MM411

Last Friday we (Sandra and myself) went out for a meal with a couple of friends. We have been meaning to do this for quite some time and finally it happened. It was a really pleasant evening and our conversations were mixed with happy and sad news but we laughed a lot, and, managed to stave off the tears!

As always, the evening finished off with “Let’s do this again soon” “Let’s not leave it so long next time” and we all knew, we’d probably not do it again soon and we would leave it just as long. Not because we don’t want to spend time together but because life is busy and really uncertain at the moment, so even the best plans can be flattened by a new variant of CV-19.

It is so easy to become more isolated when there are restrictions, spontaneity is stifled with pre-bookings and the dark, cold, wet weather arrives. I am a big fan of sitting in the house, in comfort, watching a good film on my own or with the family, but, it can make me lazy! I can put off going for a night out with my friends because it can become too much effort! 

There are many other examples where my motivation is not as high as it use to be. As much as I enjoy exercise, I have to have a target to aim for otherwise I would become lazy with that too. Doing the ironman triathlons made sure I went swimming, cycling and running and maintained a high level of activity and my motivation was boosted because they are not cheap to enter and I did them with a friend of mine, so I didn’t want to let him down.

Once you understand how to get yourself, metaphorically, out of bed, things become easier to achieve, but the skill is to find what that is. I recognise that my motivational driver changes depending on what I am trying to do. Sometimes I spend more time and effort resisting doing the required things rather than just getting it done! This then results in stress and some possible fire fighting with multiple tasks to do.

Christmas is a great example of me avoiding tasks. Shopping is not fun, traffic and queues are not fun and having to decide which Christmas tree to buy, can be fraught! I am doing all of that this week. I have presents to buy, a tree to chose and decorations to put up (With my wife). Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, but now the kids are older it’s not the same. Putting a biscuit, carrot and glass of milk out for Santa doesn’t happen here anymore, so a bit of the excitement and motivation to put decorations up and all of the associated ‘Christmassy things’ takes a bit more effort.

Baa humbug, I hear you say, but I know some of you also agree with me ????.

I am looking forward to spending time with my family and realise that soon this may be a thing of the past. In the future they will have their own families, to share this time with, and they will have their own Christmas rituals to have fun with, and get excited about. I am sure that we will be a part of that experience and our motivation to get involved will return with a burning passion.

Until then, I am going to put effort into seeing people, spending time catching up on news and being around people that make me laugh a lot.

(If you don’t hear from me, you know why ????)

Have an amazing Christmas and I look forward to catching up with, a lot of you, in the New Year.

Last Friday we (Sandra and myself) went out for a meal with a couple of friends. We have been meaning to do this for quite some time and finally it happened. It was a really pleasant evening and our conversations were mixed with happy and sad news but we laughed a lot, and, managed to stave off the tears!

As always, the evening finished off with “Let’s do this again soon” “Let’s not leave it so long next time” and we all knew, we’d probably not do it again soon and we would leave it just as long. Not because we don’t want to spend time together but because life is busy and really uncertain at the moment, so even the best plans can be flattened by a new variant of CV-19.

It is so easy to become more isolated when there are restrictions, spontaneity is stifled with pre-bookings and the dark, cold, wet weather arrives. I am a big fan of sitting in the house, in comfort, watching a good film on my own or with the family, but, it can make me lazy! I can put off going for a night out with my friends because it can become too much effort! 

There are many other examples where my motivation is not as high as it use to be. As much as I enjoy exercise, I have to have a target to aim for otherwise I would become lazy with that too. Doing the ironman triathlons made sure I went swimming, cycling and running and maintained a high level of activity and my motivation was boosted because they are not cheap to enter and I did them with a friend of mine, so I didn’t want to let him down.

Once you understand how to get yourself, metaphorically, out of bed, things become easier to achieve, but the skill is to find what that is. I recognise that my motivational driver changes depending on what I am trying to do. Sometimes I spend more time and effort resisting doing the required things rather than just getting it done! This then results in stress and some possible fire fighting with multiple tasks to do.

Christmas is a great example of me avoiding tasks. Shopping is not fun, traffic and queues are not fun and having to decide which Christmas tree to buy, can be fraught! I am doing all of that this week. I have presents to buy, a tree to chose and decorations to put up (With my wife). Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, but now the kids are older it’s not the same. Putting a biscuit, carrot and glass of milk out for Santa doesn’t happen here anymore, so a bit of the excitement and motivation to put decorations up and all of the associated ‘Christmassy things’ takes a bit more effort.

Baa humbug, I hear you say, but I know some of you also agree with me ????.

I am looking forward to spending time with my family and realise that soon this may be a thing of the past. In the future they will have their own families, to share this time with, and they will have their own Christmas rituals to have fun with, and get excited about. I am sure that we will be a part of that experience and our motivation to get involved will return with a burning passion.

Until then, I am going to put effort into seeing people, spending time catching up on news and being around people that make me laugh a lot.

(If you don’t hear from me, you know why ????)

Have an amazing Christmas and I look forward to catching up with, a lot of you, in the New Year.

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