Success after (lots of) Failure by Beth Gorden
Raise your hand if you LOVE exercise and fitness. Raise your hand if you always have. Raise your hand if you have never struggled with weight or body image or commitment to programs, etc…
Ok – I commend those who could raise your hand. I really do. But I absolutely cannot relate.
My story is much different…
I have struggled with body stuff for 25 years. So long that I just got sick of it. Sick of the frustrations. Sick of the failures. Sick of the effort. And that, of course, would put me into several self-sabotage, why-bother phases. …which made things worse and set me back quite a bit on where I wanted to be.
My entire adult life has included some element of wishing my body was different, my weight was different, my energy was different, my athletic ability was different… And trying what seemed like every ‘solution’ under the sun to make those things different. UGH! How exhausting!
~~ Fast forward to the end of 2018. A year of many blessings but also many personal struggles. ~~
ONE of the categories in my life where I decided “enough is enough” is my health. My overall health.
To me, this is a big deal to tackle. Not only because it would take much effort, much commitment, much time (which I felt I didn’t have to spare). But especially because this focus on my health and fitness would mean I have to tackle the MENTAL aspect of it all.
You see, after such a long history of trying and failing, trying and failing, trying and failing… my confidence in my ability to commit and achieve what I had only dreamed of was, well… non-existent. I just have a track-record in this area of my life very different than other areas. Most areas of my life I can be counted on to commit, follow-up, SHOW UP… accomplish the things!
But my own health and body just didn’t make the cut. It’s crazy but true. Really, how could I do that to myself when I have long been a person of confidence and dependability and tenacity??
So…. With 2019 about to begin, and REALLY REALLY wanting that January to be the LAST January that I “hoped” with fingers crossed that I could start the year taking care of myself and actually have lasting change. Or at least significant progress by summer, so I could START to feel comfortable in my own skin. Finally.
Guess what!!
I did it!!! I moved my body with some amount of exercise every day in January. And most helpfully… I found an exercise program that I loved, that challenged me (BIG TIME), that I could do at home, that included a fantastic accountability group… And I did it! I completed a 6 week, 6-day/week program without missing one day! And I just started round 2.
You know how I feel about this?
Proud – Accomplished – Confident – Surprised – Elated – SHOCKED
I have learned a lot about myself the past two months. That, no matter what my history shows, I CAN do Hard Things. I CAN commit and follow-through when it comes to my health. I can SHOW UP for myself in ways I never thought possible. My NEW journey has just begun and I am PUMPED!
How does this apply to you?? Especially if you raised your hand at the very beginning…
Here’s the deal — Whether you have a similar story and history or not, when it comes to your health… you MAY have a similar story and history with OTHER areas of life. Areas where you are just so darn tired of feeling like a failure and can hardly muster more effort to try again.
Let me tell you. FORGET the history and track record. Reconnect with your WHY, your GOAL, and the area(s) of your life where SUCCESS overflows. All of that can DRIVE you toward that New reality. Your New story. You will be creating a fresh new track record and you will BLOW YOUR MIND with how that accomplishment feels and the impact it can have on your life.
So, what is your Thing? What is that area of life that comes to mind, where you are tired of failing. It’s time to change your story! Truly, if I can make such a dramatic shift after 25 years, I know you can, too.
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