WARNING: this post contain no graphics, videos or pictures. Please use your imagination!
Imagine a homeless man wandering the streets starving for a meal. While strolling his shopping cart he sees a sign for a FREE all you can eat buffet. He walks past the restaurant with his stomach growling. The sign clearly reads FREE Buffet, all you can eat, EVERYONE welcome. All he craves is before him but he won’t enter the restaurant.
Now, picture an over weight young girl fresh out of college sitting slumped in a cubicle at her first “real” job. She receives a welcome company email offering FREE memberships to the gym located across the street. She inhales and feels her pants tight across her waist. Exhale, she reads the fine print, which clearly states zero membership dues and no joiner fees. FREE gym access. All she has desired, an opportunity to get healthy and drop 20 pounds, is across the street but she quickly deletes the email.
The common thread woven in these two scenarios are strangely identical. Both characters imitate some perverse pride and fear. A heavy mental block obstructs their decision-making. In both scenarios, the characters choose to believe a lie. One thinks he is less pretentious than those feasting at the buffet and the other thinks she is not pretentious enough to step foot into a posh big gym environment.
They don’t believe that the offer to eat or the offer to workout applies to them. WHY? Do they feel dirty or ashamed? Do they think they are not good enough? Do they both question their appearance and social stature? The offers are crystal clear, FREE!! No exclusions apply yet they choose to believe the false narratives running ramped in their minds.
While these are complete fiction scenarios you can see the valid truth I’m trying to make right? If either of these two characters would take one step outside of their self and let go of their trash it would/could be a game changer.
- Step one. Don’t believe the hype. Imagine if the homeless man would silence the inner voice and simply eat the free buffet. Perhaps the store owner would offer him a job? Perhaps others dining would see his great need and offer him money or clothes? What if the young over weight college grad hit the delete key on her inner whisper and went to the gym for a walk on the treadmill. Perhaps she would meet a new friend or co-worker and they promptly vow to become workout partners? Maybe a personal trainer approaches and kindly offers some free nutrition advice.
- Step 2. Leap of faith. Take action and start doing instead of being paralyzed with fear, guilt, and shame. Get inside and invest in the action. From the outside Mr. Homeless is unable to see that several of his pals from the shelter are enjoying the free meal inside the restaurant. He totally misses out. However, our little corporate newbie is tired of living scared and feeling fat. Determined, she hops on a treadmill and starts walking. Her fear factor begins to subside as she gazes out across the gym to see many over weight folks sweating it out! The difference is she took a leap of faith and found a way.
What’s holding you back from making strides in your life? What’s stopping you from dropping those last 20 pounds? What kind force has a hold on you pushing you away from clean nutritious foods? Why do you allow pride or fear to halt you from living a healthy FIT lifestyle? I get it, it takes guts but one step often leads to two and two leads to four and off you go…
Imagine a FIT physique. Imagine why you want to work out. Check out this post to help you get the juices flowing →Why Workout?.
Love, imagine and make it happen…one step at a time.
Angi xo
***PS. Do you like to win freebies? I’m hosting a FREE give away this week. Winner will be revealed on Monday, April 18th. Check out yesterday’s post FREE Give Away and enter for your chance to win a FREE HydraMist spray.