Don’t Wait, Take Back Your Life Today
Posted by Janelle Brown on
I had a trusted mentor ask me, “What do you believe will happen when you reach your ultimate fitness goal? How will you feel? What would be different in your life?”
To be truthful, I’ve always had set ideas of things I would do. For me, gaining mobility, strength and stamina has always translated into being able to do more things. I would love to participate in planned adventures with my young adult children and not be limited by the size and weight requirements. So basically, I have a vision that when I reach that ultimate goal, whatever that actually is, I would be able to do everything and anything.
However, something about the way my mentor questioned me got me thinking. I’ve already gained so much strength, mobility and stamina, just by taking the steps to be active over the past 4 or 5 years. The more I work out, the more I begin to realize it’s a never-ending progression and there is always a personal record you are trying to break, or competitor’s time you are trying to beat. Maybe there is no pinnacle where you say, “I’ve arrived.”
I wondered if there were things I could be doing now that I am putting off for the magical day when I’m “done.”
In the last few weeks since that perspective changing conversation, I have taken the time to really look around me and I’ve watched people engaged in activity. Guess what? When I took that time to really look at people, to really see them, and not just as a measuring stick to compare myself to, I realized they are just like me.
They were less than perfect, trying their hardest and enjoying themselves in the process.
So maybe the one holding me back was me. My fear of not being strong, coordinated or flexible enough to do the things I have always wanted to. I have a fear of being judged or laughed at for trying.
Yes, of course, there are still limitations on certain activities that will need to wait for me to be a smaller size, but there are so many things that don’t need to wait. Maybe I don’t need to be in the perfect shape to undertake something that I can reasonably do right now. So my new challenge for myself is to start doing some of those things I have been putting off for that “someday”.
As I was writing this blog I noticed this cover of a journal I keep notes in. It seemed an inspired find.
What are some activities you do now that you never thought you could? Please share in the comments below!