We are way past the halfway point of 2021 and I’m still not sure what I’ve done or where I’m going, but it’s all happening very quickly. Does anyone else feel like time has sped up this year? Perhaps because most of last year felt like we were standing still, this year, in comparison, feels like we are moving at hyper speed! 

I was speaking to someone this weekend that said they keep sitting down to make plans and the process feels so overwhelming that they end up walking away with nothing on the calendar and no changes to their routine. I understand that. I can sometimes find myself in a place of indecision and overwhelm that leads to absolutely nothing. 

My hubby is a doer, though, and his mantra is, “if you don’t plan it, it won’t happen.”

This is true with everything in life: vacations, working out, changing jobs, moving, or simply having dinner. Sure, planning comes in varying degrees and there are other things that come into play such as time and money, but what about the things we say we want to do, but just never quite get around to doing them?

Lately, I have been running again, and that means getting up early because that’s when I know I will do it. I have to set my alarm, get my clothes ready the night before, be committed, and get to bed at a decent hour or it won’t happen. It’s literally that simple. If I miss any of these steps, my intention to run is in jeopardy. Last week, I had to add a few additional steps, which made me wonder if it was worth the effort. I am committed, though, and so I pressed on with the plan. You see, my dogs think that they are the number one priority at any given time. It doesn’t matter if it’s 5:30 am and they have been out, fed and loved on at that ungodly hour, they still want to be included in my run. 

I, however, prefer to only drag my own sorry butt out for a run. Stevie and Huey do not know how to reason and therefore do not understand that I will take them for a nice, hour-long walk when I return from my run. All they see is workout clothes and mom leaving them behind. So, for 30 minutes, they cry and whine until I have returned home. It’s super pleasant for my hubby, who is trying to eke out just a little more sleep. 

So, not only do I need to plan to be up for my early morning run, I have to also plan for a sneaky departure that makes them think I am merely walking out of the bedroom for a few minutes and will return at any moment. This dog-free departure plan has evolved daily until I reached the desired result: quiet dogs waiting for my return. 
In its current state, I set my alarm, get my clothes and shoes ready, take them out of the bedroom and downstairs the night before. The next morning, when my alarm goes off, I take the dogs out and feed them. Then I coax them back upstairs with a treat, brush my teeth and get back in bed. This is where my commitment really comes into play. I pretend to go to sleep while also trying not to actually fall asleep. There is a very fine line between pretending and being unconscious at this point. 

Once the dogs have settled back into their slumber, I quietly walk out of the room like I’m merely checking on something.I quickly go downstairs and change. Then like a mom sneaking out of her sleeping baby’s room, I quietly let myself out the front door for 30 minutes of undisturbed bliss. Okay, it’s not exactly bliss, but at least I’m alone. When I return, the dogs look at me like they know I have pulled one over on them, but also just happy it’s their turn to get some exercise.

I’m not sure how long this plan will work, but I will find a way as long as I’m committed.

What have you been putting off lately just because you don’t have a plan? Maybe this is the week that you commit to making it happen. After all, we are well into the second half of this year. 

Sunshine & Sarcasm,
Lowi & G