Excuses, everyone makes them and we often make an excuse for something every day.Why do we do it and what doesn it truly mean? First let’s see what the word/action means:

Excuse:  verb 1. attempt to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offense); seek to defend or justify

2. a reason or explanation put forward to defend or justify a fault or offense.

We usually make excuses for our own actions more than we do for others’ actions. We most often make excuses for our personal behavior in relation to eating healthy or not exercising and sometimes for our actions or in-actions at work. We find ourselves overwhelmed and too busy to actually follow through with our intentions and goals. You know what I’m talking about, even the most disciplined of folks have moments of so-called weakness. This doesn’t mean we are weak or that we are bad people, it means we are over-loaded with responsibility, it means we aren’t completely happy at the moment, it means we’re hurting inside, and it means a whole lot of other emotional burn-out might be going on.

It’s important to find balance and peacefulness in your life even if you have to schedule it in. Yup, add yourself to your calendar at least once a week; that’s a good start! If you choose a full day or just fifteen minutes, make it yours. Maybe you find yourself eating healthy all day but snacking on unhealthy choices at night; if this is the case, use your time to prepare healthy snacks for that nighttime habit, i.e. make carrot and celery sticks for the whole week in just one day so they’ll be handy to grab. Maybe you’ve fallen out of your exercise/yoga routine; use that fifteen minute appointment with yourself to either get moving or meditate to bring yourself back to your center.

Just as you excuse yourself from being held accountable or reward yourself with unhealthy food choices, support yourself the way you support friends and family members on a daily basis.

Start changing your behaviors this weekend as we move the clocks ahead; use this time to move yourself ahead as well. Post reminders of your intentions and repeat your own personal mantra so that you can begin following through and ditch the excuses.