Y’know when you feel super passionate about something, that drive and inspired feeling you get when you really “get” something, you know you have to do this or your life just won’t feel right?
You dream about it, it excites you, when you write about it, speak about it, take action on it, it’s gives you that “good anxious”, nervous “woo hoo” feeling?
I feel like that about what I do… I love it.
I love my clients and I love helping them transform their bodies and lives. I love the community we’ve all created. And feel like it’s a huge blessing in my life.
I can’t imagine my life without doing this.
When you feel like this about something it sucks when people keep trying to squash your dreams.
In my early 20’s I met a bodybuilder who inspired me. She became my Personal Trainer (PT). It led to me transforming my body, throwing in my job, going off to study to be a PT and even though I had so many people telling me it was the dumbest idea they’d heard me come up with… I did it anyway.
When I started with her, because she was a Aussie Champion Bodybuilder, because I had struggled with yo-yo diets and fitness efforts in the past, I copped all the usual…
“You won’t get into shape, you’re wasting your time”
“Mandy, the Personal Trainer you work with, looks like a man (she DIDN’T by the way) you’ll look like that soon and guys don’t like girls who train with weights”
“The training will be too hard for you, you’re not fit enough, you’ll end up quitting in a few weeks”.
I still went ahead and did it anyway.
I got great results, REALLY REALLY great results.
Then came the sarcastic comments like..
“I suppose you think you’re too good for us now?”
“You taking steroids? You must be doing something to look like that?”
– I was so upset!
Back then I didn’t even know what protein powder was LOL :-), all I was doing was weight training and making healthier choices with my food (before that I was eating heaps of crap). I actually wasn’t that muscular, it was more because I’d lost so much bodyfat, so it made my muscles look a bit more defined…
“Who do you think you are getting into shape like that. You’re not going to compete, what’s the use of looking like that”
“I guess you’re not going to be partying with us anymore”
“(rolling eyes)… what are you eating to get those kind of results, I suppose you’re eating nothing but lettuce?”
“Y’know that no one will want to hangout with you anymore because the girls will hate you because you’re in good shape now”
“People who train at the gym and use weights think their sh-t doesn’t stink, you’re one of those people now”.
It was relentless…
Thing is, I’d never looked or felt as good as that and I knew I wanted more.
I didn’t want to be around all this negativity anymore.
I was sick and tired of feeling stuck in the clothing retail job I was in, amongst all the nasty gossip and shitty stuff people were saying about me and the changes I’d made.
I wanted to be somewhere that I could follow my new passion.
I quit my job, got work at a gym as the receptionist and cleaner so I could be around people that were passionate about achieving their dream body like I was, they were living that life and experiencing a healthier lifestyle.
Yes…. Still after all of that… everyone was horrified that I’d quit my job and changed so many things – all because “I’d started exercising”.
Truth is, it just felt so right that I knew that if I could change my body like this, just via resistance training and nutrition… I could help others do it too. Leading to me studying and becoming a Personal Fitness Trainer.
Yes, I’ve copped more negative flack for my dream and goals since then… Most of my friends still don’t get me. That’s ok… because I’m making a difference in people’s lives and I’m doing what I love.
The friends that do “get me” and care about me for who I am, I feel the same about them… I appreciate them no end.
Also I truly believe when you put “out there” what you love and what you’re passionate about, you’ll attract people that have similar interests. I feel very blessed for the relationships, both personal and business, that I have in my life.
Yes, there have been things in my life I haven’t done, or were afraid to do, because I let people drag me down with them.
And yes there’s been plenty of times when I actually started believing what they were saying to me and even started saying those same things to myself…
“You’re not good enough to do that”
“You’ve hit your 40’s now, its time to just mellow out and not give crap about looking after your body or keeping in shape”
“Your personality isn’t big enough, you’re not controversial enough, you’re not cocky enough to be successful and change people’s lives”
“People who dream big are losers… Just like you! You need to quit wanting to change people’s lives, you’re only one person, and do go something else that’s normal.”
Fact is… None of this is true… (it’s just fears kicking in). I CAN defend every point with total confidence. But still it can get exhausting listening to it (whether it’s my head playing games with me or coming from someone else). When it’s someone else, it’s just them forcing their own issues and beliefs onto me.
I like the person I am, I like my approach to helping people change their bodies, their mindset and feel awesome about themselves. I love that I’m passionate about animal welfare. That’s part of who I am.
Don’t let others (and even you) stomp on your DREAMS to achieve your fat loss goals, the picture in your head of the body you’d really love to have…
You deserve to achieve that dream
You know deep down the impact it will have on your life, improved health, fitness, self esteem
You don’t need to take on their crap and issues and make them yours
Living with regrets and looking back to this point 5 years from now and wishing you had’ve done something sooner, will suck.
Believe in yourself enough to know that this huge for you…
It’s ok for this to be a big deal for you. You’re more than allowed to get in there and achieve that dream body.
Holding yourself back from feeling awesome about yourself is a “shitty” way to live.
Stop thinking about the “what if?” bad stuff and start thinking about the “what if? good stuff.
What if you started today, made a commitment to yourself to make the changes you want.
What if there’s a whole awesome life ahead of you that you haven’t even had the chance to experience yet because you haven’t allowed yourself to go there?
Forget about focusing on the uncompromising negative comments, focus on YOU being relentless, passionate, fulfilled to make your goals happen and experiencing the body, YOUR BODY, that you love and the awe-inspiring repercussions of that.
If you’re ready, and you know that it’s time to get in there and make it happen…
Then it’s time to get started today!
Warm regards and hugs…
