This probably surprises you. I have long since made blog lists of all the things that I am going to change, learn, become better at.... all of that. I rarely maintain any of them and so why should I put myself and those I love through the stress of creating yet another list that I may or may not follow?
I came around to this conclusion at the gym while waiting for a treadmill.
Oh wait, you don't know about the gym. My fault since I have not published to this blog in 4 months... I have written many posts, finished none thus none have been published. I'll get back to that. For now, though, the gym.
In September, after I was laid off from that telecom giant, I invested some money into the recreation center here in town. Being a resident and a couple, we were able to save 50 dollars each off a single membership thus saving a total of 100 dollars. I have worked up to 5 days a week since then. I do 30 minutes on the treadmill with 5 at a run. I do 3 days of upper body free weights and two of lower body and abs every day. We have the luxury of an amazing steam room and I make full use of that for 20 minutes every day as well. My skin loves it.
So back to the initial point of the post. Each day I arrive at the gym at a different time this week. Not my norm you realize, being such a creature of habit and a stickler for scheduling, this goes against the grain. But I discover it's necessary. I cannot get on a treadmill, a bike or an elliptical to save my life. And Each day I am getting more and more frustrated and more and more angry.
It was Wednesday that I had the epiphany. I finally got on a treadmill and was finishing up my 30 minute workout ( there is a 30 minute max on ALL equipment I might add). I glanced at the young woman on the treadmill next to me to discover she's been on for 50 minutes already. a bit flummoxed, I look at the gentlemen next to her to see his timer set to 42 minutes. I see red. It occurs to me that the reason I am unable to get a treadmill or any other piece of cardio equipment is the flagrant abuse of the 30 minute courtesy rule.
Hmmm..... I look around the cardio room. It's not posted prominently. Anymore. I finish my workout and march myself into the main office and have a chat with the 11 year old working there. I ask her to please re-post the courtesy rule as clearly we have a lot of new years resolutioners and college kids who don't realize that people who have been going for months do use the equipment too.
And then it hit me. I have just been a victim of the January joiners. All those people who at midnight vowed that this was going to be the year. To get healthy, to lose weight - whatever.
It may sound like I am complaining about the January joiner. I am not, actually. I am complaining about the lack of courtesy when there are other members literally sitting on the stairs, on the floor, lined up in the gymnasium, waiting for equipment and they just look at the TV with that "I am privileged so you must not be looking at me" attitude. That's what gets me.
On the way home, I was musing over this. I made no resolutions at all this year. It didn't even cross my mind. I did decide that after the holidays were over I would go back to my 5 day schedule and start knocking things off the house to do list. But those aren't really resolutions because I have been doing that all along, just took 2 weeks off for the holidays.
The truth is, making that kind of deal on that day is sort of like making a deal with the devil. You are almost destined to fail by putting that kind of pressure on yourself. The truth is, you didn't think of that resolution THAT minute.... it's been on your mind for awhile. Your subconscious has known about it for quite some time. The fact is you really should start those things when it's truly right for you or else you quit. That's why you see so many people join gyms, or weight loss/smoking cessation programs and then by February - poof! It's like they never existed.
I was one of them. For years. I have truly discovered that by taking these things on at my pace, on my time table, I have infinitely more success. Because I was ready when I was ready and not because a specific date arrived and I had to prove something to myself ( or anyone else) that day. Part of the issue is that most of us are so conditioned to make that list that we actually start setting up for it in advance, foolishly thinking, that that day, in fact, is THE day we are ready.
I won't speak for everyone, but for me, when the time is right for me to take that kind of action, I wake up, get dressed and go do it. I don't discuss it, I don't think about it, and I do not plan it. It just happens. If I actually took the time to think it through, it probably wouldn't happen.
I'm doing really well. I enjoy my workouts and they are paying dividends in marvelous ways.
On a side note, I am trying to start writing again. As with all my endeavors, this is going to be a baby step process while I find the rhythm that works best for me.
Happy New Year!!!
