Motivation

All my life I have been on the heavier side, so I always felt aware of people's judgment of me when I participated in different sports like I wasn't supposed to do these things well not unless I went to weight watchers first!!

Now, that's the thing society's ideas of what an athlete should look like! The truth is we come in all sizes. So what if I'm 15kg overweight I'm still fitter than a lot of people who are half my size! Would I like to be thinner, of course, but after countless years of diets and yoyoing weight, I have decided that I am what I am and I'm not going to change and if I change doing what I love then great!

I understand that not everyone is as comfortable in their own skin and taking those first steps can seem impossible, trust me some days I just want to bury my head in my pillows and not try but then I remember that feeling the one you get when you complete something epic!!

Now for me, I have gone from feeling amazing walking 1km to now hiking 50 + km and scaling mountains! for you it may be completing that walk around the park or up into the hills that you thought was impossible because you hear those words of doubt, you know the ones the well-meaning 'really!' or 'Oh that would be amazing are you sure you can do it I don't want to see you get hurt'

These words cut like knives and most of the time the people dishing them out are well-meaning but what we really need is 'I'll come with you' or 'how can I support you to do that'.

Even now I still get the same from people the last time was when I was hiking up Snowdon In North Wales I was 3/4 the way to the top and was taking a breather after all I'd be superwoman if I hadn't taken a breath!! It was then a guy came overseeing my beetroot face and said 'you're doing amazing you can make it you should be so proud!' now one has to ask would he of said that to a person half my size? now I wasn't the only one sat taking a break so why single me out?

It was that miss guided thing he thought he was being encouraging, helping the overweight woman make it to the top.

Now the look on my daughter's face was priceless as I sat there looking at the guy with my mouth gaping open!

I thanked him of course and sent him on his way, the old me would have been embarrassed and would have turned back thinking people think I'm making a fool of myself but the new me the one I am today used what he had said as motivation.

You see negativeness can be used in a positive way I used his words to push me to the top even when I was breathing out of my ears I'd grab that feeling and push on in fact I pushed on so hard that I overtook him!!

So what am I saying well this will work for you too! take that negative and turn it around use though's words and looks as motivation, lift your chin, and fuel up power through the self-hate anyone can do it I did and I was my biggest hater!

So, climb though stairs, walk that park, climb that hill. Small steps is all it takes and remember you are made the way life intended yes we can all be a bit thinner and it will come, all you have to do is stop stressing about it and start living your best adventure life.

To help you find the positive give Ant Middleton's book a read I took the message from this and ran with it check it out