I've been thinking a lot about fears lately. We all have things in our lives that seem scary; spiders, really high diving boards and the dark (hey, don't make fun!) all come to my mind. Beyond those, there are other things that can feel scary. When we are presented with the opportunity to face a fear, do we confront it head on or do we turn and run the other way? Or worse, do we become paralyzed by the fear and do NOTHING!
With that in mind, there are a few things that can seem scary when considering whether to join a weight loss challenge, such as:
IT MIGHT BE HARD
What if there’s no magic pill and I actually have to exercise more than a couple days a week, eat healthy food and not gorge myself daily on the sweets I’ve grown accustomed to? [Spoiler alert: there’s no magic pill]
IT MIGHT BE CONFUSING
What if I don’t understand what I’m suppose to do and feel lost the whole time?
I MIGHT HIT A PLATEAU
What if I do really well, get all excited, then my momentum comes to a screeching halt?
MY TEAM MIGHT BOMB
What if I lose some points and my team totally ostracizes me? Or the other way around, my teammates don’t want to put in the effort and I want to ostracize my team?
I MIGHT FAIL
What if I mess up, don't give it my best effort and I fail?
I MIGHT SUCCEED
What if I lose the weight and the rest of my life remains the same or completely changes?
FACING THE TRUTH OF THE FEARS
Each one of those fears could manifest themselves. Didn’t expect honesty, did ya? Yes, it WILL be hard, that’s why it’s called a challenge. Anything new can feel confusing; your team might give up, you might hit a stubborn plateau, and you may stumble and fall along the way. Yes, all of that could very well happen.
BUT, what if…
…YOU REALIZED THAT YOU COULD DO HARD THINGS?
…YOU ASKED FOR HELP, AND GOT IT?
…YOU RECEIVED THE TOOLS AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO PUSH PAST A PLATEAU?
…YOU LEARNED THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT AND LIFT OTHERS TO BECOME A LITTLE BETTER?
…YOU LEARNED THE TRUE VALUE OF DETERMINATION, PERSERVERENCE AND DEDICATION BY LIVING IT?
…YOU DISCOVERED WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF?
There is a reason fear has been on my mind recently. Valerie and I have been working overtime this past year to improve Lifetime Wellness Challenge with each challenge we host. We, of course, still have lots of great projects in the works beyond fun and effective weekly bonuses (online points submission is TOP of the list) that we want to share! With each new development, update or addition there’s always a great amount of excitement, but there’s also an element of apprehension, aka fear, that seems to accompany it. Are we doing the right thing? Will they love it or hate it? Is this going to totally BOMB?!?
In the end should we allow those fears to paralyze our efforts or do we climb that tall ladder that hangs far over the water’s edge and jump right in? Who cares if it ends in a belly flop or some crazy kamikaze spectacle? We’ll have had the chance to feel the exhilaration of attempting something amazing. If we can let go of the negative emotions associated with fear and embrace the positive emotions of trying something scary and giving it our all, we’ll be better for it.
We're not going to let "fear" get in the way of trying something new and putting ourselves out there and you shouldn't either!!
psst…Lifetime Wellness Challenge will be featured on Six Sisters Stuff today! Be sure to check it out.
Transform your lifestyle by creating common-sense healthy habits. Earn points daily for making choices that ultimately improve your health.
Our 8-week challenges provide the friendly competition and accountability you need to make your weight loss journey fun AND effective
We provide the tools and training that you’ll need to succeed - no diet, no fads. Overall wellness is the NUMBER ONE goal at LWC.