Weight Forward, Leaning Down

"An excuse is worse, and more terrible than a lie."
--Alexander Pope

I listened to that quote while "reading" and audio book I have by Dr. Wayne dyer entitled; "Excuses Begone!". An excuse, like a lie, is likely the most common form I find myself using to "lean uphill".
I've grown mature and have somewhat more integrity than I once had. My excuses are more subtle and my lies whiter. If it were not so, my "B.S.-O-Meter" would peg its needle in the red and I'd be forced to confront or re-confront the fairy tale I was currently trying to sell to myself.
Lies take forms like, "That doesn't matter to me." or, "I'm not interested in that sort of thing anymore." Excuses too have to be well thought-out and have as their basis, reasons for my failures that are difficult for me or others to criticize. "I didn't get that done because I have been insanely busy at work." Getting my work done is a fine and noble thing. But once in a while I am uncomfortably reminded that work is not the only thing I've been busy with, and that other uses of my time, most not so noble, could just as easily be blamed for my failure to keep a commitment. If I allow that sort of thinking however, I'm in danger of having to confront the fact that the things I don't get around to in life are usually things that I simply am uncomfortable doing or that are boring or difficult.
People like Wayne Dyer make it more difficult to maintain my carefully-crafted self-delusions. They invite too much introspection and then, when my subterfuges are sufficiently bold-faced and not to be maintained with any integrity, these people invite me to make commitments to change, all the while proving that in the long run, change is much easier than staying inside a useless or harmful comfort zone.