The Truth About Excuses

My love, you’re worthy of so much more than your excuses.

Excuses can mask themselves in all kinds of tricky ways — sometimes we aren’t even aware of the fact that we’re making an excuse in the first place!

“This is just too hard. I wouldn't even know where or how to begin.”

“I’ve tried everything. It just is what it is, I guess.”

“It’s just how I am! I’ve always been this way.”

Any of those sound familiar?

Excuses are a form of self-sabotage. Making excuses for ourselves keeps us “playing small” and prevents us from expressing our gorgeous, fullest potential in our life. When we make excuses, we're rejecting invitations for healing and growth.

Why does it matter?

It matters because joy and inner peace are our true nature — our birthright — and anything that we do to avoid or deter ourselves from accessing those natural states within ourselves creates blocks.

Making excuses for the way things are in our lives is considered a block from growth, and these blocks are 100% self-imposed and are therefore 100% our responsibility to acknowledge and release.

How do you know when you’re making an excuse?

Anytime you reject the infinite possibilities of your life (aka your ability to choose in every moment) and give away your power (point the finger of blame at another person, circumstance, etc.) you’re likely making an excuse.

And the reason why we make excuses is fear of change or the unknown, but mainly, it’s due to a lack of trust and confidence in oneself.

It’s a way of staying in your comfort zone.

It's essentially, giving up.

Now I know that sounds harsh, but bringing our awareness to something and being completely honest with ourselves about it is the first step in making a positive change.

Being honest with yourself takes great courage because these truths can feel hard to swallow.

And we have a natural tendency to push away difficult experiences and grab on for dear life to what feels good. It’s common, it’s natural, it’s nothing to feel ashamed about.

But the good news is, we can change it!

Like everything in our life, we have a choice.

We get to decide what our life looks like, what it feels like, who we spend our time with, what we do for work, how we spend our free time, how we view the world, how we talk to ourselves.

Each of these things is a choice and the sooner you realize that and embrace the challenges that present themselves to you, rising courageously to each occasion, the sooner you will realize and be given proof of what a powerful creator you are!

And with that power, you can do good. You make yourself proud by never giving up on yourself. By being your biggest fan and most cherished confidant. That true blue friend who always tells you like it is not because she wants to hurt you, but because she wants to see you THRIVE.

So how do I stop making excuses?

It’s simple: by being honest with yourself about when you’re making an excuse. (I said, not necessarily easy! But it does get easier with time, I promise)

What does that look like?

1.) Acknowledging to yourself that you’re making an excuse as it’s happening or right after it’s happened.

Being honest with yourself about that, and being open to the possibility that in believing that thought/belief/excuse, you're actually blocking growth and healing in that area of your life; 

Now for the sake of this latter part of the exercise, we’re going to exchange the word “excuse” for the word “belief” because, in essence, that’s what an excuse is.

2.) Ask yourself: What do I have to gain from clinging to this belief? What am I losing, what am I missing out on in my life, from believing this thought as truth?

And I actually recommend writing down on a piece of paper or in your journal your answers to these questions. Take your time, really be honest on the page, no one will read this it’s just for you. Writing things down is an excellent way to get clarity around literally anything.

And now once you’ve taken a moment to write down your answers, I invite you to say the following phrase out loud (preferably in front of a mirror):

“I am a courageous, steadfast soul.

I welcome all opportunities to grow with open arms.

I forgive myself for the times when I've forgotten how worthy and deserving I am of all of life’s teachings and blessings.

Every day, I make empowering choices that encourage my ability to heal and grow on all levels.

I unconditionally love who I am and who I’m becoming through my empowering choices.

And so it is.”

Bringing the light of awareness and complete honesty with oneself about anything you desire to change is the first step in creating the shift.

Take that step — even if your legs are shaky and you’re unsure of the exact ways in which you will be able to follow through — and I promise you, life will show you the way.

Infinite love,

Rach