chipping away at bad habits

A bad habit is one destructive to my goal.

I've set this goal for myself of running a sub-2hr SeaWheeze. Everyone says that your first half should just be about finishing - but that doesn't feel like enough. 

Lately I've blown off a couple mid week short easy runs. I've stopped prepping my lunch / cleaning the kitchen the night before, telling myself I'll do it in the morning it's more important to go to sleep now. Even still, I've been getting into bed after 10pm. Getting up with the sun is not going to happen. I've been neglecting abs / yoga using my neck as an excuse.

These bad habits are part of a bigger picture. They're warning signs. I've been living re-actively. It happens sometimes. When things are busier than usual. When I'm tired. 

Life feels hard. 

My normal routine is no longer serving me. It's time for a change in preference. To reach out instead of pulling away. To trust that movement can create energy. That the couch will wait for me.

I'll know I've got it right when I feel calm. When I wake up before my alarm full of energy. When life doesn't feel so hard. 

start your day positive

I love the quite of the early morning. Time seems slower, like the day is still waking up. First thing I do is open the back door. Fritz is (almost) always sleeping on one of the deck chairs. He wakes up, stretches, and greets me with a morning meow. Then we have a little pet. I tell him I love his face. If you're not a cat person I'm sorry (I'm not sorry).

Once Fritz is fed - if he has to wait too long he starts biting my toes and Achilles, just one of the hazards of living with a mountain lion - it's time for me to hydrate. I always start with 1/2 a lemon in warm water or a shot of apple cider vinegar. Do you do this? I'm not weird, I swear, there's science to back this up. The ACV has done wonders for my digestion. I chase my morning acid shot with a big glass of water.

After I hydrate it's time to caffeinate! If it's the weekend I make myself a coconut milk americano. During the week I stick green tea. My favourite way right now is to put 2 tea bags in a pot with a lemon wedge. Add the boiling water, let steep over night and drink chilled. Or have it hot once it's steeped. I've been making a pot at work too.

While I sip my beverage I love to catch up on my blogroll and instagram. Now that it's getting warmer I've been sitting on the deck while I do this. The morning light hitting my skin helps wake me up. Time to start my day. Time to cook breakfast or lace up my running shoes. Time to hit the gym, start my chores or head to work. The quiet calm has passed, until tomorrow.

I've come to look forward to this ritual. It's enough to get me to bed a little earlier so morning comes sooner.

How do you start your day?

(via)

Monday Motivation

What you think, you later become.

What you do everyday literally changes the neurological pathways in your brain so your actions become automatic, muscle memory, habits. It's a practice. So make sure your thoughts are positive and your actions support your goals.

Because it's a 2-way street.

You can just as easily self-sabotage and make it seemingly impossible to reach your goals. Commit to actions that keep you on track and stay consistent. Once those pathways form, things will get easier.

Maybe even effortless.

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