We are all tempted by the easy win, the instant gratification, the low lying fruit. Techonology has made our lives easier, but an absence of discomforts hurts our self-evolution.

The best fruit is on the limbs. Reach for it, and it's yours!

Our culture sells us on the idea that taking a pill or buying a product or pressing a button will fix all our problems.

But obesity and depression are on the rise.

You Gotta Reach to Grow!

Sorry, There Are No Quick Fixes

Applying a band-aid to a deep cut doesn't prevent it from becoming a festering wound. It only causes pain and stalls the solving of the problem. Sometimes we recognize a problem, but we don't want to put the time in to solve it, or we don't want to cause a fuss, make a mess, or upset the cart. But avoidance doesn't stop the cart from inevitably tipping over in the end.

There are no quick fixes. To make lasting change, (the only kind that's worth it) you need to put in dedicated effort.

That is what "investing in yourself" means. Showing up for you. To do what you need to do to make your life happy.

To make your joy a priority. Whether that means walking away from an unhealthy relationship, or losing the fifty pounds.
Having a goal is great, but it is only a dream that doesn't change anything unless you DO something.

You Have to Do

You have to sing this song: Do do do da da da da.

Make yourself a priority and invest with time and commitment. You will have to take the time away from another activity that you currently do that isn’t supporting your growth. You may have to cut back on watching tv or on shopping or sleeping. or going to the bar.

It may be uncomfortable, unpleasant or even ugly to do it. You will hurt people’s feelings, make people angry with you, and be judged.

Do It Anyways! Here's How:

The first thing to do is change your thoughts.

Believe that you can be what you want to be, and be around people who will love support and inspire you. Believe that you can exercise and eat healthy food and lose the weight. Believe that you can build the business of your dreams or whatever it is that you want to do!

Changing Your Thoughts Changes Your Actions

Thinking long term. If you are honest, you don’t only want to get fit for the summer, you want to be fit for your life. For all the summers to come. You want the long fix, so you have it under control and you have a plan to make it happen. You want to find a lasting solution and master the area that you are currently facing challenges in. That is growth.

We become what we repeatedly do. Da do do do da da da!

You must make a change to change yourself. It can be done in a moment once you decide and commit and do! You can learn all you want about how to change something, but if you don’t do something to change it the knowledge will be useless.

Then you grow. When you change your daily habits to solve your challenges and your actions line up with your goals.

We all get stuck even when we do take action, so expect delays, and be super kind to yourself and compassionate to yourself when you slip up. Beating yourself up is what got you into the problem in the first place, so now you must have ultimate faith in yourself that you can overcome any obstacle.

You don't have to push a boulder up a hill to make a change, but simply carry a small pebble up the hill each day and you will build a solid rock pile at the top to build your foundation on over time.

You may not be exactly where you want to be, but you will be a tiny bit farther ahead than your current situation. Be patient with yourself and loving. Commit to however much time it takes, because you are worth all the time in the world.

This is not the end, but only the beginning.

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photos from Giphy and Pixabay