Some of you may have seen me using the hashtag “Be a Did” in social media lately.  What does “Be a Did” mean?  It’s my way to motivate myself when I don’t feel like doing something.  I want to accomplish something and work towards my goals, instead of sitting aside and being a “Shoulda-Coulda-Woulda.”

It stems from a Shel Silverstein poem.  I first heard this poem in fourth grade during our class poetry unit and it has stuck with me ever since.  (It may also help that the boy who presented the poem was a HUGE crush of mine, so I paid more attention 😉 )

There are mornings when I don’t want to get out of bed when the alarm goes off.  In fact, I’ll be real and confess.  I hit the snooze button at least 2 times before I get up.  I even set a second alarm that is 15 minutes later than my first alarm as a final “GET OUT OF BED NOW!”

While I 100% believe in listening to your body if it’s telling you that it needs a rest day, or if it’s being overtrained, I know that there is a difference between being overtrained and being lazy.  When the alarm goes off, I groggily take stock of how my body is feeling.

“Are my muscles too sore to run?”

“Have my runs been consistently bad lately?”

“Have I been feeling moody and depressed lately?”

If I answer no to these questions then I go to the next set:

“Am I just being lazy?”

“Will I feel happy on the path?  And satisfied and grateful that I accomplished my workout now?”

“Will my day be better if I run/yoga/strength now instead of putting it off?”

If I answer yes to these questions, then I tell myself,  “STOP BEING A SHOULDA-COULDA-WOULDA and get moving!”

Life is full of regret.  Times when you say, “I shoulda done that…”  or “I wish I woulda done that…”  or “Aw man, I coulda done that…”  Wouldn’t you rather say, “I’m so glad I did that“?

Whether it’s for fitness, for work, or for your personal goals, don’t live your life as a Shoulda-Coulda-Woulda.  Instead, live your life a Did.

Share your “Be a Did” story below, and don’t forget to use #BeaDID on social media to spread the motivation.

Happy running,

Becca