Take a deep breath

Every once in a while you just have to sit down and reassess the situation. Lately, it seems like every time I increase my step goal, I really struggle to meet it. And, while I went to the gym 5 days one week, the next week 2 days was all I had in me. Goals are good. They motivate us to push harder, go farther, and be better. But, they can also bring us down when we make them to lofty or unrealistic, so today, I am sitting down and working it out.
As I sit here trying to think, my cat is mewling loudly in the kitchen for no other reason than she is inside and there are things outside. It is very difficult to keep it cool when I'm not feeling well and the cat is loosing her damn mind in the kitchen. Also, it is another dreary day, abysmal, cold, wet. I went to an awesome Collective Soul concert this weekend at the casino. I had a great time jamming out, but now comes the part where I pay for the weekend. Four hundred miles in the car and an unexpected cold front do not bring out the best in my pre-existing conditions. Today I am cranky. I don't want to clean or go to the gym or do anything except complain. Ok. Begin the reassessment.
I struggle with the new step goals because it's not just a step goal. Why is that? Because I also add in new things like trying to go to the gym everyday, or taking new and different classes at the gym, or starting a new cleaning schedule. So, we're biting off more than we can chew, how can we adjust? Keep the step goal the same. Set it at a manageable number that will keep me stepping but not dying. And then? Make a routine (and not one designed for a squirrel on speed). I need to move my 15 minute cleaning sessions (flylady.net) to the morning when I'm most awake. Ok. So here is the new plan:
I set my step goal at 38,500 per week. I do my cleaning in the morning and my exercising in the afternoon. I go to one personal training session per week. I do this until I have built a routine. I do not beat myself up if I can't do more than this. I do not attempt to take a bigger bite until I'm ready (really ready, not just the kind of ready where you say you're ready but then realize your not and panic when you starting choking and then have to perform the Heimlich on yourself with a chair). For those of you who made it this far, thanks for listening. Manadee is just going to do some floating today, and tomorrow, I'll just keep swimming.