Getting stuck when either overwhelm or the perfect gets in your way?

Here we are midway through January. How did you do with that New Year Resolution?  Weight loss, exercise more, alcohol free, commit to being kinder?   Uh huh.

Yes, if you are like me we get stuck with those goals and aspirations. Like your car in the snow, like the poor puppy that is out on a rock and can’t figure out how to get off without getting wet, we all get stuck at some point.

Do anything except the task at hand

To be honest I am trying to learn more about Instagram and it is a bit overwhelming. I found myself instead cleaning the kitchen, vacuuming the rugs and just doing anything. Why?  Because it’s overwhelming and I feel that I have to dedicate a large piece of time to get it right.

I had a call with a group that I coach for running.  The discussion went something like this.  “I think my IT band may be a problem, or maybe my QLs.  It’s just that my back hurts and I’m not sure what it is.”  I replied, have you been doing your stretching and foam rolling.  The caller said, well not really. I’m guilty as well about my prehab so I don’t have to rehab. I know I should foam roll my legs. To make it worse my foam roller in not even 6 feet from where I am sitting. What keeps us from doing those preventative exercises or sticking to our resolutions?  It’s simple – we think we have to be in a mindset of preparation to do it correctly. It’s the old saying, I’ll start my diet on Monday.

Does it always have to be perfect?

With my Instagram, I think that I have to spend all day in front of the computer watching training modules.  With the roller, I think I need to be in gym clothes, not jeans and be in that exercise frame of mind.  

People generally fail at New Year’s resolutions the first day or so.  Those gym memberships go unused, that new diet food stays in the pantry.  That happens because we feel like we blew it the first day and the hill to get back on track is too steep and difficult.  It doesn’t have to be that way.

What are the options?

Let’s consider the car stuck in the snow.  There are a few options:

1. Wait till the snow thaws –not really an option as we can’t leave the car there for a prolonged period of time.
2. Dig it out – maybe, if we have a shovel in the car. Oh, did we think to PUT a shovel in the car?
3. Have a bag of salt in the car to put under the wheels for traction (especially helpful in ice).  Again, did we think about putting the salt in the car.
4. Call a friend – that always helps, if not for actual help, but moral support.
5. Hope someone stops to help and that they aren’t creepy.

As you can see there are lots of options, some quick and some not so quick.  Can you take the same approach when you can stuck with something you want to do, but can’t quite seem to get the traction.  Call a friend and talk it through if that helps.  Have the shovel ready to dig yourself out. Or just wait and hope?

Change your mindset

Changing our mindset about chipping away at that big task by spending only a few minutes on the task or accepting that it’s not going to be perfect and maybe just ok this time. OK is really good enough in most cases.

Same with those resolutions.  Blew the diet, try again next meal.  Didn’t exercise. Try a quick walk around the block, house or to another room.  For me, I’m getting on the foam roller – RIGHT NOW and I will give myself a hug and say it’s OK.

If you want to see me on my foam roller in jeans, pop over to my Instagram feed for a good laugh @sandifeaster