Magnolia’s 6-Month Challenge: Day 22 Why It’s Hard to Change

I began a post a couple of weeks ago (which I didn’t finish) inspired by one of my favorite bloggers, Dave Navarro.

Lest, you really hip and “in the know” fifty-something’s out there, think it’s Dave Navarro from the rock band, Nine Inch Nails, it’s not.

He’s a motivational blogger kind of a person, I guess you could say and the name of his blog is Rock Your Day.  I receive his weekly “Monday Morning Kick In the Ass” newsletter.  But, so far, my ass has been a moving target and he hasn’t kicked it so well.

Anyway.

I really like the guy because, he gets it.  I mean, he really gets it.  He seems to understand human nature really well and is equally adept at communicating.  Two very excellent qualities to have in tandem.

So, he wrote an article (the one that inspired my post that I didn’t finish) talking about why most people (and I guess I’ll lump my fat ass in there with the rest of “most” people) have a difficult time changing.  Rather than go into a lengthy  post talking about what he said, I’ll first link you there here.

And, oh, while you’re there, I would highly suggest you look around and see what he has to say.  You might actually decide he’s one of your favorite bloggers too.

In that article, he talks about habits that prevent us from changing and how freakin’ hard it is to change them.  Can I just say….”I concur”

I’ve bitched here recently about how much I hate exercise in the A.M. That hasn’t changed since I said that, either.  I still hate it.

So, herein lies my dilemma and difficulty with my challenge.  (hey, they don’t call it “challenge” for nuthin’ you know).

I’m having to come to grips with my deep-seated, perhaps even genetically wired aversion to exerting myself excessively before 4:00 p.m. in the afternoon in the form of exercise.

Look, I don’t know if any of you are learning anything from this blogging adventure of mine, but I am.  I’m learning a lot.

I’m learning that if you really want to change something you have to remove all barriers.  I’m not particularly talking about external, schedule type things.

I’m talking mainly about emotional, psychological barriers.  The ones that are rooted in protecting you from anxiety and really uncomfortable issues you may have loitering around in your deepest, sub-conscious, heart-type places that you have no interest in thinking about most of the time.

Those barriers.

For me, that barrier has been sipping red wine at night and turning off the internal chatter and “stuff” that floats around inside there. Sometimes it stresses me.  Sometimes it makes me sad.  And all of it exhausts me.

I am wrestling.  I am running as fast as I can to avoid facing this stuff (though I’m not drinking wine, so there) and well, I don’t know what else to say right now.

I didn’t expect Magnolia’s 6-Month Challenge to venture into such mind-bending psychological issues, but maybe it will.

Besides, lucky for me I didn’t lay out any parameters.  (did I?)  So, I can take this anywhere I want.

So my message to you today, readers, who ever you are, where ever you are, changing is hard.

Magnolia (who just realized she will be 60 years old in 7 years – I’m scared)

Tagged as: aging, boomer women, exercises for middle age, fifty, Finding the courage to change, fitness, I hate to exercise, weight gain, why is it hard to change, women over fifty