They started rolling in a couple of weeks ago. The new people at the gym. I don't dislike the surge in the crowd. I think about what motivated them to get there. I wish they didn't look so nervous and intimated because most of us don't know what we're doing with all those machines either. I'd like to host a "new people" meet and greet and hear their stories.
Change is hard.
Change is misunderstood.
I'm still trying to stick to my fitness goals. Everyday.
Here's what I want to say to the new people at the gym, it's not about how to use the equipment or the best sports bra. It's about how to maintain changes in behavior.
My thoughts and ideas about change were majorly challenged in May of 2005 when I read an article in Fast Company magazine called Change or Die. This was a study of heart-bypass patients. Even at the risk of dying, 90% of these patients couldn't change their behavior.
Some of the new people at the gym might have been given that kind of news. Change your health or you will die. That won't be enough.
So what will work?
Find that deep in your gut emotional tie to wanting to be healthier. What kind of joy will being healthier bring? A joyful outcome is more powerful than fear of dying. This framing in your brain has to fit with your paradigms and perspectives.
Go crazy all in. Big sweeping changes inspire you to keep going. That dramatic cleanse might be a better catalyst for change than easing into it. Get inspired by feeling better quickly.
Find a tribe and love them hard. You've likely seen this meme somewhere in your Facebook feed. You might need a radical shift in your gym partner too. Your friend that is half committed to this change but reluctantly agreed to a membership with you might not be your most reliable source. You might want to courageously friend that person you see at your new gym that seems really committed and also approachable. Changes that stick are supported.
Whatever you're trying to accomplish this year, I wish you the kind of sweeping change that motivates you to keep going and the tribe that will love you hard back. There's a lot more joy to be had out there, sometimes we have to be the change we seek.
I'm launching into 2018 with my eye on epic opportunities and experiences.
Would love to have you follow along here: www.fleetwoodhession.com
