Motivation
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"Do you have a difficult decision to make? One tough choice puts you on a new path. Ten tough choices creates the life of your dreams."
When I read this quote from a favorite author of mine, it reminded me of how important my choices are. I am actually creating my life out of my choices. I may not have control over things that happen in life, but I can choose how to respond.
Ugh. That may not always feel like good news if you want to get in shape. You mean to tell me it's all up to me? It's one of those things that no one can do for you, and you have to find your personal reason for wanting it.
I used to want to be thin so I would look better. But it was never reason enough to make better choices. Once I started walking regularly, I started to feel better about myself. Now that was something I found motivating! Sit on the couch all evening eating: feel crappy for days. Get up, put my shoes on and walk: feel proud of myself for days. Get a strength training workout in with my trainer: feel strong. Eat too much over the weekend: beat myself up for days. Go to exercise class: feel fit and healthy.
There is always something else to do instead of exercise. There is always bad food around, too much food around. There is always stress. There is never enough time. So what is important enough to you to overcome all that? To kick down the obstacles and make the tough choices anyway?
Grab a pencil and paper. Make two columns. Left side column: how I feel now. Right side column: how I want to feel. For a long time, my left column was this and I only dreamed about feeling strong and confident and motivated.
|
How I feel |
How I want to feel |
|
Fat
Scared
Lazy
Unmotivated
Out of control
Undisciplined
Unhealthy
Unhappy
|
Strong
Confident
Important
Brave
Disciplined
Motivated
Determined
Joyful
|
Then I made one tough choice. ONE. And that one choice lead me to make another. And another. Then I would slip up and I learned to forgive myself and move on. I always wanted to find the magic, quick way to pole vault to fitness. One giant jump and I would be there. But it only works taking many, many little steps.
On my web site I have written there are only two things you need to do. Get started and keep going. Get consistent. If you are not consistent for a long time, you won't see the changes you are dreaming about. If you are struggling to get consistent, your job is to figure out what you need in your life to help you find motivation, encouragement, strength, confidence and discipline. These things are available to us all.
Now that I feel better about myself, I would not give that up for anything. Nothing! When I am tired, or tempted to slip back to my old ways, I close my eyes and remember what it felt like to feel awful about myself. I remember all it takes is one tough choice to keep going. Right now, today, is all that matters. Believe that it's worth the work. Trust in the process. I believe you can do it.
Now get moving!
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