Being happy now

It's been a tricky few weeks. Work has been busy and at times it's not the most enjoyable or fulfilling for that matter. It's all the usual problems with teaching in the UK. Kids with a ton of attitude, kids with more issues than you can shake a stick at and just not enough adequate support to really help them deal with their problems.

Then commuting to and from work for one and a half to two hours a day round trip can eat up a fair chunk of time each day. Trying to fit in a workout and eat right can be tricky after that.

But lets face it, the situation isn't too bad. Compared to what others have to deal with, I've really not got it so bad. The problem isn't the situation. The situation is the situation. It's how we go about managing and responding to that which is the key. If you only have 10 minutes to work out, then do that. If you only have 5 minutes to workout, then do that.

It's how you respond. If you really want to exercise, let's face it, you'll exercise. If it's important enough.

But moving on, the point is that the last couple have weeks have been a little rocky. This has slowed down weight loss, I've not been getting all the training sessions I want in and I've been eating impulsively.

When the end is in sight and you're plodding along to your goal, then it can get frustrating...really frustrating.

In fact, no matter what stage of the journey you're in, it can get frustrating. Almost depressing.

Now over the years I've lost about 30-40Kg. I'm a new person. I've pretty much kept it off. Yes there's been periods of stress where I've put on weight but then I've got rid of it again. I'm now in the 73Kg range, usually fluctuating around that mark. So why the fuck am I'm getting depressed?! Because I haven't hit 68Kg?! The hallowed 68Kg where life is so bloody amazing and everything is so wonderful?? Well...no. Being 68Kg is pretty much the same as now. Just a few kilos lighter. Nothing more really. So why am I depressed? Because I set a goal which I haven't achieved yet. Because I'm comparing myself to others who achieved their goal in an incredibly shorter space of time.

Well then...how about all the other people? The ones that are still trying to lose weight. If we're going to compare, how about comparing to them. Or even better, how about not comparing at all. Try that on for size. Let them run their race and I run mine.

Getting down to 73Kg has been a long, hard slog. Getting down to this weight was once my dream. I would have killed to get to this weight. When I was at my heaviest, this was the pinnacle. Other people would kill to be at this weight as well.

And here I am getting depressed? Seriously??? This reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me. He was a business coach. He was telling me about someone he was working with who was worth about $800m. This person was getting depressed because he wasn't a billionaire yet. Like that would really make a difference to his lifestyle. It's all because he set a goal and hadn't achieved it yet. Or his self-worth was so caught up in being a billionaire that he was struggling to live not being at that financial net worth.

This whole goal setting thing can get ridiculous. The fact is, I'll keep going and eventually hit 68Kg. It might be in a few weeks, or it could be in a few years. The fact is, it won't make a huge difference to my life.

As I've said in previous posts, just let go of the outcome. It's the journey of building habits and being healthy which is important, not the 6 pack. It's about pushing yourself which is important. Not necessarily the goal itself.

One of the best quotes I've read and means the most to me is Be happy now whilst making tomorrow a better day. That for me is so important. To just enjoy where you are at now and keep working. That's it.

There really isn't any point in getting so hung up about the weight. And most importantly, if you do then you'll probably get hung up when you get to your ideal weight. You'll be sad and depressed then. Your weight really isn't the holy grail.

So...how about we Be Happy now and make tomorrow a better day.