Building Blocks

Not sure if you noticed, but I have been in a weird place this week. 

I haven't blogged as much because the reality is that other than the mundane, money eating stuff going on around here, the only thing I have to talk about is weight loss and exercise. 

It's really the only thing I have "made time" for in the past 2 weeks.  I haven't done crafts.  I haven't cooked anything amazing.  I haven't redecorated anyone's house.  And I only went shopping long enough to redeem all my free coupons and hit up Rite Aid for my $71 of free cold and flu supplies.  But none of that is something I would think you would care to hear about.  Or maybe none of that is something I would want to blog about right now. 

Because my focus is honed. 

My goal is set.

And I have spent all of my free time exercising. 

Running.

Elliptical.

Abs.

The dreaded 30 Day Shred.

Over and over and over. 

I have just over 10 weeks to reach my weight goal.

And I need to lose an average of 2 lbs. per week over the next 10 weeks to hit it. 

And there are two holidays that mostly revolve around food in the next 10 weeks. 

Can I do it?

I am beginning to doubt myself.

But I am slowly remembering something.  (And my friend, Sarah, posted an amazing post today that really helped me!)

Rome wasn't built in a day. 

Cliche? Very much so.

True?  Even more so.

There is a story in the Bible about the people of Israel, who had just been released from captivity to go home to a land where everything that had once been was no longer.  They had no homes, no protection, but they were never without a future. 

So they started to build. 

One block at at time. 

One wall at a time. 

One day at a time. 

They built.  And built.  And built. 

Until they had a wall to protect them.  They had houses to live in.  And they had a city to build a community in. 

If they had gone into it thinking about the big picture, they could have gotten so overwhelmed that nothing would have ever happened. 

"We can't build a whole city with just us!"

I know it's silly to compare.  But my wall is my weight.  And if I continue to look at it as a giant wall of weight, I may get discouraged and give up. 

But I know, that it's one step at a time.  One day at a time.  One workout at a time.  One meal at a time.  And I only need to focus on what comes next.

The bigger picture gets so overwhelming. 

Especially when you are stacked with all the other things that life has to offer you - a stressful job, a messy house, an almost toddler who is into everything, bills out the waaaaaaaa zoooooooooooooo....

But to reach a goal - any goal - no matter what it may be. 

You have to be focused.

You have to do whatever comes next.

So I am doing whatever comes next.

How about you?  Do you have a wall?  If so, how's it coming?  You halfway up?  Or have you lost some blocks on your way to the top? 

Refocus.  Regroup.  Rebuild. 

It's good for your soul.

P.S.  To anyone who is interested, I managed to run 2.5 miles in 26:36 yesterday.  Meaning I am only .6 away from my 5k goal!  And I feel amazing.