Lost and Finding Joy

One of my all time favorite mentors is Robert Kiyosaki. He teaches financial education and wrote the book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He taught more than finance, as most wise teachers do. It’s not knowledge that is power. It’s the application of that knowledge. Robert Kiyosaki knew that, so he taught important principles that helps us get past some of the stuff that stops us from applying new knowledge. First, is fear. Fear of failure; fear of success; fear in general. Fear is the biggest dream killer. Much of his wisdom sticks with me and I can often hear him in my mind. Being an entrepreneur, this is one thing I can still hear him saying: “If 9 out of 10 businesses fail, then start 10 businesses!” I thought, well heck yeah. Just start 10 businesses. Failure just isn’t an option.

I am applying that now on my journey for optimal weight. If I fail 20 times losing weight, then do it 21 times! Truth is, I’ve probably “failed” at it more than 20 times, but I have I really failed? Of course not. I’m doing it again.

The great news is that I have lost 10 pounds since I’ve started this weight- loss portion of my “Just Average” blog. It feels great. It really does. I have about 30 pounds to go. I’m making progress, but I should tell you, it hasn’t been easy. I’ve wanted to quit multiple times. That’s why our WHY has to be bigger than the gravitational pull back to the bad habits or what is called the comfort zone. The comfort zone isn’t necessarily comfortable. It’s just familiar.

I’m just finally fed up with carrying extra weight and I am ready to be more disciplined and more in the driver’s seat of what I choose to eat and what activities I do or don’t do.

When we decide to do something transformational like this, it’s like an internal battle begins between our mind & body and our spirit. So, my mind & body wanted to stay on the same program it had been on for quite some time. That part of me wanted to eat the pizza at 10:00 at night, or go to the Mexican restaurant and eat the chips and dip. It wanted to get that midnight snack and drink that soda. That part of me obviously did not know what was best. One of my other favorite mentors is Mary Morrissey. She teaches metaphysical concepts and what I like to call “the quantums.” It’s not a real word, but as I was beginning to learn some basic quantum physics, a young man in the room called it, “The Quantums,” and it stuck with me. Basically, it’s the science behind how we attract certain things or events into our lives. I’m getting off track here, but it’s worth saying. We are attracting and creating all the time, and it begins with our thoughts. Most people don’t understand this concept, because if we really understood it, we would be very mindful of our thoughts, which would lead to better feelings, which would lead to better actions, which would lead to better results. If more people understood this concept, this world would be very different. People would understand there is no lack of anything. We wouldn’t compete with each other. People would understand that we really do receive what we give, (or in other words, we reap what we sow). If we really understood this, people would be kinder. So…back to what my mentor Mary Morrissey taught me. She said, “Our mind is a wonderful servant, but a horrible leader.” Our spirit, (or that part of us that can observe our thoughts, or notice our body), that’s the part we want to listen to. That’s the part of us that gives more life-giving instructions and is an excellent leader. When we listen to that part of us enough times, our mind & body falls in line and new, better habits are established. So, now, when a thought pops in my head like, “Go ahead. You can eat that piece of pizza…what’s the big deal? It’s just one piece.” I come back at it with my WHY and say, “I don’t want that dang piece of pizza. I’d rather feel good in my clothes. I’d rather have more energy. I love being able to comfortably play in the floor with my grandchildren.”

So in honor of what Robert Kiyosaki and Mary Morrissey taught me: I took some steps. First, I made the decision to try again, regardless of how many times I’ve tried and failed. I changed my thinking from telling myself, “I’m gaining so much weight,” to “I’m so happy and grateful that I am losing 40 lbs.” I began telling myself, “Every day in every way I am getting better and better.” Then I ordered Nutrisystem to help me stop the cycle of eating so much crap. I took another step and began intermittent fasting, then acupuncture. I rode my bicycle which led to more energy and being more productive. Those were all positive steps. I wasn’t perfect at it, I was losing some weight and gaining some back; but, I didn’t quit. Now, I am on a diet called, Optavia, which I am enjoying. So far, I am only losing weight (not gaining) since starting this diet plan three weeks ago. Overall, I’m down 10 lbs and I’m still… advancing confidently in the direction of my dream.

What’s next? I don’t even know. I’ll let you know when I do it. Optavia may take me all the way. I don’t know yet. I’m just going the next 500 feet. That’s all I can do. As Steve Jobs puts it, “we can’t connect all the dots looking forward…” To get anywhere, we just need to know our end result and “trust that the dots will connect in our future.”

My end result? 130 lbs. 🙂