It is technically day 3 of the blogging challenge, but I need to go back and finish day 2. Sundays are crazy busy for me, and I honestly didn't put any thought in to yesterday's assigned question.

I still don't know how to accomplish the goal of logging my nutrition every single day other than to just do it. I think it is my OCD that prevents me from logging daily. All or nothing. And when I cook, if I don't measure, or change things up, and then can't be perfect in the logging, it bothers me, so I just don't log.

That is a more accurate statement than I don't know how, because I know how. I just don't know how to log perfectly if I don't measure. I have to keep telling myself that logging most--or at least some-- is better than logging nothing,...right?

So maybe, if I stop shooting for perfection...that is kinda funny, huh? The whole point to the question was what habit would I like to develop and how will I do that? Seems that the whole goal would be aiming for some level of perfection, and I am aiming to be less perfect! Ahhh...but anybody that struggles with OCD, even just a little, can appreciate the beauty and truth of that statement. Perfection is debilitating, especially in an all or nothing mind set.

I will shoot for logging what I can, and making note of what I can't log because I can't find it or whatever the reason might be. I will recognize the benefit of logging and take my reward for actually logging something and not see the reward in being perfect. Baby steps!

Now, I can talk about today's question- What do I do to encourage myself?

I think for me, I get the best encouragement and motivation in participating in the challenges. They require a daily accountability on my part for the team. I am a very competitive person, and I don't like to lose. Not as in a come in last place kinda lose. But more in, if participation is what is expected of me, then I have to show up kinda way. It really does give me motivation and determination to get up, and keep moving!

I was in a horrible car accident years ago, that has left me with some physical limitations. I walk with a slight, almost unnoticeable limp that gets worse when I am tired, and some slight loss in range of motion in the turning of my wrist. But the worse disability is that I have developed something akin to Fibromyalgia. My doctor does not want to call it that, but it mimics it pretty close. It is some kind of hyper nerve damage affect that causes widespread pain. Mostly my legs and hips, and a little bit in my right elbow and left shoulderblade. Having daily accountability gets me up and keeps me moving. If I give in to the pain, and lay around, then it is harder to get moving the next day, and the day after, and the day after that, and ...well, it then becomes a vicious circle of pain and pity and a depression like state. If I tell myself that I will muster up the strength to just get up and get moving, then I am fine. It keeps me limber and the more limber I am, the more active I can be, and it keeps the pain a little more in check.

Something else I do to get moving is I visualize myself walking on the beach when I am older. My hubby and I have saved for years to be able to retire and live right on the beach. I am confident that one day, I will have a condo on the beach, but I don't want to be confined to sitting on the porch watching everyone else enjoy life. I want to be able to walk on the beach, and swim in the ocean, and be as active as I can be as I age. That will usually do the trick. Visualization can be very motivating!! ----me sitting in a wheelchair on the porch or me walking along the beach!

See y'all tomorrow!