We all make excuses. Maybe it’s human nature. Maybe it’s cultural. But I’m pretty sure everyone does it. At least, I know I do it. And I know it’s hurting me.
When I was a kid I made excuses not to clean my room. Or to do chores. Or to do my homework. Or practice whatever instrument I was playing at the time. Over the years, the excuses changed and the things I avoided changed, the the process felt the same.
Now, I’m great about doing most things, even if I don’t want to, because I know I’ll be happier if I just get them done. I don’t always prioritize well, so things I should do get moved lower on my list and get put off from one day to the next to the next. Still, while I don’t particularly want to do them, I know that either I will eventually do them or I’ll admit to myself they aren’t necessary. Sure, I should probably learn to cook that new dish, but if I don’t ever get around to it, what’s the harm?
I’m pretty good about health stuff, too. I used to make excuses for why I wasn’t trying a gluten-free diet or some new treatment. I made the excuses but eventually, I tried those things, because avoiding them was worse than doing them. Missing a party sucked, but I knew it was what I had to do. I was done making excuses for those things.
So why, then, do I make excuses when it comes to my physical therapy? I tell myself skipping a day won’t make a difference. And it’s not like those exercises help all that much anyway. And they’re so annoying. And I’m good about my diet and taking walks and not overdoing my activity levels and using my sleep machine and so many other things. Why do I have to be good about this too?
The thing is, I know I should do those exercises. I know they’ll help me in the long run, even though I don’t feel it in the short run. I know the real problem is that they’re boring and they take up time and energy that I’d rather spend doing other things. I can sit down right now and thinking about what’s going on and recognize the truth. But when the time comes to do the exercises, inevitably, I always come up with a reason not to do them (I just ate; I should wait until I digest a bit) and then I manage to forget. But that’s ok. I’ll do them tomorrow, right?
How do you handle excusitis? Are you good about doing your exercises? How do you make yourself do them? Please comment below. Maybe your tips will help me or someone else!
P.S. Thanks to Megan S – your comment here inspired today’s post!
Chronic Rants 
Before my illness started to really interfere with my exercise enough that I now do have to take days completely off due to pain, fatigue or nausea I always told myself “just do the warm up” because by the time I did, I felt better and wanted to continue. Now for physio I tell myself just start, do the first set and same thing my body generally starts responding positively and I know its for the good. Having a set time helps too, when my youngest goes down for his nap thats the time, it’s such a habit that I’m much more irritable when I am too down to even try.
First off, love the phrase excusitis, I have no excuse for living with it by definition of the word the excuse is in the title. I have so many things that cause flare ups that that it is easy to put things off and I do. I’m quite good at my exercises but it is because I have varied them. Many years ago before my car accident I was a fitness/circuits instructor and physically very fit, so to suddenly only be able to do minimal stretches I was very angry and frustrated. Now I involve the stretches into fun activities such as when in hot tub doing stretches playing with my daughter and the toy water shooters, or at home we do some of the stretches together whilst pretending to be Anna and Elsa in the frozen videos. Playing a board game and shaking the dice that sort of thing. I make sure I am using the right muscle groups and then find a fun activity to do them to, but because it is only light stretch work that I do this is easier than a full on exercise class. Does that make sense or have I been waffling?