You might remember the blog post about one of my clients who was challenged with weight loss. What I may not have shared in that post is that using the steps in my book, she (my client) lost 120 pounds over about a one and a half year period of time. Her story is below, used with permission.
One of the challenges she had was overcoming her mindset. What I also didn’t tell you about is what happened on the first day of our “kitchen cleansing.” It was funny on one hand, and a great demonstration of how we can create a life filled with challenges on the other hand. Here’s the story.
I arrived at her home for our first of five sessions. The first session is called the Kitchen Cleansing. It is a process in which we go through your kitchen cabinets and identify what you eat. I then draw a correlation between what is in your kitchen cabinets and the mindset that keeps you from winning the weight challenge. – long term.
Shortly after I entered in to the house, she began to explain to me how challenged she was with preparing for this first day. She began to explain how she was going to really be committed to this process and how she was not “hiding anything” anywhere in her home.
After she shared that info, I could see the body language of one of her friends, who was there to also experience the kitchen cleansing. After observing her friend’s non-verbals, I asked my client, “what have you hidden?” She shyly replied, “Nothing. Why do you ask?” After a few minutes of going back and forth, she finally admitted to this one act of desperation.
She had hidden, under her bed, two gallons of ice cream and some Oreo cookies. It was funny because when I lifted up the bedspread and looked, I saw two gallons of ice cream, melting slowly and leaking all over the carpet under her bed. It was too funny on one hand.
On the other hand, it was a great testimony of how ridiculously far one is willing to go to support a very detrimental habit. She was so embarrassed that I almost felt as though I needed to give her a break for doing what she did. BUT, I didn’t.
That was the beginning of her Letting Go of Stuff journey. At the end of her journey she lost 120 pounds. I am so proud of her still, even though that was several years back.
You may be wondering how she is doing today. Just fine and still wearing a size 10 (down from a 16 years ago).
The point to the story is as follows. Regardless of the challenges along the way, if you allow yourself to be focused on your goals and remain steadfast in their fulfillment, then success is inevitable on many levels.
What ever your goals – weight loss, making money, being a better mother or father, being a better partner/spouse, getting that job you always dreamed of, starting that business you have always wanted, quitting smoking, exercising more, being a better friend or lover, (or both), being a better son or daughter, or treating better the people you believe you love – you can do it. You can accomplish THAT goal, and more.
Among other things, you must plan, act, and believe.
More to come…
