Choose Your Battles: Blocking out the Pressures to Set a Goal about EVERYTHING!

Social media makes it easy to think that you are failing at life (or at least failing at fitness and eating). Reading Facebook, I see ads about races, new diets, retiring by 40, clean eating and so on. There are numerous headlines, "I did X once a day for a month and here is what happened." Ugh . . . Should I really be doing the squat challenge, push-up challenge, run streak challenge and only eating greens, while balancing my protein, carb, iron, potassium and omega 3 intake?

In addition to fitness, I feel pressure to continue my education and try every new teaching method. How many platforms should one teacher log onto every day? This morning I listened to commercial about earning an MBA in one year while working full time. Easy peezy - right? Honestly for ten seconds, I actually thought somehow I would be a better person if I got an MBA. Then reality hit! I have a Master's and a job. I'm doing okay.

Being a runner brings an endless list of the the things I should be doing - hip PT (AKA butt strength), ankle strengthening, flexibility (but not too much because my joints are hypermobile), foam rolling, weight work, rolling my plantar fascia, core strength, cross training, long runs, speed work, tempo runs, hill workouts, plyometrics and resistance training. There are the constant posts about how to run faster, run smarter, run happier, run safer . . . Oh, and should I feel bad because I don't understand the pure joy of running because I wear headphones. (Really? Am I also missing the joy of driving because I play the radio?)

My point is these pressures are everywhere around us and we can't be all things. We need to choose what makes us happy - not what makes us perfect. Achieving a goal is fantastic, but we need to be in control of our goals and not get swept up with the goals of those around us. We need to embrace our vices (SUGAR for me). We need to let go of the fact that we could be better, because if we take on too many missions at once we miss out on life (and, honestly, feel like we are falling short of what we could be or maybe falling behind our friends and colleagues).

So every now and then, take stock. What would you like to improve about yourself? Consider why. Is it going to make you happier, healthier or improve your relationships? If not, why are you going to do it? And, remember, you can only conquer so much at one time. Applaud the efforts of others to improve themselves, but don't compete and don't feel guilty for not jumping on their band wagon. Leave time to enjoy life (and forgive yourself for loving FROSTING).