Making the best choice is not always easy, especially when faced with barriers that make it more challenging to pick.
Over the last month, my partner, George & I had been in limbo. We moved out of our old apartment but had to wait to move into our new rental home, and thankfully, we had places to stay with family and friends during our transition. I've experienced the strain of moving plenty of times, but living out of a suitcase and couch surfacing comes with its own stress. As much as I love to travel, I also value having a home base, and I have realized that the state of my environment inevitably influences my mind and overall health. So, while without a home, I found it challenging to stay committed to my usual diet, workout routine, and writing practices. Inevitably, I made poorer health choices and fell out of some of my old routines, which is okay but not in line with how I wish to live. So, this brought me back to an old idea of making the best choice and doing the best you can with what you have, whether physically or situationally.
In an ideal world, we would have no barriers to making the best choices for our health, and we could quickly become the best versions of ourselves. But this isn't the case, and it wouldn't be good to have things happen so easily, as challenges and struggles are what make us resilient and strong; they keep us adaptable in an unpredictable and constantly changing world.
But, when faced with the move and the upending of my predictable routines, I said, "Once this gets done, then I'll be better about XYZ." But after moving into our new place and realizing unpacking would take additional time, I began pushing off my better habits again, telling myself, "Oh, once I finally get settled, then I'll start doing XYZ." But pushing off the commitment to better habits will only lead to more future excuses and extenuating circumstances that get in the way. So, I realized I needed to start making the best choices for myself with what I had. Better done than perfect, and with this mentality, things can get better little by little. With a commitment to making the next best choice at the moment, habits are becoming easier again, and barriers that once seemed impossible to overcome seem like only minor inconveniences, not circumstances, that get in the way of attaining goals.
It requires a little effort to think before making a decision, perhaps more effort on the decisions that are automatic or deeply ingrained habits, such as eating or sleep patterns. But to create that space for making the best choice, take a moment to think of who you want to be, as well as what it will feel like after making the decision.
For example, if you're out to eat or shopping at the grocery store, ask yourself which food choices align with who you would like to be and how you will feel once you've eaten the foods you're deciding. You may not have access to your ideal meals, or the restaurant doesn't have great options, but what is the next best thing you could get? Maybe it's a burger without the bun or a salad instead of fries. It could be avoiding the chip aisle and stacking up on veggies for snacks.
Perhaps your job demands more time, or you're going through significant changes like a move or housing renovations, so exercise seems like the last thing you can fit into your schedule. Finding small ways to incorporate movement into your day can help meet the gap, like waking up early to stretch or taking the steps instead of the elevator at work. Find creative ways to make the best decision for yourself now, with your situation and current resources. Doing so helps empower you and remind you of the control you carry over your life, regardless of external circumstances.
So, the next time you think about putting off habits that will make you a better person because the current moment seems less than ideal, ask yourself what small choices you can make to do better in this very moment. Starting small will help build momentum and create the changes within yourself that you are capable of.
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