First course of action for me was breakfast - all protein to get me a headstart on my return to Atkins in my quest to reach 200 lbs by Jan. 31, and qualify for a new prosthetic leg. 25 lbs to lose in 31 days - I can make it, if I focus. Headed upstairs, and my dear wife was already breaking the eggs into the skillet.
Quickly, I shifted gears into another goal for the year, being a better husband. I zoomed past the kitchen into the laundry room and pushed a load through. To give you some idea of how much I need to be a better husband in this particular area, I had to ask her how to operate the new washer we bought last year (ouch!).
Breakfast was great, and I took the dry clothes out to the living room to fold, readying myself for the dash down to my office to work. Just as I reached the bottom of the pile, my five-year-old son, Riker, started setting up his toy soldiers in the entry way, just as I used to do. He'd gotten his first set for Christmas, and was doing exactly what I described to him Christmas Day that I did years ago.
Conflicting orders. Do I rush downstairs, knowing he'll be fine, and hadn't asked me to join him? Or do I take the time with him to play? It may make for a syrupy post, but you're right if you assumed I got down on the floor with him. We set up opposing forces, then rolled a plastic ball towards each others men, methodically taking down the other's armada. He beat me with one last man standing.
Conflicting orders, by nature, create conflict. Did I do the right thing? It's easy to say yes, right? But what if that had led me to playing the rest of the day with the other kids? What if I let it derail my entire day?
Could an argument be made that I should have gone down, written my blog, then come back up? Certainly - the old adage "Do what you have to do so you can do what you want to do" is some of the oldest wisdom in the book.
But we are not Little Toy Soldiers, with our feet frozen in a singular stance. We have the ability to make our choices based on what we feel makes us successful, not what the world determines makes us successful. Even playing with Riker - I 'lost' the battle - but I won the War - the war with myself as to what I should do in the instant of conflicting orders. And I still came downstairs to work, as well.
It doesn't always happen that way - but it will happen more often when we stop letting other decide our outcomes for us - and take responsibility for each choice, and responsibility for creating our Self-Defined Success.
"focus" and "Atkins Diet" are not two words generally found in the same paragraph! Good luck, though, with Atkins....I may try this too as I'm determined to get to 200 pounds! Bob
ReplyDeleteBob - Atkins has been the only way I've been able to lose weight at all over the last year or so. Part of that ties in with some physical issues between the prosthetic leg, my back, and my weight.
ReplyDeleteEventually, the goal is to get to about 180, use the new leg and some physical therapy (there's where focus needs to appear) to get myself exercising again.
Good luck - and of course, check with your doctor :)