Sunday Story…Reasons

I talk to a lot of people every week. And most of what I talk about is change. Change your diet, change how you move, change what you put into your mind, and change what comes out of your mouth…change. And yet, even in the face of credible, honest, fact checked information I hear why someone can’t make the change.

They know it is good for them.
They know their life will be better…healthier, easier, less stressed.
They know it is the right thing to do.
They know there is little to no downside to making the change.
Everyone has lots of reasons (excuses) for not doing what they know (deep inside) they should be doing. All of those reasons can be distilled down to just 2.
#1 Reason
Inability
You are unable to stop drinking soda. The thought of stopping creates a rush of fear like the fear of death. The idea of never eating another French fry is so abhorrent that you get physically ill when you even think of it. You have a panic attack when someone suggests that you cut down on smoking.
This is a sad state of affairs. This is you being bested by a cigarette, a soda, a cold shower, a French fried potato. This is you being beaten by an inanimate object. This is you being owned by your easy choice. This is you living in fear.
How you do one thing is how you do everything.
If you allow this one thing to beat you, pretty soon life is going to beat you. This one choice, this inability to do the right thing is going to permeate your entire life…your work, your relationship, your morality. Your overarching desire to take the easy way, the relaxed way is going to prevent you from living the full life you richly deserve. All because you didn’t want to do something a little scary. Do something every day that scares you just a little even if it’s a cold shower.

#2 Reason
Arrogance
This is the most common and most dangerous of the two reasons. People say…
It won’t work for me.
It’s stupid.
I’m the exception to the rule.
I heard there was some expert somewhere who said all the other experts are wrong.
You are full of it (the personal attack).
None of these things are true by the way.
Whatever all of that stuff is the bottom line is this:
You don’t want to be uncomfortable. You don’t want to take the first step out of your comfort zone because it going to be slightly, maybe, sort of, you think, uncomfortable or difficult or maybe even hard. The fact is none of us want to be uncomfortable. Everyone wants a nice warm house, a body that is physical fit (and looks good naked), the ability to eat anything and everything, clean air and water, well mannered children, youthful good looks and on and on and on…without doing anything about it. This is not any reality I have ever seen.


Anything worth having is worth working for and worth being uncomfortable for some period of time. Maybe having a headache for 3 days while you quit your 2 pots of coffee a day habit (I couldn’t do that! How will I ever wake up! I like my coffee!) is an improvement over the addiction. You never know how bad you felt until you find out how good you feel. Cutting the sugar from your diet is worth the discomfort of the withdrawals for a week or two when faced with a life time of diabetes, obesity, and hypertension and all the pills and potions that go along with that (but it won’t happen to me!). The bottom line is that in order to get what you have never gotten you are going to have to do what you have never done. It is that simple. You are not the exception to the rule. You are the same as all the rest of us naked apes. Embrace it and embrace the uncomfortable.



So if you haven’t taken the plunge into the change you know you need to do…no matter what your reason …whether you are crippled by your addiction to comfort or your attitude of arrogance, I just ask one thing:
Try it for 30 days. One day at a time. Just do it tomorrow. Just do it for the next 5 minutes. Try a little discomfort on for size. You might find it to be just the right size.

Namaste
John
“Teaching Focus, Inspiring Transformation”
www.martialartsnevada.com

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