No One I Know Looks Like a Bathing Beauty, so Why Should You?
If you don't enjoy the life you've got because you think you don't look good in shorts or you can't bring yourself to wear a bathing suit, you're just wasting your life for nothing. Maybe you don't look like a bathing beauty but who does? I've heard so many people tell me that they would give anything to be at a weight they once were, but when questioned they almost always say, "Now that I think about it, I thought I was fat back then too," but guess what? They weren't. Those same people are sometimes shocked to see photos of themselves as a teenager or young adult; "Why I wasn't fat at all," they'll say.
Where do these fears originate except within our minds, and that makes me wonder; is this another way the brain tricks us to keep us from taking the necessary steps to affect a change? Remember your brain will do whatever it can to keep things the way they are. It's your brain's job to keep everything running smoothly and change is anything but smooth.
Stop waiting for some magic moment that won't ever materialize and live for today. If you like being outdoors, go be outdoors. Do you love the water but you haven't been in a pool for 20 years because you think you look awful in a swimming suit? Who cares? Go swimming, today, tomorrow, or next week. Just go. Have fun, be active. If no one would venture out unless they were perfect the streets would be deserted.
It's Not Always About Us
Think about this: Sally cannot stand to go out because she doesn't want anyone to see her in a size 22 dress. She's embarrassed and too self consciousness, so she doesn't date. On her way to work one day she has to stop and buy some stamps. John passes her on the street on his way to the post office, but she didn't see him because she was looking at her shoes and feeling bad for herself. As John walks past he's busy thinking about how he wants to join the gym and get "back in shape" but he can't seem to get started. After all, "Everyone will notice me and laugh."
Mary the postal clerk is wearing a dress that no longer fits because she's lost 25 pounds yet can't bring herself to buy new clothes because, "What if I gain it all right back? That would be horrible and so embarrassing. It's better to wait." She's lost in her thoughts and almost gives John the wrong change, which he hardly notices because he's still obsessing about the gym and the horror of everyone noticing him.
Neither Sally, John or Mary see anyone but themselves. None of them noticed the other even when they had an opportunity. Surprisingly none of us is the center of attention expect perhaps at your own wedding, and sometimes not even then. Therefore, stop being so self-centered and get yourself out doing what you want to do. Sure there are always people who will make a rude remark, but hey, they do not know you. They don't know anything about you and probably never will, and guess what? They don't really care, which is why they have fun being rude to strangers, so why should you?
Show care where you can make a difference. Show care when you are able to help someone without expecting something in return. Life is short. The days go by in an endless stream from one moment to the next and what you do with this life is entirely up to you. It's not always about food. You can make a difference in your own life, if you just take that first step and stop putting life off.
~~ Kathryn Martyn, Master NLP Practitioner, EFT counselor, author of the free e-book: Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss, and owner of OneMoreBite-Weightloss.com
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