My Motivation

I think I've already written about this subject before, but since I continue to grow (personally) I become more clear about my motivation, and it changes, and keeps changing, in fact it gets stronger.

Mark and I had a conversation about my last post on motivation and he offered this phrase, "actively creating". I had to write that down, because it's so right on about what's going on with me. My motivation is not only about my diet and exercise, but creating a good life. In fact, the good life comes first, the diet and exercise enhance my good life, because I feel good from the inside out, and from the outside, in!

Mark talked about how people go into the gym and think, "I want that body", he is, of course, describing that body as the one everyone supposedly wants, lean and muscular. And then he said, "I don't want that body, I want to be the kind of person that has that body". Exactly.

I want to be the kind of person that you know, by looking at me, that I take care of myself. That I'm smart and hard working. That I don't take good health for granted. That I feel happy and so very lucky to have a great life.....and I'm willing to share that!

When I look in the mirror I see a body, and a person I like. Is my body perfect? Hell no, but it's perfect for me. I like the body I've created so much I want it to be and get better, and I know it can! How exciting is that? My motivation is excitement! The excitement I feel everyday when I make good choices toward my ultimate goal, long term joy about my life.

Did my motivation start this way? Kind of. I realized one day that I was happy....and I wanted more...I wanted to be around a long time and to feel better and good about myself. I knew I could do it and my motivation came from proving to others that I knew how to, and that I was capable of do it...and that I could do it better than anyone else..so I guess my ego was involved!

The challenge to prove others wrong about me. Wrong about the judgements placed on me because I was fat. Some of them were right (judgements), of course, like being a little self destructive, lacking impulse control, chosing to be out of touch with my body, but those things were such a small part of who I was. And, sometimes now, still a small part, a very small, practically nonexistent part (LOL).

So my motivation came from happiness and appreciation, and I ended up with more happiness and more appreciation! Sometimes motivation came from fear, the fear of losing it all, but I know better now! All I have to do is eat good food, move my body, swing a kettlebell, be a nice person, be a giving person, be a happy person, and I can do that!