The Rhythm of Excuses

Excuses should come with an expiration date.

Better yet, they should be banned, outlawed, or imprisoned for life!

Because here’s the truth: excuses feel safe, but they’re actually silent traps. Traps that whisper “not now,” “not me,” or “its not possible.” And while they soothe you in the moment, they steal your tomorrow!

Think about it.

“I didn’t grow up with much.”

“No one in my family ever did that.”

“I don’t have the money to start.”

“I keep forgetting things…I’ll never keep up.”

Sound familiar?...Maybe one of these has been your reality, like mine was the latter. But a reality doesn’t have to become your permanent place! Unless you sit in it. Ponder on it. And do nothing about it!

You see, excuses are walls, walls WE build to avoid risk, discomfort, and growth. But those walls don’t protect us; they confine us. Let me repeat that!!! Excuses confine us! They stop us from stepping into the new version of ourselves, who we are meant to be and who we need to be to really live a life of impact, joy, peace and harmony!

The Choice

At some point, you’ve got to decide (like i have done in the last few months):

➡ Will I let my past dictate my future?

➡ Or will I break the cycle?

➡ #IChoose ... and what am I going to choose?

I know this decision well. When I experienced a sudden brain injury, one of the easiest excuses I could’ve clung to was: “...yeah I forgot” And some days, that was painfully true. I’d forget names, misplace items, lose my train of thought mid-conversation. It felt like a ceiling pressing down on me, convincing me I could never perform at any level I once did.

But here’s what I discovered: breaking the cycle doesn’t mean denying your struggles. It means refusing to let those struggles define you or determine how far you can go!

From Ceiling to Floor

I caught my My Pastor, Pastor Conway of OCC-Texas, say during one of his truly awesome serons that; “What others see as a ceiling, you can make your floor.”

That truth knocked my head...loooool - in a good way. Triggered me to re-think and think deeply about my situation and even my life!

A ceiling is the limit you or others believe you’ll never move beyond. But if you choose, that ceiling can become your floor, the foundation you stand on to climb higher, move forward and make your voice heard!

For me, my brain injury was supposed to be a ceiling. Doctors, statistics, even my own doubts whispered: “This is as far as you’ll go Annabel. Stay there! Don't stress, you will only let yourself down and others by what you forget!” But instead and inspite of what was said and what was medically predicted, I chose to make this life transforming experience (that I have had the privilege of surviving and growing in ways that would not have been imaginable) my floor. My life experience has now made MyRhythm imaginable!

I adapted. I created new rhythms for my brain: writing things down, setting reminders, using visual cues, building routines and repeating adjusting and learning daily. I chose not just to survive BUT to thrive through and grow!

Practical Takeaways

So ask yourself:

• What excuse do I need to retire?

• What new rhythm can I replace it with?

If memory is your excuse, start small:

• Use a notebook or app to capture thoughts.

• Anchor new habits to existing ones (like vitamins after brushing your teeth).

• Celebrate progress, not perfection. Every step forward is a crack in the old cycle.

Because here’s the unshakable truth: you cannot build a limitless future with a limited mindset.

Take Back the Pen!!!

Your upbringing may have shaped you.

Your background may have tested you.

Your money may be tight.

Your memory may falter.

But none of these excuses have the power to stop you, unless you hand them the pen and let them write your story.

Take the pen back.

Turn your ceiling into your floor.

Break the cycle.

Write a new rhythm.

#IChoose to retire excuses!

#IChoose to move forward and create a new rhythm.