Frumps to Pumps: Week 3 - The Wall

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Ah, motivation.  At the start of anything, I'm ready to go.  I dive in, full throttle.  And keep on trucking.


Week 1?  "I'm so excited and really committed!"

Week 2?  "The novelty has worn off, but I can do this."

Week 3?

Oh yeah.  I've hit the wall. Splat.

"They" say it takes three weeks to form a new habit.  "They" being "it depends what you read."  Looking online for research to back up this theory showed it could take 3 weeks -- that seems to be the average -- but it could take as long as a year or two or three.  Or more.

A year or two?  Folks, I grew a baby in my tummy in a mere 9 months.  Even elephants are only pregnant for 22 months.  Several years?  Just cosh me over the head with a loose brick and put me out of my misery now.

You know what I think?  The three-weeks-versus-three-years depends on how long it takes you to go over the wall.

Bill Nicholls, via Wikimedia Commons

Here are some dumb things I've noticed that make me want to give up:

1.  My skin is much better - clearer, more even toned.  My makeup doesn't match it any longer.  I know, ridiculous.  But I wind up looking washed out because the foundation color is all wrong - I don't need it to neutralize the poor coloring.  I can live without the acne, trust me.  But I'm thinking "Really?  REALLY??  I finally get one thing cleared up, and now it's gone the other direction?"
 
2. I haven't quite grown into my own (new) skin yet.   I bought some really cute earrings, but am almost afraid to wear them.  I don't want to stand out. 

3.  The weather has been weird.  The "cute" clothes I've bought are really more for "fall."  It's been pushing 80 the last few days. 

4.  It's been four weeks since I went to the hairdresser.  I'm starting to look like I could use a touch up.  It looked fine all week, but then I looked in the mirror this morning and realized my hairline was starting to look stripe-ity. (Yes, that's a word.  Ask Tigger.)   I'm trying to find the line between "extravagant and unnecessary" and "waiting far too long and looking schlubby again."

5.  Life.  It keeps on going, and while I may look like a hundred bucks, my life hasn't changed.  This week was a really hard one.     No matter how awesome my earrings are, or how polished my Lilla Rose clip is (and I've even managed to remember which one is in my hair so I wear coordinating earrings!), it's not always enough armor.  I think "What does it matter what I look like, when I have so much else that is more important?"

But I'm not giving up.

1.   Hubby and I are going out to eat this weekend, and I'll stop and get some new foundation while I'm out.

2. Practice makes perfect. Or rather, fake it 'til you make it, right?

3.  Fall starts this week, it'll eventually cool off. 

4.  I'll get Luke to babysit and I'll make a quick run to the hairdresser.

5.  No, I can't change the world with a flat iron.  Though we can speed up arts and crafts with a blowdryer.

But if I want each of my kids to have enough pride in themselves to not give up when they feel stuck, don't I need to do the same?

Over the wall!

 

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