Have you ever found yourself putting off doing that thing that you want to do – something that will bring you joy and make you happy – but you haven’t done it yet because of how you’re feeling in your skin, which is accompanied by that annoying voice in your head that exacerbates that feeling?
I want to share a personal story about a similar situation I had recently when I was thinking about applying to become a group fitness trainer. At first, I was super excited but slowly, I could feel the self-doubt start to creep in and I kept putting off submitting the application. At one point, a friend asked me how the process was going and I replied, “Oh, I don’t think I’m going to apply after all. I don’t think I’m fit enough.”
Now, if you know me, you know that I LOVE moving my body and that I’ve been consistently training since I was 24, after the guy I was dating unexpectedly broke up with me, days before Valentine’s Day. Heart-broken, and with too much free time on my hands, I decided to join a gym. May as well work on myself so that when this guy runs into me again, he’s going to regret letting me go, was my thinking. 🤦🏻♀️ (Funnily, I did run into him months later…while he was on a date. 😭)
Buuut, I digress.
This is to say that my love affair with moving my body, getting stronger, and working on my flexibility started decades ago. I have participated in thousands of group classes: HIIT, hula hoop, Muay Thai, boxing, trampolining, yoga, CrossFit, kickboxing, all types of dance, circus ring, strength, flexibility, jump rope, self-defense, circuit, spin, abs, pilates…you name it, I’ve probably done it. Barring injury and illness (this is a new-ish development; I used to push myself through even that, but that’s another story for another time), I make it a priority to move my body regularly, especially during times of uncertainty like the Pandemic Years.
And yet, there was still a voice in the back of my head that was whispering, “You’re not ready. You’re not at peak fitness. Don’t do it. You’re just going to fail.”
Then serendipitously, a random email landed in my inbox. I didn’t read the whole thing, but I saw this one line: “I’m not fit enough, but once I get in better shape, then I’ll be ready to coach.”
That activated my coaching instincts. If a client had said that to me, I would have immediately questioned them:
“How will you know when you’re in better shape?”
“You say that you’re not fit enough; what evidence is there that you are?”
“What does it mean to be ready to coach?”
Realizing that in this instance, I was the client, I started asking myself these questions and realized that my inner voice was lying to me, in an effort to protect me.
And how often has your inner voice affected your decision-making, negotiating when you should do something?
“You shouldn’t get that tattoo until you lose weight.”
“You can’t buy that dress until you’re a size x.”
“You shouldn’t start dating until you feel better about yourself.”
Fuuuuuck that.
It’s possible that if you listened to that voice, you’ll never get that tattoo, or that dress, or that hot date because you will always be waiting for the right moment – a moment that may never come.
Because the thing is – you have to create your right moment.
There will always be something that will stop you from doing the thing you want. That voice in your head is there to protect you, but that voice also spouts off lies in order to do so.
Know that you are enough now. Take that first step and see where it gets you. You’ll learn more about yourself in the meantime and who wouldn’t want to learn more about this fabulous creature that is you?
When I realized that it was my internal monologue holding me back, I decided to feel the fear and do it anyway. I started the process of becoming a fitness trainer and it’s made me realize that had my inner voice been successful, I wouldn’t have been able to experience all the fun and excitement that I’ve been having. On top of that, I’ve realized that this will be another way I can help people connect with their bodies again – bonus. 🙂
If there is a goal that you’re struggling to achieve because of how you’re feeling in your body, I invite you to book a free call with me so we can talk about how I can support you. Alternatively, sign up to my email list or follow me on Instagram to get more bite-sized bits from me!
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