Piece 4: Commitment

Commitment- a : an agreement or pledge to do something in the future; especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date b : something pledged c : the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled

Inspiration. Motivation. And now commitment.

It's so interesting how things work. First, you are inspired to do something or make some change. Then, you have to have the motivation to follow through and make it happen. Then comes the hardest step (for me at least), commitment.

I seem to have such a hard time staying committed to the decisions I make. For example, I was going to have a "vegan week" that I then was motivated to turn into a "vegan month". Well unless a month only lasts two weeks I didn't make it. Honestly, there was more to it than a lack of commitment, but it was a significant factor.

So what brings on all the talk of commitment? I've always wanted to do so many things and recently I've started doing them. I've started a book club. I just committed to running in a race in September. I've been committing myself to lots of different things, and they all seem to be working out. Also, I've been seeing some great examples of commitment recently. Friends who are committed to changing their lives and really making financially sound decisions. Relatives who are committed to changing their health. People who are out in the world, committed to making a change.

I feel like I am doing the inspiration-motivation-commitment dance or something. In the past I would come up with these great ideas or plans, but I would never follow through completely. I would usually stall in the motivation zone. Or if I made it past that I would fail miserably in the commitment realm. I'm not sure what change has occurred, but I really feel like something is different.

I'm liking this change. Maybe I'm growing up?

Piece 3: Motivation

Motivation- 1. the act or an instance of motivating 2. desire to do; interest or drive 3. incentive or inducement

The last post was all about being inspired. I made a list of 100 thing I wanted to do before I died and to be completely honest I have yet to cross anything of that list. I have taken steps to crossing things off, like inquiring about the cost of contacts (not too much, but would be cheaper with insurance, of course) and finding a program to teach overseas through.

So why haven't I had the opportunity to cross off these things. That's just it: I HAVE had the opportunity. I've just been lacking the motivation to follow through. I just need to have motivation.

Then suddenly the other day I was struck with the thought "I wish I was in a real book club." Well instead of brushing it off as a stupid idea, I came home and started one. Now I'm the founder of The Bookettes Book Club. I have no idea where that motivation came from, but now I'm hoping it stays so that I can cross some things off of my list.

Also I was motivated recently to go vegan for a week. Well that was 9 days ago. I really don't see myself staying vegan, but I do see the benefits of not having so much dairy in my diet.

I'm looking forward to staying motivated and getting some more things, both on and off the list, done!