What is inspiration? Is it something we read? Something we experience? Or people we look up to? Whether we recognize it or not, we all draw inspiration from something at some point in our lives. The question isn’t really about what inspires you specifically. It’s more about how we become inspired and then keep it. That’s the tricky part. Keeping it. Holding onto it. Making sure that we never lose it so that we can continue to flourish and become the best that we set out to be. In a world filled with inspirational things, isn’t it a little exhausting and distracting to always be on the search for the next thing to keep you inspired? What if there was a way to keep it and utilize these other influencers as assistants, but not main drivers?
Now, I don’t think that I am the inspirational Guru or that I have all the answers, but what I have come to learn is that inspiration needs to start from within. Yeah, I know. Here I go, taking you on a self-help quest to help you reach your goals, but I am serious. You don’t necessarily need to reinvent yourself or “find yourself” to find inspiration within. You just need to… wait for it…. drum roll pleaseeeeee…… you need to believe in yourself. I know that sounds cheesy, but it’s true! How do you expect anyone else to believe that you can do it if you don’t think you can.
This is one of those things that sounds really easy to do, yet we never actually can seem to do it. It’s like flossing your teeth. It only takes an extra 2 minutes, MAYBE, for better dental hygiene, but I just can’t seem to take the time each night before bed to do it. Super easy, but I fail most nights. Why can’t I seem to do such a simple task that many people have no problem doing? The reason is as simple as the task at hand. It hasn’t become the most important thing to me. Every 6 months I get my regular teeth cleaning and everything always checks out. No cavities, no gum disease, just the typical build up that gets scraped away only to pile back on until my next appointment. There has been no inner driver or reason for me to change this habit. Are you guys following me here? I know that sounds insane to compare my flossing to your fitness goals, but it all applies the same way. Let me explain…
I have been working in health and fitness professionally for over 10+ years. Enough time to see the same frustrating pattern over and over and over again. A person approaches me and says, “Shayna, I want to lose 20 pounds.” I match their enthusiasm and say, “Great! Here is what we need to do in order to make that happen.” I then go into details. [Sidebar – if any of you have ever worked with me, you know I never let you guys bite off more than you can chew. It’s a series of small and progressive steps. Patience is key.] We get started on their program and the ball towards 20 pounds down is rolling! I become the inspiration assistant that makes their goal a little more realistic.
After about 1-2 months, the honeymoon phase is over (sooner for some people). At this point you probably don’t see the problem or the pattern, but I do. Workouts are missed. Our metaphorical nutrition scale starts to tip a little further away from balanced and into unhealthy habits. Vitamins are stored away under the sink and become out of sight and out of mind. We start to become distracted by anything and everything that life throws at us, and that’s okay. Those things are going to happen. I never asked anyone for perfection, just forward progress. Here’s the main problem… You have lost inspiration and you no longer believe in yourself. You have allowed external factors to roadblock you and take precedence. Now your 20 pound weight loss goal turns into an age problem or a thyroid problem or a because I had a baby 10 years ago problem. Wrong, wrong and wrong. Yes these are valid concerns for some people, but these obstacles can be overcome. That’s my job! Your main issue is that you stopped making 20 pounds of weight loss important. You gave up. You won’t tell yourself you did, but you did. You settled. If anyone out there has ever started a business, you know exactly what I am talking about. The successful business owners never stopped making it their top priority. This doesn’t mean you ignore other aspects of your life, but it means you need to continually evaluate what your top priorities are (because they will constantly change). I can’t be the one that tells you what is or isn’t important.
When you work with me, you get an assistant. Not a driver. That’s not me and how I coach. I want to walk alongside you and guide you down your path of success. I have the tools (or the GPS) to help get you to where you need to be. I want to be your copilot. You drive the car, because if I drive the car we end up out of gas and never arrive at our destination. Do you understand? Nod if you understand.
The main point that I am trying to get across is, don’t rely on me, your mother, partner, coworkers, friends or social media to inspire you to do the things that set your soul on fire. You start the fire and they help keep it burning along the way. If there is anything that tries to put that fire out, you move right through it and keep going. There will be doubts and a lot of uncertainty about whether you can do it, but fuck it, I think it’s worth a shot. Bet on yourself and the rest is history. If you don’t want it for yourself, no one will.
I just want to see you succeed. Message me if you need a copilot. I am here for you!
