DAY 332 Defend Your Journey!

Hello Journal & Friends,

How embarrassing! How utterly frustrating!

For days I've been spouting off all about this great new challenge... Deb's  Freedom Challenge. And I was sooo excited to get started... all charged up, rearing to go.

Day One, Monday went fantabulous! I made myself a little chart, and as silly as it sounds, I got such a kick out of X-ing off stuff from that list as I accomplished them.

Day Two, Tuesday, was a TOTAL BUST! I am not exaggerating... it was ridiculous. 

It was FRUSTRATING! 

And... if I'm honest with you, I am embarrassed. Because while I would like to say it was outside my control, I still had choices.

Tuesday was He-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless's day off this week. And right before bedtime on Monday night, he innocently said he needed my help on Tuesday running the machine that blows insulation into the attic. He can't be in two places at once, so would I be the Switch Master. He had to return the rented machine that same day. My help would save him many, many trips up and down the ladder into the attic.

"Sure, Honey, I'd be happy to help you. What time?"

"6 am, before it gets too hot in the attic."

"WHAT???!!!!"

Okay, I wasn't quite that brief in my response.

You have to understand... I have been a night owl all my life. For reasons too long to go into right now, I decided to work on getting up earlier. I have worked it consistently back to getting up at 8:00 am, and was sooo proud of myself for going to bed on time fairly often recently. My bedtime right now is Midnite.

Getting shorted by 2 hours was no big deal in my "youth". But now, it ruins the day. Physical pain multiplies, and I drag all day, and yes, I did allow it to affect my attitude. Little Miss Sunshine turned into the Wicked Witch of the West. I tried, really I did. But... okay, enough excuses.

Bottomline, Tuesday I did NOT do well on my goals for the Challenge:

1. I did my Bible reading... reluctantly. 

2. I went over my calorie budget of 1600 by about 200 calories.

3. I only got 5 1/2 hours sleep (this is the only one that I felt I couldn't change).

4. There were 3 things to do on my Exercise list; I did one.

5. I drank water/tea, but didn't keep track, so not sure if I drank it all.

6. Feelings: all over the place! Frustrated, resentful, embarrassed, discouraged, annoyed..but definitely not proud of myself.

What is the take-away for me from that whole fiasco??

Never give up. Never surrender!

(From Galaxy Quest)

It's so easy to let a stumble sidetrack us, if we let it.

But I had to choose between making excuses, and blaming Him-Who-Shall-Remain-Nameless for sabotaging my day (by giving me no advance warning so I could plan for this)... and accepting that I DID have a choice as to attitude. 

I could have done better. It was a choice.

So today, I am defending my journey from all saboteurs... even from myself! 

I can get right back into the swing of it... let go of yesterday and get ON with it. Admit that I goofed up and made lazy choices full of self-pity and frustration. And learn from it!

Today will be a GOOD DAY!

From Dr Phil's book: "Challenge your faulty thinking."

My verse for today: "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."

My quote for today: "I hated every minute of training, but I said, Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." --Muhammad Ali

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta

=^..^=