Chapter 11 – Behavior 8 – The Habit of Being Responsible - Traits of a Responsible Person

I've always been a pretty responsible person. I've always paid my bils on time, passed my classes and made it to work on time. In college I did these things but still was irresponsible with my life. I'd drink every night, smoke, party, and sleep with boys. But I still felt like I was a responsible person because outwardly I had all my ducks in a row.

Fast forward to today. I can see how irresponsible I was. I didn't know God. I relied completely on myself. I know I cannot do that today. With three little girls that I'm responsible for I need to be on the top of my game and the only way I can do that is to be a Can Do kid of the one true King. I'm much more responsible today, but I still do irresponsible actions. For example, while trying to lose weight I had ice cream three times last week. Or I haven't exercised in two weeks because their is just too much other stuff going on is my excuse.

I know I need to be more responsible. I need to take my weight loss journey a little more seriously. I've changed my eating habits drastically and that change has lasted. I now need to spend the next 21 days changing my exercise habits. So let's see what Joyce has to say are traits of a responsible person.

So the first thing Joyce says to do is face the truth. I think I just did that. I know i won't lose weight without exercising. I know I need to get better about making it a priority. I also know that I can integrate it into play with my kids. So I know I need to go out to the park with them and run around.

The second thing is don't have unrealistic expectations. I know in this stage of my life saying I'll exercise five days a week is impossible. It will just stress me out when I don't make it. It will have me in a tail spin because  I didn't make my goal. A more realistic goal is three days a week. I know I can handle this.

The third trait she states is to stop complaining. This goes back to some of our previous habits. If you continue negative talk all you'll think of is negative. There are many things I don't want to do or are hard but yet I do them every day without complaint. One example is what I like to call arsenic hour. The hour right before dinner when my husband is late from work and I'm trying to cook dinner all while three little girls melt down at my feet. I usually want to give up cooking a nice meal and go for fast food or order pizza, but instead I cook without complaint and get it done and my family is so much happier for it.

The fourth trait Joyce states is to be aggressive. I really wish I could take this one to heart. She wants use to complete the task we like the least first thing in the day. This way we don't have time to complain about it or over think it too much. Again in my stage of life exercising in the morning isn't happening. I'm already up at six to get my quiet time in before the girls wake up. Any noise and they wake up earlier.

The last thing Joyce says is to find a solution for the obstacles. I know every day won't be easy to go exercise. Some nights we get little sleep because the girls keep waking up. Some days my husband is late home from work. Sometimes you get to the gym and all the machines are full or there isn't a lane in the pool. Just yesterday I wanted to go to the gym but Brianna had a fevor of 102.5 so instead I had to take care of a sick child. So what do you do? I pray. I let God know I want to do this for his glory. I let him know I'm here and here is my problem. He usually gives me a creative way to exercise. Like yesterday it was helping my husband attach a hitch onto his car and wire it up. Lots of lifting, squatting and crawling. Today hopefully it will be a walk with the family.

I think these five traits are something that most of us know, but don't always apply. Sometimes it is easy to complain as it seems everyone else is doing it so why shouldn't I join in. Sometimes we look at another woman and say she can make it to the gym seven days a week why can't I without truly knowing all that she has in her life. Maybe she is giving up a relationship to workout. Maybe she doesn't spend her time with God. My one take away from the book "Stressed Less Living" that I think also applies right here to being a responsible person is "If you are too busy to spend time with God, you are too busy". God should be your number one priority and everything else will fall into place.

Dear God, please help us all to become responsible people. Please help us to set realistic goals.  Please help us to quit complaining and just complete what we set out to do. Please let us come up with creative solutions to all our obstacles to achieve what we set out to do. I know I cannot lose weight without you. Thank you for all the changes you've helped me make in the past and all those that will occur in the future. In Jesus name. Amen.