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| Image is courtesy of internet |
Have you ever stopped to wonder why there are some things we
do on a consistent basis and other things we seem to constantly struggle to get
done? For example, as a child do you remember going straight to the bathroom to
wash up and brush your teeth before sitting at the breakfast table? Humph, try
to sit at the breakfast table with crust in your eyes and stink on your breath and
see what your mom does next! Perhaps you automatically set the coffee pot to
brew your favorite morning roast first thing in the morning (Lawd only knows
how we would function without that caffeine kick!). Have you noticed that
without even thinking about it when you come home from work you automatically
take off your shoes, perhaps grab 15 minutes of quiet time (if you are lucky)
and then head straight into the kitchen to cook dinner for yourself or your
family?
Now stop and think, if we do these things automatically, on
a consistent basis then why in the world can’t we be consistent when it comes
to our fitness routines?!? Doing just some of the things I mentioned above
proves that we are capable of being consistent so what in the world is stopping
you from being consistent?
In my opinion, consistency ties in with habits as well as
cause and effect. You see as children we developed habits that were taught to
us. Our parents taught us to wash our face and brush our teeth before coming to
the breakfast table. Our parents/ guardians enforced this habit in us by waking
us, washing us and ultimately teaching us the routine by showing us. As we got
older, IF we made the mistake of
forgetting to follow routine we were quickly reminded to march our little behinds
straight back to the bathroom to wash up before coming back to that breakfast
table. Don’t you dare let Mami catch you walk over to that kitchen table all
crusty and unwashed after 50 million reminders because you best believe it’s on
and popping and she is already reaching for her chancelta (sorry its Puerto
Rican thing!) which is about to meet
your hind parts!! Ok don’t get all caught up on the disciplinary action and
start ranting about your views on spanking a child - that is NOT what this is
about! I use this example to show how we are taught certain behaviors and how
cause and effect ensure that we keep to our behaviors.
I say all of this to say we need to teach ourselves consistency
especially when we do not see an immediate
pay off. The million dollar question then is, “How do I create consistency?” The answer is so simple – YOU create it! There you have it folks the million dollar question is
answered.
The work to build consistency falls on no one other than you.
As an adult no one can do it for you, no one can make it happen on your behalf,
and no one can create the desire for you. YOU have to want
to become consistent in order to reach your goals. This means that the goals
you set have to be so important to you, so deeply desired and engraved in your
soul that you cannot imagine leaving this life without accomplishing and
crushing them. You have to deeply crave and have a thirst so real for your
goals in order to be able to put in the work to develop a consistent spirit. Oh
yea – it takes work!!
Once you have the goal etched in your mind and heart the next
thing is implementation. Set out a detailed list of how you will accomplish
this goal. This list should include daily, weekly and monthly actions that you
need to do. Each and every day you need to see this list and do what it calls for.
Each and every day - rain or shine, sick or not, whether in the mood or not,
busy or not - each and every day you attack that list and do the work! Each and every day you work at it, you chip away at
that list, you stay focused on your goal you feel what that end result feels
like and guess what? You have just built consistency!
There is no magic trick, no gimmick I could sell you (or anyone
else so save your pennies!) that creates consistency. The key to consistency is
YOU creating daily habits in which YOU carry out day in and day out in
spite of life’s unexpected curve balls, sicknesses, and feelings of wanting to
quit and give in. Being consistently consistent is a daily exercise of your will and seeing things through which will
lead to your goal.
Think on that and work at it!
Follow me on IG: SFIERCE22
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