Blogger’s note: Please see our updated views based on reference to Rachel Hollis.

We have all fallen off the wagon and had to start over.  It stinks and it takes so much effort.  Every time it happens I think, “not again.”  Last July, I started over and I told you all about it in a blog called, “Showing Up and Doing It.”  I was determined to not only get fit, but to stay fit.

The universe, however, had a different idea.  It turns out that I had to take a slight detour with my health before I could get back to fully being the best me that I could be. Sure, I tried to stay the course, but mentally and physically I had jumped off the wagon. Make no mistake,  I JUMPED OFF THE WAGON.

Sometimes all we can do is battle what is right in front of us.  We focus all of our attention on recovery from our illness, injury, depression, anxiety or whatever affliction we might be fighting. We give it all of our attention, sometimes to the detriment of the rest of our life.

Can you relate?  Not sure.  How many times have  you failed at your fresh, new diet because you got bad news or work was really stressful?  How many times have you skipped the gym because you were tired, had a cold or it was raining?   Seriously, it doesn’t take much to derail us from our health goals on a daily basis, but throw in a major health crisis and it’s almost impossible to continue.

This leads me back to that wagon discussion from earlier.  So, as I said, I jumped off the workout wagon and focused my attention on the crisis at hand.  I ate what was easy and comforting and rested my body. I didn’t really gain any weight, but the scale wasn’t going the other direction either.  I walked most days, but that was purely for my mental state, it wasn’t getting me into shape.

By January, I was ready to reclaim my life. I started working out, but I was still tired and my workouts were sporadic at best.  I was frustrated, short-tempered and felt like things weren’t progressing the way I would have liked. I was on the brink most days which wasn’t conducive to any kind of reclamation.

By the end of January, I was done.  I was tired of being tired and made a decision  to make a real change. I decided that the only way to get to the other side was to DO THE WORK. I told myself I was going to be tired, it was going to hurt, it was going to be slow and I wasn’t going to want to do it everyday, but the alternative was to stay where I was.

I have not missed a workout in 5 weeks. It’s hard.  I am tired. It hurts and it’s slow. I don’t look any different, but let me tell you how I FEEL.  I feel energized, motivated, alive, hydrated (because I am drinking SOOOO much water), happier, stronger and determined. Most of all, I am feeling more like myself everyday.

On Friday, G told you about a documentary called, Made For More with Rachel Hollis.  Of course, I watched it in its entirety when she told me about it because it’s what I do with such recommendations. It made me cry, it made me think and most of all it made me want more. While I had already found that place 5 weeks ago, this documentary reinforced my determination.

My goal is to be back to me, only better, by the one year mark of my diagnosis. I have 5 months and I have decided to do it because I want more.   No excuses.

What are your goals?  Anything you have been putting off because it’s hard?

Go watch some Rachel Hollis, play some motivating music, do whatever it takes to get yourself back on the wagon today.