did not get done. And it just built up and grew. So as I was evolving on the journey, I spoke to a friend about the issues that I found that were just really frustrating me. And she said to me "sometimes you just have to eat that frog". I thought to myself, what a strange thing to say. Then, she began to explain the meaning to me and you know what, it summed me up to a tee! So I learned to just start eating the frog. Each day as I look at what needs to be done, I take the least appealing task (my frog) and I will do it first. Then everything else seems to be a piece of cake from there. I often feel so accomplished from eating the frog that there is pep in my step as I accomplish each of my other duties.

So as you are trying to start your new year and wrap your life around your new goals and resolutions, define your "frog". Once you find it, eat it first no matter how distasteful, then move on. See if it makes a difference in how you move throughout the rest of your day. It has certainly made a difference in me.

For those of you looking to get your house on a schedule, there are so many programs/systems out there to help. My favorite is the Flylady system because you are never behind and you are encouraged to just jump in where ever you are. The Flylady system also incorporates getting the kids involved which I encourage for 2 reasons. They like to help and it teaches them responsibility. They will be grown-ups one day.
Pinterest is an amazing source for all things printable if you are looking for task lists and maintenance schedules.

For getting your body on a new schedule whether it is fitness related or whole health related, there is certainly no shortage or workout programs that you can incorporate into your home. Many are free and can certainly make a huge improvement in your life. If you are looking for classes for all fitness levels Zumba is an amazing workout that incorporates dance into fitness and there is simply no right or wrong. Please be sure that you consult with your physician and use a licensed instructor before beginning any program.

Happy Frog Eating!