Day 71 - Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

When you learn to ride a motorcyle they teach you to keep your eyes on where you are going.  Turning your head tends to guide your hands, and therefore the bike, in the direction you are looking.  Sounds easy, but there are lots of distractions when you are riding a motorcycle. 

There are lots of distractions in life.  Things that turn our heads and hands and focus and energy.  Things that so easily and deceptively usurp our goals.  We still think we are headed in direction A because it is where we want to go, but soon we realize we have traveled down a different road and its a long way back.

I was reminded of this at the end of this week.  I have been focused on living a healthier life.  Part of that plan has been to eat healthier, not perfect, just healthier.  Stayed focused.  Not overconsumed but every mindful.  I haven't had a soda in over a month.  I have been feeling much better.  So much so that the mindfullness I had employed to keep me on track started to wane.  And so my decisions followed.  One night I grabbed Lane's chicken fingers for dinner.  One day I ate two candy bars.  One day pizza for lunch and Casa Ole for dinner, with tea at both meals.  STOP. 

The fact that I have not had any soda made me feel protected.  But that is just one choice that keeps me healthy.  I so easily go back to bad habits nurtured over years when I take my eyes off the prize.  I'm glad I caught it before I was in El Paso on my way to Florida.

I have many changes I want to make.  I can't make them all at once.  I have tried that and it doesn't work.  All or nothing.  My plan for years.  My plan that failed.  But to begin to work on something new, I have to first ingrain new habits into my psyche so that they are automatic.  Only then can I turn my focus and attention to conquering another nasty habit.