So today’s blog is about commitment and failure. So, how did I not stick to what I said I’d do? Usually, I do fairly well with my Lenten commitment. I still give up something for Lent. I know it is old fashioned in this age of doing and having everything we want instantly.

Let me just be real, I thought I could do it on my own. I seem to have lost track of the main point during this past season because I was so busy. (I say this shaking my head at how could I possibly be too busy to keep my Lenten commitments, above all others?)

Failure 1
I really didn’t quite succeed in my Lenten commitments. Okay, I failed. So what was that really hard commitment? I was just trying to give up sugar . Ha! (Boy, was the sugar thing hard to do!!!) 

It seemed to have daily discouragements. When you try to do something and then you come short, it can really bring you down. So, what did I do? Give up? Throw in the towel? Heck e NO! I kept trying. (Again, maybe I was and am still focusing on my own strength.)

So, I guess (Is that a sense of hesitation about what I’m saying?), I am committing to eating better (plant-based real food). The positive change and movement toward the goal must be my focus and NOT what I’m not going to do. It’s easier when we’re NOT trying to stop something, but are focused on what we WANT to do so the weak, minor and superficial stuff fall away.

My daughter, who proof-reads my blog, read it and wondered why I had not talked about my faith. I’m thankful for the reminder. She knows my faith is part of how I try to live my life, but when I went back and tried to insert my beliefs it seemed stilted and felt like I was proselytizing. (Some subtle references are here, do you see them?)

Real Life Examples
Remember that example about when you have a problem controlling your car and it is heading for a tree? The focus shouldn’t be on missing the tree because if the tree is your focus that’s what you’ll hit. Your focus on missing the tree puts the tree directly in your sights. (Just as my cutting out sugar put it directly in my path. It seemed as though I was eating more sugar than I ever would have normally?????) Ugh!!!

This reminds me of what I tell my scholars – “Do not aim for that ‘C’ which you might miss by a couple of points. Aim for success in the course! Aim for the A!” You set yourself up for a different kind of commitment. Commit to the higher goal rather than just going for the bare minimum. Fortunately, most students believe they can succeed. (Hallelujah!)

Failure 2
So, how did my other commitment to the exercising work out? It appears again, I lost my focus. (It happens to the best of us.) Maybe I made my goals too general? Were they specific enough? Maybe I should have focused on one exercise like yoga and doing it daily? Maybe I should have prayed before I made any commitments.

Supportive Resources
Two things recently reminded me of staying tuned to positive aspects change.

1) I’m sharing a couple of youtube videos about staying motivated on a vegan journey.

Basically, the video highlights staying true to what you want to do when you’re beginning a new thing (even when beginning again). (Additional vegan videos are found at Http://www.plantpoweredsistas.com).

2) Instagram (which I don’t know how to really use) highlighted in it’s April/May 2018 issue of Sweat Equity magazine (pictured at top of blog) an article on how yoga can help you commit to doing things ‘on and off the mat’. This served as a reminder that my commitments are not just one or two days a week or when I am surrounded by friends and family, but they are with me wherever I go.

Fortunately, we are not bound by our failures. We can pick ourselves up and begin again and again and again..

So, what new strategies am I going to try? Can I write them down? Can I put some post-its up so the commitments and promises are an ever-present focus? Can i journal daily about what I am doing to fulfill my commitments? Can I, in my daily interactions, stay on target?

Only time will tell.

What Counts?
Let’s get started again.  Let’s do what we said we’d do. (Oh, it’s just me? Ya’ll gonna leave me hanging?) Okay, I’m trying again, but i’m not doing it alone this time. I hope you will try too.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Barack Obama

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” Michael Jordan

What a Wonderful Thing!

Dr. Harriette

#plantpower
#failedbutbeginningagain
#movingforward
#Plantpoweredsistas
#faith
#believe