Disappointing Start

My big plans for this week (once most of the holiday stuff was done) was to design and implement a website (how hard can it be, right?) for the new Eating Coach E-course (Hurray! Hurray!! It is almost done!!)

The website would provide more information about the new E-course. It would give new clients formal exposure to what the program is and how it works. It would offer a platform to securely pay for the services the client was interested in. --Seems like a reasonable thing, right? I have been blogging for a while -- so a website seems like a step I should be able to navigate, right? I had a plan, a time table, a guiding vision, I had talked to people about hosting plans, DIY website creation, etc.

So....

1. The other day, I signed up with GoDaddy.com (feeling really good about myself at this point. On the way! First steps all taken care of!! Invested the money -- now I am committed!)

2. Had to call Tech support because I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't let me log into my account. (Argh! Minor disappointment -- have to wait 24-48 hours to have them get everything set up on their end -- oh well, -- I reset my time table and blocked off a chunk of "Website Creation" time later in the week -- still feeling pretty good.)

3. Logged onto the account (Hurray! It worked!!) But couldn't figure out where the templates were so I could start creating. Found a help directory that showed me how to write some HTML code and upload it to the web -- that was pretty cool since I could go to www.theeatingcoach.com --which I now own -- and see the code that I installed there! But still couldn't find the templates -- thought this should be easier than it was seeming to be.

4. Finally, I broke down and called Tech Support (again). Here, I should add that both times I called GoDaddy tech support, I got to a Real Person right away! They were super helpful and didn't make me feel stupid AT ALL! Which was a treat!

On the second call to GoDaddy, Shawn asked some questions and figured out that I did not buy the correct items. Essentially, I rented the space to put a website but I didn't buy the package to help me create the website. HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT!!!!!

By the time I got off the phone with Shawn, I was completely deflated and feeling stupid :( He did a great job of explaining what I needed and how things on his site work but all the excitement I felt for the project had leaked out because I was facing an emotional setback.

So...why am I sharing this???

Here's the thing -- the basics of this story are the basics of most stories where the lead character thinks she has a great plan to get her where she wants to go. Whether it is a website and new service offering is the goal or the goal is learning a new technique to manage her weight -- the process is still the same.

1. Starting out with a plan and an optimistic view that this is going to work.

2. Suffering a minor set back. Dealing with it. Having it take a little bit longer that she would want it to.

3. Having a bit of success and starting to get the excitement going but realizing perhaps she hasn't thought this whole process through as thoroughly as she thought.

4. Asking for help because she is at a standstill when she really thought this was a slam dunk. Disappointment!

So here's what I have learned:

1. I still need a website -- so, like my friend Amy tells me -- It's time to put on my "big-girl pants" and get moving.

2. I am going to have to ask for help.

3. I can't let setbacks get me so disappointed that I give up.

4. It will happen -- just not as quickly as I had originally thought.

I hope you all can see the connection to your weight management I am trying to draw here.

Discouragement happens in life. Don't get waylaid just because things aren't going like you thought they would. I am still disappointed that I won't have the website up and running by New Years Day, but it will get there if I actually move past my disappointment and start "doing". The same is true for your weight. I know it can be disappointingly slow -- just don't give up. Keep "doing" and you will get there.

(And when you get stuck -- email tech support @ kristi_eatingcoach@live.com and I won't make you feel stupid, I promise!)