You’re only as good as you were today

Some days I just don’t feel like it. I don’t feel like cooking, I don’t feel like working out, I don’t feel like working, basically I don’t feel like adulting. I just kinda want to hang out on the couch and watch some stupid show while my brain slowly oozes out of my ears. But that wouldn’t do me any good, would it?

I’m a product of my habits, and bad habits make a bad me. So I try to show up. But just like a lot of people, I don’t always succeed. Sometimes the couch wins. And how do I feel about it? Well, usually I feel disappointed in myself, like I’ve wasted valuable time, and that I should have been more responsible and taken care of blah blah blah… And then some.

I know that there are days when your brain or your body (or both!) needs a rest, and that’s totally valid. Recovery is important and you should always take care of yourself. But you need to check in and be honest about how you’re feeling. Are you exhausted? Having a hard time focusing? Have you had trouble sleeping for a few days? How is your nutrition? Are you overwhelmed? And most importantly, is there something that you’re using as an excuse to avoid doing something else?

Once again I’ll use myself as an example. I do my best when I don’t think about it. For example, if I know that I should go to yoga right after work, I don’t sit around trying to decide if I should go to yoga or not. I actually don’t think about it at all until the time to go comes, and I have to quickly change into my yoga clothes and get out of the house. That works best for me – if I give myself the opportunity to find an excuse, I most likely will: I’m feeling tired (am I really?), I have so much to do (do I really?) , I haven’t spent enough time with the hubby lately (haven’t I?) , there’s this other thing that’s more important right now (is it really?), my head hurts (yes but did it hurt a minute ago or am I making this up?) and so on.

But if I lose this battle with myself today, then I lose it everyday. Because tomorrow I’ll be faced with the same situation and the same questions. And if I allowed myself to give up today, then why wouldn’t I tomorrow?

Today is the only day that matters. I’m only as good as I am today. And, besides, we all need to start somewhere. Even if I failed miserably for the past days/weeks/months/years, that doesn’t mean I can’t start succeeding today.

Not tomorrow. Today.