The Tortoise and The Hare

We all remember the Aesop’s fable of the tortoise and the hare. The egomaniac spastic hare teases the tortoise who then challenges him to a race. You know the rest, the hare super confident in his abilities takes a nap mid-race and awakes to the tortoise winning the race. The moral? Slow and steady wins the race.

photo by erika-d

With all this talk of resolutions, what are you doing to make them a reality and not a dream? The hardest part is persevering because REAL change never happens overnight. Whether it’s your children’s behavior, your relationship with your spouse, or getting healthy, it all takes time. Sure there are quick fixes out there that “experts” claim work but seriously, lasting change won’t just magically happen. We don’t have a magic lamp with a genie to make everything right. And even if we did, have you ever noticed that in those stories when the wish comes true it never works out the way they intended. They end up having to change things the right way, the slow way. Bandaids work for awhile but eventually they have to come off. You can be like the hare and brag about yourself and your ability to change things or you can take a different approach. Figure out your plan of action and practical ways to execute it. Then start your race, and instead of burning out and giving up you will be able to see it through to the end. Also, reaching out to family and friends for help or support is not a weakness. It takes a strong person to admit when they need someone. Believe me, I am a type A person, and I love to do everything on my own, but that kind of mentality does not help me in life. I can tell you, my getting in shape and losing weight has been a very slow race. I still haven’t finished but I am halfway there. I had tried fad diets and pills in my past and they never worked, not for very long anyhow. Finally, I am seeing change in myself and I know it’s a lasting change. The same is true for my family and relationships. You can accomplish your goals for 2012 but you have to be willing to put in the work.

Good things come to those who wait. That doesn’t mean do nothing, it just means it won’t happen instantly. Don’t give up, you can do it!!

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step -Lao-tzu