Do You Have Excuses or Obstacles?

I am going to use my own experiences to put my point across. I big reason why is because I can’t speak to the details of everyone else’s situation. If I tried, I would probably royally screw it up and very possibly offend someone. Therefore, using my own situation will still help to convey what it is that I’m trying to say. My situation is just an example but can be applied at least in part to many other different situations.

What is an Excuse?

An excuse seems pretty basic to most people. However, I feel that at one point I used to believe an excuse was any time I used an explanation. If something happened or did happen and I had a reason, it was an excuse. I think an excuse is more than that. Because no matter what is happening or what the situation is, there is always the cause and effect. There is a catalyst to the direction that things go. So, to me, an excuse is not the cause or the catalyst. An excuse is a reason why you no longer need to try. An excuse is a way to avoid fixing a mistake. An excuse is giving up. As mentioned earlier I want to bring my situation into the light to apply this to. I struggled with both PCOS and depression. I tried so hard for what felt like so long and I couldn’t get control of my life, my body, or my emotions. There came a point where I told myself that there was nothing more that I could do. It was impossible for me to be happy or lose weight. It was a point where I was completely hopeless. In this situation my feelings were completely valid. They were real feelings and struggles. However, just having those valid emotions and struggles is not an excuse to give up. I let all of it be the reason that I started overeating, started making worse choices, stopped working out. I gave myself over to my worst impulses. I don’t think anyone would fault me for feeling hopeless. I think a lot of people would agree, why keep trying. There are times that an excuse is perfectly understandable. However, even though it was understandable, it wasn’t acceptable.

An Excuse is not Acceptable

Once again, I am not trying to offend anyone. I am going to use this only in my own situation since it comes across slightly harsh. Using a completely valid excuse to give up trying was not acceptable. I don’t mean like when a parent tells their child that their behavior isn’t acceptable. I mean it personally was not acceptable. I chose to give up. Did this give me a release or feeling of relief? Absolutely not!!! It made me feel angry, and hopeless, and worthless. I may have used the excuse to be the reason I wouldn’t try. However, mentally it was something I couldn’t accept without a lot of pain. There was no way I could convince myself that it was acceptable. I have no idea if I am truly getting my point across. It’s like the feeling you get as a kid when you make a mistake, and you have that sick feeling in your stomach that you can get rid of without coming clean with your parents.

When an Excuse Becomes and Obstacle

“Turning that excuse into an obstacle is when your current choices are not dictated by what you don’t have”

There was a mental shift in myself that didn’t happen overnight. The first big step for me was when I was diagnosed. First with Severe PPD and second with PCOS. It made me feel like I wasn’t just crazy with everything that I’d been struggling with. I also was able to retain a sense of hope that maybe, one day I could get some control back. Truth is, that I never thought I could regain as much control as I have. I didn’t think I could become as happy or as mentally and physically healthy as I am. But getting back to it, I realized that I didn’t have to have the end goal to have happiness. I realized that no matter if it took months or years, I wanted to be as healthy as I could. I can only control what I can control. What I eat, and what physical acts I take to better myself are in my control. Regardless of the outcome, those things are always in my control. Letting an excuse means releasing that control. Turning that excuse into an obstacle is when your current choices are not dictated by what you don’t have.