I woke up this morning...

Me right now. 

I have been trying to update at least once a week with relevant information to my writing or the author community. Unfortunately, I got sick a couple weeks back and missed that week and then the next week I went on vacation to MegaCon Orlando and didn't have a chance to write anything. But, here I am. Tired as all get out though as my sleeping pattern hasn't been the best.

I've always been a yo-yo dieter. Jump on the diet, fall off the diet. Mostly due to migraines, but also due to my lack of discipline with myself. I started gaining weight when I was 11 years old and haven't stopped. I hit my heaviest weight ever about five years ago. I've since lost over 66lbs and then gained back 25lbs.

But this morning, I woke up and I felt awful. My lower back hurt, it was rough getting out of bed, and it was hard to catch my breath doing basic things. I knew it was time to stop letting my migraines and my lack of discipline define how I took care of myself. I lost over 50lbs in six months two years ago and managed to keep that off until the last eight months when I just stopped caring about what I ate again and stopped being active.

A friend of mine gave me a motivation calendar for my desk at work for getting fit. Some of the phrases and quotes are quite inspirational. I think the best is: "Discipline is just choosing between what you want NOW and what you want MOST." There is never a truer set of words and they could be applied to many aspects of your life. Including Writing.

My writing hasn't been kept up on either and I need to rectify that. Truly rectify it and not just talk about it. The same for getting myself healthier. I need to make better choices everywhere in my life and I need to stop making excuses. No one is going to do it for me. It's not going to just magically happen. I have to want it and I mean truly want it. There can be no more, "I have a headache so that makes it okay," but it really doesn't.

My first act today was to eat right for breakfast and to start drinking more water. I'm on 7 glasses for the day already. I also brought my gym bag to work and I am going to go walk on the treadmill for as long as I can. I know I felt so much better physically when I was working out and I slept better, too. I went to the gym four to six times a week, depending on my schedule. I know I can do that again. It's an hour a day. One hour. And the same needs to apply to my writing. One hour... it's not a lot to give! There's 24 in a day!!

Nothing is accomplished in life without determination, grit, and desire. I have all three when I truly want something and I want this. I don't want to let another year slip by without having something for my readers. I don't want to continue to wake up every morning exhausted because I couldn't sleep well or my back is screaming. I don't want to go through the day and avoid the stairs because it leaves me out of breath just because I'm so out of shape. I need to do this! I CAN and I WILL do this!

~J.R.~