Fear, it’s a small word, but a BIG issue in regards to starting a lifestyle change. Fear is defined as a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc.,whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Beginning a new lifestyle with changes in diet or exercise can be distressing to most just because it’s a challenge. It is outside of your comfort zone and may be drastically different from your current lifestyle. Personally, when I first began this journey I was terrified of failing. I wanted to be successful at this journey and I didn’t want to let myself down or my family down. Everyone’s fear is going to be different, but the fact is we all have a fear when it comes to starting something new.
If you follow my Facebook page, Building A Better You with Coach Courtney B, you probably noticed that I was watching “The Biggest Loser” last night. This is a show that my hubby and I have watched for many years. Although, the way the contestants are made to lose weight at times may be unhealthy, you learn some valuable lessons from the show that you can incorporate into your own journey. Last night, they discussed at great length how the contestants needed to overcome their fears in order to see successes in the gym. One contestant had a very moving and heartbreaking story which was holding her back from being successful with her workouts. Once she acknowledge her fear and forgave herself for what happened in her past, you could see a change in her and her workouts.
With the new year comes fear. Everyone has some type of health related resolution. If you aren’t currently exercising, the new year is usually the time you start and going to the gym is intimidating, especially if yo
u have been “out of the game” for a while. I saw many posts yesterday of people asking for forgiveness for being “the new person” in the gym. For those of us that this is now a lifestyle, we need to be kind and understanding to those who are starting their journey. We were once there too and we need to be reminded of this from time to time. If you see someone new in the gym, smile and be kind to them. Say hello if the opportunity arises and help them if they look lost and confused. Everyone has to start somewhere, and entering a gym for the first time is a big fear for some!
Starting a new routine is scary! Like I said earlier, my biggest fear was failing! I have had my set backs, but you learn from your set backs and keep going. Something that was said last night on the show, is that you will fail your way to success. This is the TRUTH! You won’t be successful the first time and at times you may struggle, what counts is that you DON’T GIVE UP! You will have hurdles to jump over and there will be obstacles in the way, but stay motivated and see it through.
Lifestyle changes are hard because they take you outside of your comfort zone. They create fear of change, rejection, or being a bother to someone. Truth is, we need to help one another. We need to be a motivator for others not just ourselves. We are all in this fight together. You could be a fitness junkie or a fitness rookie, but at some point in time you felt fear about starting something new. You need to learn ways to conquer your fear and not let it hold you back. Don’t let fear cause a roadblock in your journey that makes you stop progressing. Conquer your fears and move forward with your journey.
I encourage each and every one of you to find something tha
t you find fearful and try and overcome that fear. If working out is a fear for you, we can work through that together. We can talk about options for getting in physical activity during they day. You don’t have to belong to a gym to “work out”. I encourage you that if you want to start some type of physical activity, reach out and I will be glad to help you. I
f nutrition is a fear of yours because you don’t know where to start or you just like what you like, I encourage you to reach out and I will help you any way I can. This journey is a learning opportunity, take advantage of each and every new opportunity and don’t let fear keep from the experience!
Build A Better You! 