100 Day challenge Days 80 - 71 - Beware the slump

The 100 Day Challenge Program
Days 80 - 71

Beware the slump:

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"when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done."
Dr Seuss - Oh the places you'll go

As soon as this particular challenge started I became ill. The doctor thought I had a chest infection, turns out it was the flu. 2 weeks on I am just beginning to un-slump myself. Now today if you are still playing along should be your "day off" - remember every 10 days is a day off for you. No diet, no exercise, no challenge - no, not one smidgeon of a challenge. Well given I have had more than one day of not being able to challenge myself beyond - lets get out of bed and maybe watch some television - I've decided to jump right back into my challenge and "un-slump myself".

And personally I think that is one of the keys to success - you only fall off a bandwagon and FAIL - if you STAY where you FALL.

"Nope, not getting up again I've fallen off this diet / training program / book writing thing / cold calling clients soooo many times - slumps in corner with arms folded across the chest pouting."

Give over and get up, silly.

Slumps can be another term for "road blocks". Now, road blocks on a journey have a nasty habit of diverting us from the path we wanted to be on, to one that someone else wants us to go down. Ever had a well-meaning family member or friend? That's what I mean. By the way - they don't want us to change because it means they're not going to like it. Truth.

And yes, that's what can happen to us - if we're not careful. We're used to doing things in a certain way (habits) and if we're not keeping a wary eye out, our newly found plans can be nudged off course - and the worst part about it, we don't usually recognise that we've done it, or had it done to us.

My lunch time walk was a habit, a glorious, beautiful habit - which unfortunately had to stop when I had the flu. Not a chance. But because my lunch time walking, as my thrice weekly gym sessions and once weekly personal training sessions are part of my normal pattern of behaviour it was easy for me to say - you know what - today is the day I am going to re-start. So I coughed all the way round today, so what - it's good to breathe in fresh air, stimulate the mind and of course the body. And tomorrow the HMAS Bark Endeavour gets back to Fremantle Port, so guess where my walk will take me tomorrow :-) and yes I'll take the camera with me.

But I'm lucky, exercise and a lot of it has been part of my life for a very long time - so it was easy for me to get straight back into the habit of walking during my lunch break. The flu-ey road block didn't stop me, no, I just scooted off down a side road, took a couple of days off (about 10 actually) from my lifelong journey, then found an entry point back on the road a little further down life's highway. I know I say overlife goal of health and fitness, but there are individual challenges along the way which is why it was easy for me to jump straight back in - because I know what my destination is and where it will be. Next August - City Beach. A client will be in Perth, Western Australia - on an extended stay from the UK - and he's going to join me - who knows we may even decide to get sponsors and raise some money for charity - but that will be an added incentive to train for speed next year... And I don't want to let him beat me.

But what happens with a challenge, and of course trying to set a new habit is this - we don't know that someone has accidentally on purpose pushed us off our desired path. Here, have some more cake. No, don't go to the gym - come shopping with me instead. What do you want to spend all day inside writing / on the telephone for - it's summer - come down to the beach and spend time with your friends - they'll think you're being funny / snobby / standoffish if you don't come...

It's usually only later we remember we were supposed to ...

But sometimes the roadblock is of our own making - I can't be bothered today I'm not in the mood / I don't feel like doing x,y, z I'll do it tomorrow, one day won't matter... Elle won't know.

No I won't - but you will. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't care about your own goals. Go on - dare ya.

Action Steps:

Review the last 10 days:

• Have you been diverted down side streets without knowing you have been diverted?
• Have you hit a road block - is it of your own making or was it a result of something completely out of your control - like illness?
• Or are you on the right path?
• Do you now need to pick up some speed. 20 days down already - going fast isn't it.

nd if you have been nudged off course - what can you do today to get back onto your path?

Compare your final 100 day goal to your current rate of accomplishments - are they aligned?

As I said my ultimate goal is next August, my main 100 Day Challenge goal is still attainable - I am using a 6 week program to achieve that particular goal, so I have a lot of pre-preparation time in hand to get some semblance of fitness back before I push the speed button on the treadmill beyond walking pace. And then over the Christmas and New Year break I will download the next phase and begin that program, but I can only do that part BECAUSE of the work I am putting in now.

So, lets put the peddle to the metal and hit the road again Jack ...