You see this street sign here? This was one of the parking signs we came across in Philadelphia when we visited the city. One way, it’s no stopping. The other way, you can park, it appears. We read and re-read this sign before parking our van adjacent to this sign overnight. It was only about two blocks from where we were staying. The next morning, I walked to where we had parked, but our van wasn’t there.
Panic set in. I took a picture of this sign and texted my husband. We re-read the sign again. We called the phone number listed. They had no record of our van. Had our van been stolen? Fast forward a little later into the morning… turns out it was towed; it just took the tow truck operator about two hours to deliver it to the tow lot.
So why am I sharing this story with you now? The confusion of this sign is how many of us may feel when we decide to make a change.
Say you want to lose a few pounds? You start researching diets and eating plans. Some people say (fill in the blank) is the way; others say, no, this other plan will work best. You become so overwhelmed, you give up before you even start.
Or maybe you want to start working out? You realize your sports bra is easily 10 years old and it is stretched out beyond hope. You go online to shop and find some new workout clothes, but then you start reading reviews …and the more you read, the more unsure you become about the size to order or if it will fit right, so you hold off.
The confusion and information overload, the decisions (or rather, indecisions) leave you mentally exhausted … so you push off starting until tomorrow.
“We are so focused on figuring out the best approach that we never get around to taking action.“
James Clear, “Atomic Habits”
Take Action! Do something TODAY. You’ll be happy you did, and it will give you the momentum to keep going…
- Instead of overhauling everything you eat or following some eating plan made up of foods completely foreign to you, look at what you’re eating right now. Decide ONE healthy change you could make. Could you eat eggs for breakfast instead of cereal? Or maybe you drink soda all day – could you swap out water for a few of those sodas, or switch to seltzer water?
- When it comes to our buying choices, how did we ever make purchases before?! Choose items that have a friendly (and free) return policy. If you get something that doesn’t work for you, return or exchange it. If you’re anything like me, I think you’ll find workout clothes will give you a boost of motivation and confidence to get going on your goal!
Have you ever had your car towed? Not a fun experience. Next time, we’ll opt for a parking garage instead of street parking with confusing signage.
CINDY DIEHL 