Putting things off

A LOT of people put off for tomorrow what they should have done today. Some do this once in a while but there are also those who are chronic procrastinators or those who keep postponing things. The trouble is, they often put things off that they never get around to doing them at all.

Are you one of these people? Do you do this because of laziness or fear of change? Replay some of these times in your mind and ask yourself what stood in your way. It is crucial that you be honest because in order to succeed you have to break the cycle of procrastination. To do that, you have to understand why you have to force yourself or have a heavy heart accomplishing things you can do that day. Are you simply avoiding the discomfort of making healthy changes or are you worried that your life will change in ways that you may not be able to cope with?

I wish we had another word for lazy or its Cebuano equivalent, tapulan. I think this is the worst label anyone can have. No one, especially those I know who are super rich and successful in running their business, wants to be called lazy. Yes, they are very rich financially but are very poor in managing their precious bodies. That’s why in “taking care” of their bodies, they are dependent on medicines that keep their blood pressure normal and lower their cholesterol. They know that most of these medicines have a lot of side effects that slowly deteriorate their bodies but they continue to take them, believing that these drugs can bring their bodies back to their normal condition. They take for granted the importance of exercise. They brush aside the danger of exploding their body like a hidden time bomb ticking and without warning will explode. It’s like a thief in the night that without a sign and warning will attack anytime of the day. How scary it is to think if it will happen to you.

When I talk about laziness, I am not referring to sitting on a Lazy Boy chair or an expensive electronic massage chair. I’m talking about emotional laziness. You know things need to change but you don’t make the effort. You want the easy way out. If laziness is the reason why you procrastinate, you have to change–now!

What is often overlooked about procrastination is what accompanies it–feelings of guilt and anger at oneself. Start a cycle of positive momentum by taking small steps toward your goals each day and feeling good about each step that you take. Make a list of all the things you need to get going, whether it be arranging for child care so you can exercise, joining a gym, stocking your kitchen with healthful foods or hiring a personal fitness trainer to push and motivate you in your exercise. Write down a start date for each and then make a covenant to yourself that you can do it!

If laziness is not your problem, then what is it? Is it fear? What are you afraid of? Most of us succumb to failure because we are always subjected to fear: Fear of our safety, fear of our future, fear of losing someone we love very much, fear of our financial problems, etc. Fear is a natural feeling of human beings but these kinds of fears are nothing compared to our fear with God. Yes, our fear with God is the greatest of all fears; it brings us success in life because it is the beginning of wisdom. (Psalm 111:10) We should overcome fear if we want to succeed. Let’s trust Him as He is our creator who made us in His own image.

Fear of change stops lots of people in their tracks. People who have this fear sometimes breathe a sigh of relief when they encounter a setback because it allows them to go back to their old ways. But what it so scary? Being out of shape and overweight helps make many people feel as if they are invisible. Losing weight literally uncovers them, ending or at least reducing their self-imposed protection from everyday life. Often they seek ways to sabotage themselves so that they can return safety their excess weight. Or they just procrastinate and don’t start at all.

If this is you, take heart. When you do find the courage to risk and change and experience it in small doses at you own rate, you’ll be in wonderful life changes. You can’t know what the water is like until you put your toes into it. So start small but do start and see where it leads. There are not many people who can say that losing weight or be physically fit has been detrimental to their life. I’m sure you will have adjustments to make and you will have to deal with people complimenting you and paying attention to you in admiring ways. Nice as that is, it can also make you wonder why they were not paying attention to you before. It’s a good question but the answer doesn’t really matter. What matters in the end is that by making your body over you will be a healthier and happier person. Ask yourself what you would leave behind if you lost weight and keep fit. Probably nothing worth holding on to. Fear is not always an easy thing to overcome but once you do, your life will change for the better.