Letting go when things don’t happen as planned. (#winterstormleon and a pep talk!)

January has been a really hard month for me when it comes to fitness. First, I was almost starting over again with working out, since I’d slacked off during the holidays. Then I had a stomach bug. Next came winter storm number one. Now we’re in the midst of storm number two. But you know…I think it’s going to be okay. The cold weather is out of my control. Sickness and snow is out of my control. All I can do is MY BEST in the circumstances. And that I believe I’ve been doing.

So it’s Wednesday, and I’ve only run 6 miles this week. But my car is literally snowed in (I don’t own a shovel, either). I don’t have a treadmill at home. I can’t run through a foot of snow outside with the jogging stroller, and the base gym is closed. It’s out of my control! What I can do is a home workout DVD to get some cardio in, and I can lift weights.

It’s easy, I think, for myself (and probably a lot of people) to get focused on what you can’t or didn’t do- the FAILURES. But there’s no point, especially if it’s out of your control. Even if it was in your control, if it’s done and over with…move on!

Focus on what you can do, even if it’s not what you planned. Be flexible. Stay active- play in the snow with your toddler or bounce around to a free online YouTube dance workout video. Do some crunches while your dinner is cooking. If I keep this mindset, my active lifestyle will be a SUCCESS.

I’m not going to stress over meeting my Winter Miles Challenge this week. The whole point of the challenge is for people to stay active when the weather is cold and nasty. You don’t have to be on the track or treadmill for that to be true. Make do with what you have.

And I’ll leave you today with some photos I took this morning, here in Virginia Beach:

#Winterstormleon #VABeach

He’s so light and skinny, he doesn’t even sink in!

Finally getting some use out of these Uggs.

 Do you find it tough to let go when things don’t go as planned?

36 thoughts on “Letting go when things don’t happen as planned. (#winterstormleon and a pep talk!)

  1. Catherine | Fit Armadillo

    Wow! I went to William and Mary and we only ever got maybe 2 inches of snow when I was in school and the whole place shutdown. Can’t even imagine what it’s like in Virginia Beach right now! Your son will have some great memories for life with that snow :) I’m a personal trainer who got her start as a runner so I know how you feel not being able to go out in the snow and log those miles! I grew up in CT and my dad wouldn’t let me go out when it was too icy and I’d be so frustrated (he’s also a runner). Glad that you have the right attitude about things. You’ll get back to your running and doing what you can now will help your running. If you’re interested, I’d love to invite you into the Facebook group I made for a blog challenge I hosted over the holidays. I have a short do-anywhere workout plan in there that will burn some good calories for you while you’re snowbound :)

    Reply
    1. Elisebet Post author

      Hi Catherine, Yes, I’d love to join the Facebook group! Sounds like a great workout plan. And yeah…everything’s pretty much shut down right now!

      Reply
  2. Petro Neagu

    I do have a real problem on that chapter, I really cannot let go and keep pushing myself and others to get things done my way or as planned. The more I push the more disappointed I am. I’m working on being really cook and laid back these days, sometimes it works so I’m on the right track :)

    Reply
  3. Felicia

    The cold definitely makes it hard to motivate yourself. Especially since I have been having weather below zero degrees! I don’t know how you do it!

    Reply
    1. Elisebet Post author

      Brrr I don’t think I’d ever go outside if it were below zero! I actually grew up in Canada, but then I lived in Florida for 10 years and got used to that weather.

      Reply
  4. Heather

    Other than the winter storm (since we are west coasters) , this sounds just like how my January started. I got sick and lost all motivation. It sounds like you have a good plan to get things back on track again. Love the pictures. It so does not look like January in my neck of the woods.

    Reply
  5. Kim

    I USED to get thrown when I couldn’t stay on my plan, but having a child (or two ) with juvenile arthritis cured that. Now I have a plan b,c,d,z, you name it, and if worse comes to worse, I have learned to wing it. It makes life less stressful when you focus on what you CAN rather than what you CANNOT- regardless of the goal.

    Reply
    1. Elisebet Post author

      I need to get where you’re at, hahah. I realize mentally that I need to be flexible, but sometimes it is hard for me to remember that. Working on it though!

      Reply
  6. Christy Denton

    It is very hard when things don’t go according to plan. If I am forced to vary from my goals, I tend to get very upset. It is important to stop and tell yourself that it’s out of your control and the only thing you can do it try to find another way or change your goal slightly.

    Reply
  7. Chrishelle

    I tend to lose it a little bit when my plans go off track. My husband calls me out on it every time. I know I need to have more faith that things are happening for a reason. I need to work on my control freak ways.

    Reply
  8. Reesa Lewandowski

    YES! I am so type A, OCD. I like knowing what is going on at all moments. But, over the years I have been FORCED to get over it. My husband works on call so our life is never planned out and it drives me INSANE!

    Reply
  9. Bibiana Bailey

    I was always organized & schedule oriented person till 2 years ago my little boy was hit by a car. I had to drop everything and I am still trying to get back to my formal life, but I constantly have to let things go otherwise I would have to be admitted. It is so hard to do.

    Reply
  10. Garf

    Winter has been harsh this year in Minnesota. We have been getting a lot of sub zero temperatures. Yesterday it was 9F and it felt like the spring has just sprung :-).

    Reply
    1. Elisebet Post author

      My parents live in MN too, and that’s what they’ve been saying… whenever I complain about the weather here, I think they start rolling their eyes, hahah.

      Reply
  11. Samantha Cuhel

    I’m honestly so tired of snow. You’re handling it better than I am! We got another six inches today, and I came home to a four foot drift in front of my garage, and no one plowing :(

    Reply

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