Written by Karen D. Swim
No matter how much I have tried to deny it, August is quickly coming to close. This of course means that we are also coming to the end of the summer. Bummer! In the cold of winter, summer seemed so far away. I had big plans for time away and summer fun. Well, it rained for the first part of the summer and now it’s almost over. I allowed my excuses to get in the way of living and now my “soon” has become “yesterday.”
“Opportunities are like sunrises — if you wait too long, you miss them.”– William Arthur War
How often do we postpone living with a litany of excuses? “As soon as my business hits $X, I’ll take a little break.” “When the kids are older, I will ___________,” “In a couple of months when things are quiet, I will…” “I will…..when I lose 10 pounds, get that promotion, blah, blah, blah!” Yet, all too often soon comes and goes and we are left with a bunch of yesterdays and unfulfilled desires. We all know this but why do we continue to do it? Well, I have witnessed (okay experienced) three reasons.
- We are unyielding in our quest for the ideal. Often we plan for perfection, and are unwilling to settle for anything less. Will the experience be any less fun if it is not perfect? Will a day at the beach spent with family totally suck because you didn’t lose 2 pounds? Well yes if you focus on the size of your thighs rather than the experience itself. Ideal is incredible but so are the imperfect experiences along the way.
- F-E-A-R. Fear! You’re a giant chicken afraid that you will fail. Fear is far more paralyzing than anything that can happen when you try and blow it. If you’re waiting for the fear to magically disappear, you will be waiting till death do you part. The fear does not necessarily go away. You have to embrace it and go for it anyway. This is not to be confused with rational fear. For example you should be very afraid of leaping from a building believing you can fly or standing in front of a moving train. You’ve been warned.
- We have lost control of the bus. It is possible to allow our lives to veer out of balance. We concentrate on one area and neglect others. Before you know it the whole thing has gone off course. You look up in a daze and realize your toddler is asking for the car keys, or the vacation happened but you were not part of it. Hit the brakes, pull over to the side of the road and plot a new course. To prevent this from happening, check in on a regular basis to ensure that you make corrections quickly.
The good news is that if you’re reading this post, you’re still breathing (yay!) and there is still hope! So let’s change our wicked ways together. Life is here and now. I may not be able to jump on a plane and fly to Italy today but there are a host of things that are available to me. My pockets are pretty heavy with yesterdays but thankfully I have today.
And now I’ld love to hear from you. Have you ever been guility of putting off something you wanted? How did you get back on course?
Trisha says
I can’t believe summer is nearly over!
I always put off things I want! But more importantly I seem to put off things I need to do. Not on purpose, but it happens. Time just goes by faster than I’m able to think clearly about it.
Trishas last blog post..12 Things You Can Do To Set a Healthy Example for Your Kids
Karen Swim says
Robyn, what an incredible experience! What a blessing to have the opportunity to gather your family and treat them to a fun event. I can imagine your family’s delight and just reading about the experience, encourages me to smash those excuses and do what I love!
Melissa, ooohhhh! I love dancing too! I have wanted to take a class but like you it just hasn’t worked out timing, budget, blah, blah, blah. Feel free to share liberally as I would delight in sharing the experience with you. Now, off to check those schedules!
Melissa Donovan says
There’s probably only one thing I enjoy doing more than writing: dancing. I haven’t taken a real dance class in almost five years. I was always moving, starting a new job or business, on a tight budget, etc. Finally I decided that if it’s really my favorite thing to do, I better stop letting other stuff get between me and my passion.
My first class back was Monday night and can I just say it was positively divine… even when it burned, it burned so good 😉
Melissa Donovans last blog post..Work Your Jaws
Robyn McMaster says
Karen, I have never treated my whole family to a fun event and this summer I did, thanks to some extra money from a recent job in Toronto. I rented a boat for a day. My son and my son-in-law found extra delight in being captain. My five grandsons enjoyed tubing behind the craft and their Dads at the helm gave them extra thrills. My daughter and daughter-in-law were brave enough to get in the tube, too, for the ride of their lives. I enjoyed riding the waves enjoying the fun and photographing the whole event. Best part is everyone is looking forward to next year.
It’s great when we get past excuses for not doing something. 🙂
Robyn McMasters last blog post..Are Lefties Generally Right Brain Oriented?
Karen Swim says
Ulla, what a wonderful way to end the day reflecting on good things! I am also impressed that you have taken 3 weeks for vacation. Americans have the worst vacation record in the world. Thank you so much for sharing and enjoy the rest of your vacation. 🙂
Ulla Hennig says
Karen and you all,
I know this feeling of time rushing by. It’s the third week of my vacations and I’ve got only a few days left till next Monday, when work will begin again. One thing that I often do (not regularly enough, I admit) is to reflect on the day when lying in bed, before getting to sleep. What were the nice things, the beautiful things on that particular day? Talks with people, weather, a delicious meal, could be everything, no problems with my back, encouraging comments on my blog, blog posts like yours, and so on. Makes me sleep much better…
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Keep on Trying
Karen Swim says
@Wendi, it definitely seems like yesterday when I was encouraged by THAT post! What happened? Arrrgh! Your advice then remains true, make the moments count. Today I took a small step, tomorrow I shall take another. 🙂
@Lillie, lol! You know I should say this out loud about myself because my actions are saying it. Saying it will make me laugh and realize what a dunderhead I am. lol. Thanks Lillie!
@Alex, I can’t wait to read your Friday post! Your words were so beautifully articulated. Awareness, it sounds so simple yet so often slips away. Thank you Alex, I needed those words. 😉
@Robyn, thank you so much! It is interesting that you mentioned courage. I suppose truly it does take courage to acknowledge and then make the changes in our lives. Thank you Robyn!
@Friar, ROFL! You and your great fishing trip, I’d stick my fingers in my ears too. LOL! I admire your balance. I wonder if its the fishing. Fisher people seem to have that yin yang thing down pretty good. 🙂
@Ellen, I love the Fall season too but I wanted to do summer stuff. Pie is good, I like pie. I also like sweaters and sweatshirts…hmm not so fond of swimsuits so maybe I should look forward to the Fall. 🙂
@Evelyn, congratulations! I think every step should be celebrated. It is easy to sit on our excuses and have our bums spread wide to cover them! LOL! If you ever are in need of motivation in that area, it is one thing that I am passionately fanatical about. 🙂
Evelyn Lim says
I’ve put off exercising since my kids were born. My excuse was that I was already exhausted with having to run after them.
What made me go back to the gym? It’s not hard to guess. I had difficulty maintaining my waistline. While I’ve always been on the skinny side, I have to admit that with age, my metabolism has slowed down and I know that I cannot stay in the same shape without doing anything. The good thing is that once I got started, it got easier and easier each time to hit the gym. I find myself giving fewer and fewer excuses!
Evelyn Lims last blog post..10 Insights Into The Power Of Thoughts
Ellen Wilson says
Hi Karen,
I don’t know how I have it worse: cramming too much in, or putting stuff off. I suppose it’s some kind of evil go around that perpetuates itself in my mind. Ha!
Actually, I look forward to fall and winter. I’ve always liked the change of seasons. It seems balanced to me. Plus, it gives me different photo opportunities.
I look forward to pumpkins. Especially in a pie. E
Ellen Wilsons last blog post..Don’t Cut the Horizon in Two
Friar says
@Wendi
I’m like the obnoxious kid from Karen’s earlier post:
http://wordsforhirellc.com/blog/index.php/2008/07/dont-mess-with-the-happy/
Summer is NOT over…LALALALA (I can’t hear you) LALALALALA.
(Not until I’ve gone on my vacation (which I’ll squeeze in the last week of August).
LALALALA….
Friars last blog post..Why I Think Northern Pike Are Awesome
Robyn McMaster says
This post was at the top of your list and since this is my first visit to your new site, I just wanted to say how artistically thoughtful it is. You inspire me with the courage to take the steps to make this change.
Robyn McMasters last blog post..Why Are Some Leaders More Inventive than Others?
Alex Fayle says
What an awesome take on the the problem of saying “someday” to everything. For me, the best way to get rid of “someday” was to make conscious choices – too often we let the days slip by without thinking. But being as aware as possible as much of the time as possible, we run a great chance of ridding ourselves of “someday.”
And thank you – I now have a topic for Friday’s post: my own summer somedays.
Alex Fayles last blog post..Pursuing Happiness: Gretchen Rubin Interview
Lillie Ammann says
Karen,
I think I’m so indispensable that my clients can’t survive without me. 🙂 I have to convince myself I deserve time for myself.
Wendi Kelly- Life's Little Inspirations says
Karen,
Wasn’t it just yesterday that I wrote that post on making sure we didn’t waste the summer and plan ahead? Aghhh…it happens every year. One Blink and the summer slips through our fingers like sand on the beach.
My son is already back in school and my daught goes back soon.
But…I can honestly say we packed a lot in. And we are still doing everything we can to make the most of the good weather we have left.
But it is still too darn short. Darn it all anyhow!
I guess we have to make every minute matter!
Karen Swim says
@Friar, I know what you mean! I feel like I’m running hard to catch up too, and along the way praying that my mind and body hold up to let me keep running! I know that 44 is not old but it’s weird to be at that age when you see other “young” people dying and it rudely reminds you that our time here is finite. Keep running, I’m right behind you!
Friar says
@Karen
That Pink Floyd song “Time” is really cool, but as I get older, it depresses me more and more…especially since I hit my 40’s.
“And then one day you find ten years have got behind you
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun”
Sometimes I feel I missed the starting gun (but to make up for it, I’m running like hell to catch up).
Catching up at playing and goofing off and doing the things I love (that is!)
Friars last blog post..Why I Think Northern Pike Are Awesome
Karen Swim says
Hi Brad! I know how you feel! I had to write it which forces me to clean up my act. 😉
Hi Robert! *Sigh* This is one club I’d love to disband. lol. I know what you mean about losing the ability to dream a little. You get locked into not being able to and you stop hoping, dreaming and as such planning and doing. I am learning to shoot holes in my excuses and ask myself “How can I…” rather than saying “I can’t.” I look forward to all of us reporting on our changes and sharing vacation pictures! :-
Robert Hruzek says
I’m still trying to lose that image of the giant chicken chasing me!
Anyway, yes, we’re guilty of waiting and waiting too. One excuse, er, reason is because for the longest time we were unable to take vacations (I was a contract worker for years). Now that I work directly for a company, we still have yet to plan a vacation (wow, paid time off – heavenly!), simply because we lost the ability to dream a little.
Sad, I know, but we’re trying to break out of the old mindset and move into the new. Shooting for a trip next spring. We can’t wait!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..The Bougainvillea Blues
Brad Shorr says
Karen, I hate posts like this because I’m such a procrastinator. There’s no arguing with a single word you say, so you’re forcing me to do a few things I should have done a while ago. A reluctant … thank you!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..WISIWYG or HTML Editors – Which Do You Prefer?