Making the Right Moves with TOPS: Howler

During my TOPS-now POSITION, I have made several bad moves that have caused me to stray away from my KOPS status six times. I am still in an ATTACK mode, though, to get back there for the seventh time.

I have often referred to these bad moves as a blunder, failure, glitch, lapse, miscue, misstep, flaw…well, you get the idea. Each time, I wonder why I keep doing this to myself.

There are more terms to describe these setbacks; however, I was puzzled by this next chess term. A bad move or blunder in chess is called a HOWLER. The term HOWLER describes a mistake that overlooks a tactical response.

In my pre-TOPS days, if I made a HOWLER, I would just shrug it off. Now, I realize that all the bad moves were a warning to get my act together and have a new STRATEGY. Luckily, I made my first OPENING with TOPS. But making a HOWLER is very frustrating.

Getting healthy is tough enough, but when I put up a BLOCKADE with my own mental lapse, that really takes the cake. See what I mean, always thinking about food.

It does help that I am now not alone on my journey. The support, education and accountability of TOPS over the years have been a great COMBINATION. But again, making a HOWLER is maddening.

I refract on why I commit a HOWLER. I believe getting complacent is my major downfall. Success can be consuming, and sometimes I forget that I need to work my game each day.

I know other members struggle, and that is why I share my trips of ups and downs on the scale. If you reached your goal and have kept your KOPS status, please know you are TOPS’ shining examples.

Just like starting a new game of chess, I need to reset the pieces of life and continue on. I must always remember that the ADVANTAGE of being a TOPS member is key to my future successes. I pledge to stop being a HOWLER, because I “give a hoot”.