I arrived home from Atlanta close to midnight. Despite not usually having to contend with traffic at 11pm, there was a multi-vehicle accident that meant I, and many others, were at a standstill for some time on the infamous Grady Curve. And despite my best intentions and after having had a super productive day, I arrived home with Taco Bell in hand and plopped onto the couch. By this time it was already after midnight and my energy, not at all depleted, meant that I would be awake for several more hours. Sure, I’m now all caught up on my episodes of New Girl, but I didn’t go to sleep until 4am. So much for being good.

Today was no different. I took sleeping into the afternoon to the extreme. After waking up briefly in the late morning to allow pest control in, I went back to bed. I was diligent in setting my alarm so that I didn’t sleep through the entire day. My grandmother’s phone call right before my alarm went off at 2:45pm ensured that I didn’t fully waste the day. However, with less than 3 billable hours on the books for today, I can’t help but to feel a little defeated.

With the hopes of reclaiming my energy and my mood I went to the gym today. I didn’t have the chance yesterday, despite my return to working out on Tuesday. So that it wasn’t a complete waste, I did, at the suggestion of my accountability partner, do jumping jacks for a minute. You know, every little bit counts. The lack of “exercise” did not mean it wasn’t an active day. To the contrary, yesterday was a good day. An active one.  The fact that today I felt completely and utterly spent had more to do with my continuing to be undisciplined with my bedtime. Today’s 45-minute workout seemed to do nothing for my energy or mood. At its end I even considered (albeit quite briefly) working out longer.

I walked back to our apartment hoping too that the freshness of the air as a result of the recent rain would help. It did not. I sat back down in front of my computer and tried to get back to work but I just wasn’t feeling it. I wasn’t in the mood. I puttered around for a bit but it was already after 7pm and I needed to consider what I’d eat. I don’t cook. I never derived any pleasure from it and simply don’t do much cooking. I tell my hubby that that’s what he’s there for! He enjoys the kitchen. However, today, I needed to escape from the confines of our home,  needed the comfort food from my favorite restaurant. It is here that I sit, contently typing while I eat.

Everything in life is a series of first steps. Sometimes we’re repeatedly and routinely at square one. However, as long as you keep pushing through, moving forward, not remaining stuck for too long, the good days do come. With all yeses in today’s accountability boxes, I am not going to allow what’s left of today to be a waste. I’m going to bed by 11pm and not 3 or 4am, determined to prepare myself for a successful day tomorrow.