Buh Bye Excuses!

Death, disease and injuries often cause us to look at our lives a bit differently. We stare and dissect the bits of our lives and often come up lacking. I have done this lately, and found myself in need of change.

I've taken stock of the life I lead, the things I do, and the people I associate with. To be honest, the last bit is quite small. Prompted by my mom's own exclamation that we just make too many useless excuses, I have decided to try and change that. I knew this year would be transforming, turns out I am right.

There are things I have always wanted to do, and very useless excuses that have gotten in the way. The largest is always money, but to be honest, had we said no to dinner out that one day, I could have done something else with that money - something I had be dreaming of. Making that conscious decision, to not be lazy and make dinner could have improved my happiness exponentially, and yet I still chose to eat out (which in itself is damming another wish) and in essence waste that money.

Some of the things I want to do to make my life happier: Start a garden so can be more self sufficient re: produce purchases and create a patio "oasis", take partnered dance lessons (Latin ballroom), take whichever lessons catch my fancy (Taiko drumming, art, Zumba, Fencing, etc), pay off major debts/obtain more financial freedom, lose weight. 

Most of those don't require a lot of money (with the exception of paying off major debts/obtain more financial freedom. Most of those are easy to obtain, the cost of a meal or two - when put in that perspective money is no longer such an issue, after all - I can guarantee that money will be spent regardless, and probably on something like a meal out.

Many of the above tie into a a general goal: being healthier. To have produce available, literally just outside the patio door, or to take active lessons that encourage exercise, and therefore combine to weight loss - all gets me closer to that big healthy goal.

Another main goal that many of these tie into is to be more open to friendship. I am mostly a loner, and have lost or grown distant to many friends in the past year. I have found the need for a friend, someone to just listen, or to go hang out with, go to the bookstore, take classes with, hell even a coffee date every once in a while, has grown so strong I've broken down under that need. I have, of course, realized that all I need do is reach out. I have friends that are just a phone call away - but I don't. Why? An excuse that they are too busy, that we're not good enough friends, that we've just grown too distant, that I don't need the support, I'm strong enough on me own. Yeah, stupid excuses that just make me more and more unhappy.

So to hell with those excuses! I'm going to start saving and pushing myself to do those things I want. No more being lazy and listless, time to start being the person I want to be. Hoorah!

So what are some of your dreams you've let excuses take over?