It Takes a Village

In the game of life, we know that we are not alone, nor do we want to be alone--especially when tough times come calling.  Even our introverted friends need valuable connections with others to keep them feeling vibrant and part of a bigger picture.  When we start something new, pursue a new venture at work or home, take on a new responsibility or role, we usually ask others who have done this before for their help.  Help can come in the form of advice, personal experience, testimony and sometimes a sounding board.

As we evolve and set the bar higher than it was before regarding weight loss, healthy habits, fitness and fulfillment, we are walking down a path that many have gone down before and many continue to go down.  We will have lots of company to keep us supported and inspired.  There is so much information, advice and how-to's in the world nowadays, that we don't need to look far for a bright idea to try with a new recipe, exercise technique or social group to keep us interested and curious.

But what about the people closest to us?  What about the ones who "should" be supporting us from the very start and all the way through?  Why do those people sometimes seem like saboteurs instead of cheer leaders?  Who knows is the answer to that question.  Unfortunately, even our nearest and dearest do not always "show up" for us the way we'd like them to.  Maybe they don't believe our self improvement efforts are real (this time).  Maybe they are secretly jealous of us.  Maybe they wish they could do things like say NO to chips and salsa on a Mexican vacation or say YES to the gym at 6AM.  Maybe they fear that if we change, then we might be expecting them to change.  Whatever the reason, we know that when we don't get positive feedback from the ones we love, we need to move on to other people for that kind of support.

It does take a village to keep going.  It takes people from all circles who are working on bettering their lives, one day at a time, to keep up the energy and enthusiasm for the work that's involved. Sometimes by seeing a complete stranger with a lot of weight to lose, working out at the gym, inspires me.  I realize that we are all in this together.  No matter where we are in the journey, we all have the same job to do.

Get up every day.
Show up for your life.
Be present and mindful of your behavior.
Make a small change at first and then let that grow into a bigger difference.