The problem many of us have is that we get stuck at the place which is really only the starting line. We go on a diet but slide back and have to start again. We clean up the house but let it descend into chaos and have to do it over. The main difficulty, in my opinion, is that these are the most difficult parts of the exercise. These are the hard yards. Do the hard yards, we are told. And we do. Over and over again.
We need to change. The hard yards should only need to be done once. Done once, and done well. Drinking too much? Give it up altogether. Yes, it might be hard. You might believe you can’t do it. Do it anyway. Then don’t go back to drinking and you won’t ever have to do those hard yards again. You will be over the hump. On the other side. Free of those particular hard yards forevermore.
Of course, it’s not that easy for most of us and we slip back to the starting line with a lot of our worst habits. When you stop smoking, the hardest time is the first week. Why go back to it and continually have to accomplish the first week all over again? Why not say, I’ve done those hard yards, then enjoy the easier ride of going onward and upward?
This works with so many things. Even sugar. Ubiquitous, addictive and legal. No wonder it has such strength over some of us. But once the chains are weakened, we are free to go. We get to choose. Leave now, even though it might be challenging to do so, or go back to do the hard yards all over again. The further away we get are from the starting line, the easier it is. It’s only when we go backwards that we falter.