Commitment

June 28, 2022

Big news: I am getting married on Sunday!

Marriage has thinking a lot about what it means to commit. I'll be honest, I haven't been the best at what I've committed to in the past.

There was the time I 'committed' to running a 10K, 'committed' to giving up dairy (lol), and 'committed' to a 1.5 hour morning routine before my workday.

I've 'committed' to 'never drinking again' after a particularly bad hangover. I've committed to reading academic journal articles every day to stay ahead of the curve professionally. I've committed to becoming one of those entrepreneurs who is part of the 5 AM club, and has a 16 hour workday.

I've failed at all of these commitments. Every single one. (But c'mon, who can resist a good cheese board?). Not the most promising track record for my upcoming commitment which just so happens to be my biggest commitment to date.

When I think back on those failures though, I think the problem isn't that I am bad at commitment - it was that I was committing to a task as opposed to a mindset. Commitment to a task is short-lived, even when successful. Commitment to a mindset, however, is about longevity.

"Giving up dairy" should have been - "I am going to commit to making better food choices."

I'm going to run a 10K" should have been - "I am going to start jogging 3x/week."

"I'm going to read journal articles daily" should have been - "I am going to prioritize my continuing education goals."

...and "I'm going to wake up every day at 5 AM" simply should not have existed at all. (I am not exactly a morning person).

If marriage was thought of as just a task, then every single marriage would fail. The task of 'getting married' is easy. It's simple paperwork that takes shockingly less time than it probably should IMO.

There are plenty of who commit to marriage, but they don't commit to the marriage mindset.

The marriage mindset is about committing to the big ideas that sustain a marriage and help it thrive. If you can't commit to trust, communication, patience and kindness with a healthy dose of 'whose turn it is to do the dishes' and 'hey, can you take the garbage out?', then how can a marriage be successful?

Our approach at Align is all about commitment to a mindset. We want you to move well, move often, and move without pain. Our goal is to create an environment and learning space that supports your muscles, bones and joints for the long haul. You only get one body, and it is up to you to choose how you care for it.

In the meantime, I am going to "commit" (really commit) to enjoying my wedding and honeymoon in Greece for the next couple of weeks.

In health and commitment,

Amanda