Giving up vs. Changing direction
In this edition:
The Quote
Update
Motivate: Redirecting your goals
What I’m reading
Medical Moment: The Clean Fifteen
Final thoughts
“There’s a difference between giving up and knowing when to stop.”
Update:
Good day!
Writing update: I have heard from my agent. She’s still working to get notes back to me, but she has assured me that she’s on it. And she’s excited for the next book I’m writing, which is still going well. So, while this isn’t the newsiest news I could be telling you, I’m moving forward.
I hope you’re prepared for your tasks this week.
Motivate:
As most of you know, I’ve been on a fairly rigorous health journey lately, researching and experimenting on myself with foods and such, desiring to be the healthiest I can be. One thing I’ve discovered through this process is that dairy isn’t necessarily my friend. Well I splurged on dairy and sweets recently, and I had the urge to make up for it.
I decided to give my gut time to “heal” by giving it a break from digesting solid food. I’d planned to do this for a solid week.
Well…
Did you know that a week without solid food is a nightmare? My idea of healthy smoothies and protein shakes and L-glutamine (an amino acid that plays a part in protein synthesis) and bone broth turned out to be, in reality, quite DISGUSTING. I do not enjoy avocado smoothies. You know what I do enjoy? Solid food.
I love solid food.
But when I set goals, I like to keep them. I think it’s very important to keep the goals you set, especially the promises you make to yourself. It’s character building, confidence building, and it creates patterns in your daily life that stimulate other healthy patterns. I usually recommend sticking to what you said you were going to do.
With one exception…
When you discover that your goals are counterproductive, not beneficial, were poorly thought out, or, in my case, stupid, you should change course.
I cut my process down to 3 days because I was struggling. My energy was reduced, I was getting dizzy because I wasn’t getting the nutrition I needed because it was hard to stomach the “liquids,” and I lost too much weight. Ultimately my intention to be “healthy” turned out to be unhealthy for me.
“Quitting” isn’t something I like in my vocabulary very often, but sticking with something just because you said you were going to, just to avoid “quitting,” is silly and defeats the purpose of your goals in the first place.
This food experience made me think of other aspects of goal setting. Sometimes changing course is what you need to do. It’s not quitting; it’s making well thought-out decisions to carve your path out in another direction. You’re still moving forward, but you aren’t taking your original path, and that’s okay.
Don’t beat yourself if you need to change course. Knowing when to move and shift in life is far more valuable than sticking to a plan because the plan exists.
Your plans are there to serve you, not the other way around. Though I do encourage you to consider whether your “redirection” is actually taking a step backward. THAT, I do not recommend.
What I’m reading:
I’ve been on a roll lately with books, but I’ve hit a rough patch. I’ve started 2 books recently that I haven’t really been super excited to get back to.
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrik Backman.
This one came recommended by a trusted book recommender. Since she was excited about it, I wanted to be. I started it and actually was excited about it, but I hit about 15 % in (when I decide if I’m hooked or not) and I made that call to stop reading for now. The thing is, I liked it, I see it’s potential. It’s cute and funny and well written, but something about it just isn’t for me right now.
It’s one I might come back to another time. It’s well regarded, with tons of high ratings, so I feel like I’m missing out.
My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren.
Since I’d had such luck with Christina Lauren, I decided to try another. But I got 15% into this popular read, and I’m just not into it. I’m not connecting with the characters and I’m not excited to get back to the story. (Maybe it’s the narrator because I was listening to audio) Either way, I’m going to stop it.
I just purchased BOOK LOVERS by Emily Henry. I’m already drawn into it, just a few pages in. I’m excited to get back to it. Fingers crossed that I’ll make it to the end of this one. But everything I’ve read by Emily Henry has been excellent. Check out People We Meet On Vacation and Beach Read if you haven’t. Two fun, great romance/women’s fiction books.
Medical Moment:
Last week, I mentioned pesticides and how they have all kinds of medical consequences.
But as I also said that buying organic is expensive. Last week, I shared a list of foods (the dirty dozen) that are reported to be the highest in pesticide residue, and if you don’t typically buy organic, you might want to consider it for those foods.
This week, I’m sharing the good news, “The Clean 15”. These are the foods that are reported to have little pesticide residue even though they aren’t organic. You can save money on these items by skipping organic. I buy produce according to these lists, and I’m excited to see sweet potatoes and avocados (2 of my usuals) are a part of the clean 15!
Final thoughts:
Goals are excellent to have, but sometimes they need to change as you gain information.
This week, I hope you evaluate your plans and goals and make sure you’re approaching your steps ahead in a healthy, effective way. If not, don’t be afraid to change course! And don’t be afraid of the word “quit.” Quitting something unhealthy or not production or counter-productive can be the thing that actually moves you forward.
Have a great week!
Until next time, much glitter,
Melissa
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