Action or Excuses?
My recovery from chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (a blood cancer) is not without its challenges.
At the beginning of September I created a BLOG post titled Close to the Edge….
My mood was very low and I knew that change was needed – so I created a plan, documented it in the BLOG post and started step by step to improve my mood and to improve my concentration.
Well here we are at the end of the month and whilst I wouldn’t say that I am a completely different person I would say that I am much brighter than I was 4 weeks ago.
I made a commitment to walk for 20 minutes every morning and with one or two exceptions I have met my own commitment. But today was different. I woke to the alarm at 6:30 am and was immediately aware of the rain cascading onto the roof and down the side of the house. I was also aware that the temperature had dropped considerably. I was also aware that my rain jacket and rain trousers would still be soaking wet from my walk the previous evening.
The bed was warm and comfortable and my calendar was empty. Should I stay in bed or should I get up and face the elements? It was a real dilemma that took me about 30 minutes to resolve. Finally at 7:00 am I pulled on my wet clothes and stepped outside.
The heavens opened and after less than 1 minute I was soaked to the skin – it would have been so easy to turn around and go back to bed, but 20 minutes is 20 minutes so I straightened my back and put my best foot forward and off I went – striding up the hill.
Rain and cold are great motivators as are warmth and dry clothing. I was motivated to get the job done (the walk that is) and get back home. I reached my usual turnaround point in record time (about 2 minutes quicker than usual) but my commitment to myself was time and not distance so I carried on walking for a few more minutes then turned around. As I started the return leg, the rain eased a little and the sky seemed to brighten – I am sure that I imagined it, but nonetheless it made me smile.
After a total of 22 minutes and 22 seconds I stepped through the doorway to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and once again I felt proud of what I had just achieved.
By that I don’t really mean the walk itself. It was slightly over one mile and a pace of 3 miles per hour is nothing to write home about.
I’m proud of the fact that instead of making Excuses about bad weather and wet clothes I chose Action.
Action is what drives us forward and brings us to new levels – Excuses are what help us slide down the slippery slope of poor performance.
It’s my future and no one really cares if I stay in bed or get out and walk – that’s for me to decide and for me to accept the consequences of my action or my excuses.
As I finish writing this post I feel good about myself and I feel ready for the day ahead. A day of rain won’t stop me enjoying my life.
Best wishes,
Richard
5 things I am thankful for –
- Dry boots that don’t leak
- The smell of freshly brewed coffee
- The freedom to choose whether to stay in bed or to get up
- Dry clothes
- A safe environment to walk in