the bungee?

Of all people, I was speaking healthy living with my dentist yesterday!

Yes I had an appointment and he and I always talk running, physical fitness and health.  

He noticed that I've changed significantly since last year around this time :)

I was telling him about my Move It Mommas and how I feel that I want to help EVERY person that comes to me.  I want them to see change in themselves, discover a new strength and have long lasting health benefits...and it's hard when you have that strong of a passion and dream especially when you feel that some aren't "ready to change"

He spoke to me about a book he once read, after telling me about a dear friend that has yo-yo'd with his weight and health for years and also a sister that has struggled with her weight and health.  He said he tried to help both, many times and while they'd lose weight and catch on to the latest diet craze with great results, months later they'd fall short and allow that weight and old, unhealthy lifestyle to come creeping back in.  BAM!  EXACTLY how I felt for many years.

He said this book explained things to him in a different light about why some people change for good-they see a better life, better opportunity and never look back while others slowly fall back into old habits.  

The book called the change similar to a bungee cord?

Yes.  But it really stuck with me.

When people want to "be skinny" or fit into a pair of jeans they have temporary motivation.  Maybe it's a 10 year class reunion or a family trip?  It's that motivation they need to get up and make change but that trip, that reunion or fitting into those jeans aren't that far away so it seems possible.  They aren't "changing their lives" but simply setting a goal and reaching it, right?

So we tie ourselves on both ends with a bungee cord, one pulling us forward and one back.

As we move toward our goal the bungee loosens in the direction we're heading 

but the slack gets tighter behind us.  

Causing tension...making it tough to stay focused and move forward with so many things holding us back...

Following me?

It was like a light bulb moment for me...

Although I have changed SO much on this never ending journey, I stay stumped on the fact that I can't help every one.  That people come to me seeking change but fall short because they loose steam and focus.  THIS MADE SENSE.

Change is hard. We all know that.

But as we begin to change, that cord doesn't want to let go of our former habits and way of life.  The tension builds and that temporary goal all of a sudden becomes harder than it was in the beginning so we let go a bit and are immediately slammed back into our old reality.  Whew it's easier isn't it?  Now there's no tension...it's all "easy" as it was for me for years.  

If we release ourselves from the cord all together...moving over to a different way of thinking, then the magic is able to take place.  We are no longer focused on a temporary goal of a reunion or pair of jeans, instead we are focused on change.  We are focused on LIFE GETTING BETTER.  We celebrate being healthy and making the path of life different than where it was headed yesterday.  

I am hoping on my journey that I have released that "bungee" that held onto me for so long.  Many years of fighting that tension, my old ways pulling me down and causing me to fail time and time again.  I let go in hopes of finding a better way for myself and to help cut the bungee for every person that I know.  

We need to stop and ask ourselves why that bungee wants to pull us back?  

What is holding us back from change?  

Fear?  Afraid of failing? Fear of our family treating us differently?  

Things only get harder if we allow it.  

Our mind is powerful and...

if we set temporary goals then we get temporary results, right?  RIGHT. 

I love this quote...

For the journey to change us we must become stronger than we imagined.

We fight back HARD every day.  

The day we stop fighting is the day that bungee slings us back into that former reality.  

Even the temporary change felt good, didn't it?

I can recall fitting into smaller jeans and my mom taking me shopping...she was so proud.
Heck I was proud.

It was hard work and I did it.  But was I finished?  Well yes that's what I told myself which is exactly why that temporary goal and satisfaction disappeared.  The binge eating and sedentary lifestyle was back in my life and I hated it.  SO why if we hate being overweight, hate feeling weak and like a failure, do we continually put ourselves back into those situations?  

Think about the kind of change you seek?  Is it temporary?  If so then you are obviously not ready to cut loose of that cord...you need time to figure out your journey and the path it will take.  When you're ready, you'll know it.  You'll feel free and ready for anything that comes your way.  You'll take it on with a no fear attitude and a strength that you find within that you never knew you had!  It's amazing and if you trust the process and believe that you deserve a better way of life then it will come with hard work and dedication EVERY day.  

When you figure out the "why" that cord will set you free!

And until I am able to change EVERY woman I will continue to share my story-struggles too, 

in hopes that they will see a strength in themselves 

that will help them conquer every fear that held them back just as it did for me.  

NEVER QUIT.