excuses, excuses plus BONUS: a quote I do like

There's two types of people in this world. 1-Those who do what they have to do, no matter how much they hate it and no matter what's standing in their way. And 2- Those who don't do what they "have" to do because they don't really want to, but they hide behind the fact that they don't really want to by pretending that they do want to but have 1,000,000 excuses as to why they can't.

In the core of my being, I'm an excuse maker. I can't deny it. Basically, in order for me to operate, I'd have to live in a perfect environment and everything would always have to be perfect.

Now most regular readers out there should know that I typically take myself too seriously and am unrealistically hard on myself and typically exaggerate what's negative about myself and I am also introspective to a fault...yada yada yada. So keep that in mind.

That being said. I'm an excuse maker. When it comes right down to it, I really don't want to go workout. I really don't want to get out of my comfort zone and ask some random person to hang out with me and be my friend. To be honest, I really don't want to do much... I mean, I'm not naturally an achiever. I could probably benefit from those motivational quotes I hate so much. :)

However, I've lived long enough to know that some of these things that people like me just don't want to do... well, they have a snowball effect. Meaning, if I workout when I don't want to, then I will eventually want to more. Or, back in the real estate days... if I make a sale, I am more motivated to keep at it and go make another. Or, the more outgoing and extroverted I am... the more I will want to meet new people and be around people.

The truth is, there will ALWAYS be an excuse to not do what I should (I hate the word should) do - and many more since that bebe came along. Like I said, the real issue is that I just plain don't want to do it, and my excuses are the way I justify myself. So, no more excuses. Really, if I don't want to do something, it would be better to just own up to it and say, "cause I don't want to" (which is totally stubborn), than to deceive myself with 1000 excuses about why I "can't" (which is still stubborn). When it comes down to it, people do what they want to do.

Wow, that was really insightful! Just call me Dr. Laura.

Now, while we're on the subject. I remembered an inspirational quote that I heard from Jillian Michaels while I was watching The Biggest Loser a few seasons ago. (I'm not a total hater.) She said, "Trying is planning to fail." I like that one.

I think this problem also has a spiritual aspect to it. What excuses do I make for not doing what I am clearly called to do in the Bible? (Read: Not just what I want to do, but what Scripture says I must do.) The Bible says, "With God, all things are possible." So these things that God calls me to, He can accomplish, but am I letting Him? Or am I doing what I want to do and making my own excuses? It's a heart issue. Sometimes we even use his grace as an excuse to NOT do what he's asked of us. Maybe if we (Christians) got really honest with God about the truth of our own heart's stubbornness, we'd receive the grace to do what He asks of us. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (not to the perfect, to the humble). And my own butt just got kicked.

Love!