Be Fearless

Or, the alternate title - Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway.

How bad do you want it? Or, as the Jim Rohn quote states, "When you know what you want and you want it bad enough, you'll find a way to get it."

How bad do you want to reach your goal? Are you willing to make the sacrifices that may be necessary? Are you willing to push forward when you feel like quitting? Do you want to see what your made of, or are you afraid?

Many people allow fear to hold them back. Some may have a fear of failure, and others may have a fear of change. There may be a fear of shedding all the excess baggage-emotional, as well as physical. The impact it may have on ones life can be intimidating, so they cling to the "protective shell" so to speak. The thought of failure may be enough to stop many from ever beginning. Or, if they do try, when the first sign of adversity arises they start questioning themselves. The questions lead to self-doubt which will cause them to quit.

You're going to have those days. Days when you don't want to workout, or when you want to eat things you know you'll regret later. Trust me, this is not an easy process. If it were, everyone would look like fitness models, or American Gladiator contestants. But, if you ask yourself these questions, and truly look inside for your answers. It may be the vehicle that you'll need to make your journey smoother.

Here's my recipe to help fight the fear and reach for change:

Equal parts compassion, strength, and acceptance.

Have compassion for yourself. Recognize the changes, or sacrifices you are making. Be proud of getting through a tough workout, or a long, stressful day. Pat yourself on the back for your hard work and determination. Realize that you are a better spouse or parent by not only making yourself healthy, but by being a good role-model.

Have the strength to tell yourself NO. Don't give in when you know your about to make a choice you'll regret. Don't eat a box of truffles when you know one should be your limit. Don't stay on the internet when you know you should be working out. It's not always easy because we all have ways of rationalizing ourselves out of certain situations. Stand your ground and say no to the little devil on your shoulder. :P

If you fall a little short on some days, accept it and move on, don't beat yourself up. Make tomorrow a better day. And, PLEASE - STOP the negative talk. Don't tell yourself "I can't" because when you do, you have given in. Tell yourself "I can" and "I will" or at the very least, "I'll try". If you feel a little uncoordinated at times, don't call yourself a loser. Tell yourself you'll work on improving the next time. Accept yourself.