Live Boldly: Life Beyond the "As Soon As..."

BEYOND THE “As SOON AS…” Have you ever put off something that you wanted to do on the altar of “as soon as…“?

As soon as I lose weight, I will buy a sparkly ice skating dress and enter a competition. As soon as I am thinner, I will buy a new bathing suit (even though my current one has not fit well for two vacations). As soon as my email inbox is empty, I will write the book that has been pent-up in my soul for years.

I am guilty.

Using the “as soon as…” as an excuse to not be, do, or have the things we desire in life, can serve as fertile soil for perceived chronic failure.

For example, I did not start eating well and exercising on Monday… or the Monday after that… or the Monday after that. I did not lose weight, so I did not buy the Swarovski-blinged dress. Sans the dress, I did not enter the ice skating competition.

That happened: more than once.

Then the “fu*ck it” moment happened. I wanted the fun-times with skating friends and the cheesy gold medal more than I wanted to avoid the perceived pain of putting myself out there.

I entered the competition. I ordered the dress. I prayed it would arrive in the mail on time and that it would actually fit… ish. I competed. I had an awesome time. On a pre-selected Monday, I started an at-home daily workout routine. I stuck with it and finished it: more than once. Then on a random day of the week, I made healthier food choices… and I did the same the day after that, and the day after that.

I released over 30-pounds. I have a shelf full of medals and trophies, and a closet full of sparkly ice skating dresses. But the most important piece: I have awesome memories of shared experiences with skating friends. Memories I will cherish for a lifetime.

Do the thing you want to do. Do the thing that scares you.

RISE above your “as soon as…”