MOTIVATE ME MONDAY

“Do it, afraid!” 

Or at least make a move toward a better life. 

Why?

Because I just did, and I know how hard it is but how fulfilling it can be to take that first step toward a goal.  

First, a little backstory on why I am telling you to “Do it afraid”: The week before last, I had lab work, and my numbers had gone down (and up) in areas I was winning in before.  I knew the doctor’s report before I met with her so at least I wasn’t shocked.   I knew exactly that my summer slump included too many batches of french fries, too many birthday cakes when my birthday was not even until September, and too few vegetables, leading to a bunch of lethargy.  

When I am tired for no good reason, I know something is up (or down).  

Well, as I mentioned, my sluggishness was confirmed when I met with my PCP, that I was not taking care of the physical parts of me. Before she could tell me to go back to doing what I was doing before, I had already planned to change my meals and limit the sugary stuff.  

But can we all admit that making a plan is easier said than done?  

You don’t have to agree because I know it is true. So, last week I took another step that will help me avoid the temptations that are all around me and all around all of us. For when we set our minds to do something good, we know that the bad stuff is going to show up like never before. Right?  

The people closest to me like making cookies. They enjoy fried foods and cheesy, bready stuff, and they make no excuses for eating them in my presence. I give in a lot because, truth be told, I am not that strong right now. I see calamari, Jamaican meat loaves, french fries, and any dessert, and I want to taste it too.  Then I am mad when I feel tired or worse.  

So what did I do? I kept my meal plan because I knew what worked for me, but I decided to employ a coach who would help me with the exercise portion. I know this person will keep me accountable to my diet and exercise plan. 

Do you see what I did? I have a counter-move already in place for the challenges that are yet to come. I cannot control what people eat around me, but I can make a move that will help me beat the temptations. 

Getting an exercise coach is important to me because I cannot afford to be sleepy and achy and hangry all the time when God is taking me to another level in life. Right? I have to be a good steward of not only my finances but my time, my energy, and the foods that fuel me.  

God has me on an upward trajectory, and there is no time to eat cakes and desserts for no good reason and ruin my witness and testimony. That is foolishness.   

We are all about learning from our mistakes, not repeating them. Right?  

My passion is helping others find their purpose, live out their passions, and be more productive, so why would I poison the well just because everybody’s doing it?  I don’t know.

But we do it all the time. We go along to get along, and then one day, we hate the results. The good news is that we can make the change. Now. We nearly always have a choice. 

My choice was to find a person to schedule my exercise and help me avoid the foods that make me sluggish and negatively affect my brain. And while I know this is a good thing, and I am terribly excited. I know it is going to be a sacrifice. 

Whenever we add something to our plate,  we inevitably sacrifice something else.  

What will be the sacrifice? I don’t know exactly. And for a control freak that terrifies me, but I am doing it anyway! I am doing it, afraid! 

Sure, I know a lot about my health and the foods and supplements that are good for me but the exercise part, nah, not so much. I am naturally thin, but something is missing, and there are experts who know and will guide me to the solution quicker than I can research them for myself. I witness this with my sister and her PT and OT sessions. And she is making tremendous strides! So while I am timid about someone telling me to stretch this and move that on a regular basis and eat this before and after, I know the benefits outweigh the fear I feel at this moment.  Without any hesitation, I am leaning in to allowing someone wiser than me in this area to keep me accountable to my fitness goals because a body in motion stays in motion. And God has blessed me to find a coach who understands my limitations and will meet me where I am. 

 It does not matter how much we can do. It matters that we do something good consistently. 

As someone who enjoys coaching others on how to use their mind to overcome the challenges they have faced in the past,  I am familiar with the resistance that occurs on the other end. Often the people I coached or mentored knew instinctively what to do, but the trainee/mentee did not have the wherewithal or tools to stay focused on the plan. Knowing how coaching works, I am anxious about the process and what I will have to sacrifice. But regardless, I will do it afraid!!! 

Because what awaits me depends on me being healthy enough to see it through.  

So what are you going to do today or this week that takes you out of your comfort zone and moves you into becoming your best self and living a blessed life? 

Let me know below.  I really want to see you succeed. And if there is anything I can help you do to overcome your past, please let me know: Leah@reallyleah.com.  

Really, 

Leah