QUOTE FOR TODAY: Do or do not. There is no try. ~ Yoda
The post below was sent to one of the fitness yahoo groups that I subscribe to; I found it so encouraging that I decided to post most of it on my blog.
I am uncertain who the original author is, but I thank them for sharing these words of wisdom.
THE CHALLENGE
Let others lead small lives, but not you.
Let others argue over small things, but not you.
Let others cry over small hurts, but not you.
Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.
If you want a healthy body you don't exercise once or twice, you do it consistently. If you want to lose or gain weight you don't eat right now and then, you do it consistently. If you want to make your relationships work you aren't a trustworthy person now and then, you do it consistently. If you want your mind to work for you not against you; feed it positive thoughts now and then, and do it consistently...this is what I've learned over the years.
It's what we do CONSISTENTLY that makes the changes in our lives, not what we do now and then.
Eating a candy bar won't make a bit of difference...but eating a candy bar every day for two years will. Working out once won't make a difference, but working out 3-5 times a week for two years will. Same with our thoughts.
Break out of the old patterns of thinking, the old molds that our brains are used to. Read books that inspire and encourage, challenge and explore new ways to think. See that light at the end of the tunnel and focus on it.
Surround yourself with people that love and support you...even if you have to let those familiar that don't encourage you to a better, healthier way of living behind.
Surround yourself with others creating a better body, better life, that share in the positive goals you've created and desire. These people will inspire and uplift. Help others meet their goals and amazingly, they will help you achieve yours, too.
Take a walk instead of watch[ing] TV for 30 minutes and feel good about the decision you made. Enjoy making good decisions in your life, baby step by baby step. Emotionally pat yourself on the back making these positive steps towards your goal. Remember...walking 30 minutes won't do anything but walking 30 minutes 5 times a week for two years will make an incredible change for the better.
Make a choice and a decision to do things that feed you...emotionally, physically, romantically, spiritually etc....rather than eat you. Thoughts, people, places, activities, movies, books that can create the life you now choose rather than those things that eat you emotionally, make you feel regretful, make you feel shameful and powerless.
You are not a tree. Your roots are not stuck in the ground. You have legs...You can walk away from bad situations and walk towards good ones instead. It's not the legs that start the motion; it's your heart and your mind. It's your spirit and feel[ings] of self-worth. It's your power of choice and your willingness to break old patter[ns] of though[t] and belief to take a chance that you, too, can improve your life and your health.
Take a risk. You know how your life has been and where it's gotten you now....you don't need to recreate the wheel...other[s] have already found a system that works for improving their lives and their bodies. Just do it. It 's as simple as that. Make a decision to work out on a regular basis for two weeks.
After two weeks you feel better, you made and kept a promise to yourself...you deposited some self respect into your emotional bank account. It's growing.
Make and keep another promise to yourself to work out for a month.
Remember, baby steps get you there, too. As you keep this promise to yourself you are growing subconscious strength that you did keep your word to yourself.
Now tasks and goals are more real and within reach.
Your mind starts to tell itself that, 'hey, I can do this, I like the new me, I like how I feel, I like the way my stomach doesn't jiggle as much, I feel a bit stronger, I can now walk a bit faster, I don't crave the foods that don 't get me in the body I want to be in." Etc....
Take some baby steps to change the way you believe the world is and how you relate to it.
It's not about food; it's about how you think about food.
It 's not about exercise; it's about how you think about exercise.
See it as a dilemma and you'll be risking failure.
See it as a road map to a better place and you'll be feeding your mind encouragement to succeed.
The book you DON'T read won't help you. The exercise you DON'T do won't make you stronger. The apple you DON'T eat instead of the candy bar won 't help with your fitness goals.
Change your attitude, change your belief system, change the way you see yourself in the world, change the company you surround yourself [with] if they don't love and support you[;] change how you see yourself in the mirror, change the negative words you say about yourself daily to positive ones, change habits that bring shame and frustration to habits that get you closer to that healthy mind and body that you truly want.,