The leader was passionate, charming, moving and had huge biceps. Life's timing was impeccable because I was in a quandary, looking for guidance. I remember on Day One listening to the leader preach that outsiders would mistake our passion and call it excessive. Here I humbly stand, three months later, proclaiming his vision as a transformed human being still on my quest.
Basically, what I'm saying is that I joined a gym not just any gym, but I'll get to that.
For the past two years, I've been on a huge search for balance. Balance in my work, play, travel, meditation, finances, friends and fitness, and to be quite honest, up until a few months ago I felt like I had nailed the zensation sweet spot of my life. Great job? Check. Sweet living spot? Oh yeah. Friends? The best. Finances? I'm not making it rain, but I'm also not in drought. Meditation? Pretty often. Fitness? Sure, I go to the gym. Travel? Have you seen my Instagram?
But as I sat on the floor listening to this wise (and buff) leader on that memorable Day One, he spoke over and over again about the two bad bad D words. Dedication and Diet. It hit me. For the past three years, my journal was filled with New Year's resolutions and a laundry list of awesomeness that had cross throughs from everything I had accomplished. All but one thing, my goal weight. Seriously. In that moment it dawned on me that balance was going to have to be thrown out the window. If I truly, sincerely desired change, I had to do something different. In that same moment a familiar mantra from my old trainer Kris annoyingly repeated in my head "If you want something different, you are going to have to do something different."
I changed everything. My night owl ways turned into a 4:20am wake-up call. My cardio heavy life-style became heavy weight lifting. My high consumption of fruits were replaced with protein. Eating out with friends became meal prepping Sundays. My weekends of ass shaking were now mornings of burpees. Effing. Burpees.
I'll be the first to admit that this is extreme, imbalanced, hell even nuts, but my desire for a JLo butt and Ane Cheri abs outweighed my desire for tacos and mojitos (most days). When I stand on that mountain top, actually when I'm confidently in a bikini on the beach of Hermosa, the extreme imbalance will bring far more joy than moderate balance. I'll figure out a way to make this change a healthy lifestyle, but right now, let me be excessive. Let me be driven. Let me be nuts. Nuts....mmmm.
It's time to teeter totter on the side of excessive to get what I really want.
SONG OF THE DAY
Jack Garratt
Surprise Yourself
