Oofda! Does anyone else think that first week back to work after the holidays is exhausting!? I definitely do! We did have quite a bit of stuff going on this week: orientation, in-service, prepping for the semester, etc. But it wasn’t mind bogglingly busy. It’s just trying to get back into the mindset and routine of a normal work week. And since it’s frowned upon to take a mid-afternoon nap at work, it’s just very tiring getting back into it!

When I have weeks like this, I try really hard not to let my health and wellness fall through the cracks. Exercising daily is one of the most important things for me to maintain my sanity. But sometimes when I’m really tired, it can be difficult to convince myself to get that workout in. And not only was I really tired this week, but the temps outside were RIDICULOUSLY cold, making it very difficult to do any exercising outside; AND I’ve had one giant knot in one of my shoulder muscles that has been giving me all kinds of grief this week. It was a triple whammy week! I had all kinds of excuses not to keep up my exercise routine and just sit on the couch instead.

But I’m sure most of you know by now that I didn’t let the excuses win. Yes, I had to work out inside more and adjust some of the workouts in order not to hurt my shoulder and neck, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t do anything at all! If I start letting the excuses take over now, then it’ll become a bad habit that I don’t want to get myself into. Because believe me when I say that I’ll turn into a bear if I don’t have this outlet to blow off some steam. It is sometimes hard to get it going, but I always feel so much better after it’s done.

That’s something to keep in mind when any of you set a goal for yourself. It’s pretty typical this time of year for people to make New Year’s resolutions to improve their lives in some way. Whether it’s exercising more, eating healthier, being more social, or just trying something new. And we all know very well that many, many people lose sight of their resolutions often times before January is even over! If you truly want to better your life and yourself, stick to your guns. Don’t let those excuses win. Imagine the way you feel after finishing a workout, or after eating a healthy meal. Let that good feeling be the motivation to get it done! Whenever I don’t feel like working out, that’s what I do, and it’s usually enough to get my butt moving.

So, I challenge each and every one of you to be stronger than your excuses! We’re all tired, we’re all busy, but if it’s important to you, MAKE time for it. And as always, if you’re wanting to get more into running, come join us at WARC!!

Stay strong everyone!

Until next time! 🙂

Megan Reiffenberger