Makeups. Part of this whole lifestyle change, workouts-not-optional-because-I-love-them-and-how-they-make-me-feel thing is that every now and then I miss a day. Then the next day I feel obligated to “make it up.” I wonder if I miss one every now and then because I have the "I'll do a double" excuse. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder about the real value in this. If you lose sleep one night, you can’t really make it up by sleeping more the next night. If you miss homework, many teachers don’t let you “make it up.”

As kids we were encouraged to “make it up as we went along,” for stories and sometimes even for clothing choices. How far off from that is pretending, or using your imagination? I’m all for imagination. I’m a writer and a parent – imagination is critical to my existence (and ought to be for yours, really.)

But if making it up is like pretending, then why pretend? Own that you missed one (workout, hour of sleep, homework) for whatever reason, and move on. Focus. Be present. Do the one workout the next day (or your next homework, or your next sleep) as well as you can do it. No guilt, no pretending.

Be a badass. No excuses.