-by Mindy Irish
One of my favorite instructors in class often says, “Someone in your life needs you to be a leader today. Someone is relying on you to pull them up to a better place.”
Life is made up of a flow of people. Some flows are good and some are yet to be desired. When it comes to health and fitness, the commonality of our fast-paced society is leaning more towards the negative side of things. As a result, obesity, disease, and premature death are rising each year. As a nation, we’ve gotten numb to our poor health state and condition and we have to do something about that!
Going against the flow as it relates to health and fitness means becoming a leader and taking a stand against the norm in our society. When you make the choice to live a fit lifestyle, you’re making the choice to be different. You’re making the choice to speak up for whole-food options when ordering your food at a restaurant. You’re making the choice to track your eats, spend more time prepping your food, and investing in getting educated about food labels and ingredients on the items you eat. It won’t be easy, it will take more time, you might feel uncomfortable and different, but that’s ok….it’s worth it!
Many people are afraid to be different. Different may sometimes feel lonely. But different is not wrong, it’s just different. Realize that being different in health and fitness means many people are going to be watching you. They might steer clear for a bit or voice their “concerns” about what you’re doing, but they are watching! Making a choice to be healthy means you are setting yourself up to be a leader. People are watching your words, your actions, and your lifestyle.
You may not see it tomorrow, next month, in a year, or ever, but know that the choices you make to take a stand to live a better life are impacting those around you. Sadly, often times when you make a change, you’ll see who in your life can and cannot handle it. You’ll be surprised who joins your cheering squad, who follows your lead, and who turns the other way and wants nothing to do with the new lifestyle you lead. It happens, but it’s their issue, not yours! Keep your focus and remember your why.
Today is a great day for you to step up and take a stand. Be different, be a leader, and go against the flow. People need you to do what they can’t and in due time, the seeds you’re planting will come to bloom in their lives, too! Changing the health state of our society doesn’t happen from the top down. It happens at the grass roots, one by one making the choice to be different….in order to make a difference! So have at it. Step up and go against the flow!
