Have you ever noticed how hard it is to get yourself motivated to do what you know you need to do today? For instance… I knew I needed to get up and workout this morning, but phew… rolling myself out of that bed at 5 am is HARD… especially when I know the thing waiting for me is going to be even harder.

For some of us - I imagine it's been a long time since we've felt at our best… we might not even know what she looks like. I've been there. I've been in that job where you're working hard, getting all the things done, but there's a nagging feeling deep in the pit of your stomach that there's more… that the things you're doing aren't the right things… they aren't things that are leading you to a better version of yourself. So - that leaves us wondering - what would my best self even do in a day? What would that even look like?

 When you step back and look at this scenario, I'm reminded that the things holding us back are not that simple. For some, it might be fear of failure, others, it might be exhaustion from parenting, and others still, it might be self-doubt. The key to the discussion isn't to define what's holding you back, necessarily, but it's to acknowledge that you're being held back.

 The truth is… most of us don't even put up a fight anymore. We reach the point where we've skipped so many workouts that we begin to tell ourselves, why would I roll out of bed now anyway? I've already missed so many… so what's the point? We stop fighting to be in charge of our days. We don't push to live up to our potential. We've lost sight of who our best self even is. That life, that person… she's no longer someone we know.

And eventually, that becomes our normal. We dismiss opportunities as too hard, too ambitious, too overwhelming, too time-consuming. We count ourselves out from the very beginning… before we even know what's possible.

 I love the quote: The cost of procrastination is the life you could've lived.

That's it… it's honestly one of the highest priced choices you can make… to deny yourself the opportunity to live the life you're intended for - something so much bigger and better than you could ever imagine.

We need to see the truth underneath this - the truth that we've been tricked into wasting our days and settling for a mediocre existence by the things that are holding us back… self-doubt, exhaustion, you name it. But you must remember that they are just tricks… they are NOT your truths. They are parts of our lives that have been engineered to keep you small… to trick you into believing that you are not worthy of a bigger life. They are lies.

If you keep thinking, I'll do it later, or say to yourself "I'll sit back and take it easy… you will be relegated to the sidelines - to watch how the future unfolds vs being a part of the game. You'll see what it really means to go without.

 And that's exactly where a lot of us are - we're going without. We're missing the relationships we desire. We don't have the energy and healthy lifestyle we want. We don't have confidence. We go without joy. Without growth and learning. Instead - we're stuck in this perpetual loop of dreading what's to come, dragging ourselves from one kid activity to another, then… falling into bed at the end of the night wondering what it was that we accomplished today. And then… we do it over and over and over again.

I'm here to tell you - that is NOT the life you were created for.

 What has caused you to settle for this mediocrity? Is it the quest for easy? Is it the excuses you make up for yourself?

This life of lack is not the life that was intended for you. You've created it on your own - every "I'll do it tomorrow," has created this mediocrity. Every "I just don't have time," has settled you in. Every "I'm just too tired," has sat you down. Every excuse has excused you from creating the life you want… and the life you deserve.

Procrastination becomes negligence over time. And negligence destroys marriages, relationships, your health, your finances, your career path, and your future. It's the ultimate act of self-sabotage.

But you're better than that.

 So ask yourself this - where have you been negligent? Where you have you grown lazy? Where has "I'll do it later" become your go-to? Where has easy become your core focus?

Those are the places where you must be diligent NOW, not later. Today is the day you stop being negligent and start being intentional. Today is the day you do what you've been putting off. Today is the day you get it done. Today is the day you show up with your best effort.

 Not tomorrow. Today.

And - I bet you feel it right now. When you find yourself moved enough to say "Yes, today is the day I'll… fill in the blank," there's a resistance that says "No… you can do that tomorrow, don't worry about it today."

You tell that voice to "Eff off," because today is YOUR day.

 The life you desire is within reach, but it requires your active participation. So - what will you do differently today? What step will you take to reclaim your power and live the life you deserve?

And remember - don't overwhelm yourself with things… choose just one. Maybe today you won't hit snooze on the alarm and you'll actually get out of bed when you said. Maybe you'll organize those bills that have piled up on your counter. Maybe you'll have the conversation with your boss or your spouse about how you're feeling. Just one thing… and then tomorrow will be a new today and you can do one more thing.

 When you do this - when you embrace each today and commit to action just one things - you'll watch your life transform before your eyes.

 Until next time - keep moving into your today with courage and confidence and remember that you deserve to be unleashed.