By Guest Blogger
Gru
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The reality is, you aren’t really over it. Most of us who were on Transformation.com and left have bumps and bruises to the spirit. The bad thing is those bumps are hard for others to see. The expectation is that you walk away and that’s it. You have removed the source of the problem, things go back to normal, you eventually feel better.
But you don’t. You know deep down that something is off. That something manifests in a variety of ways. For many it’s an extra 10-15 pounds that you cannot shake. It’s a wince when people suggest you try working out. Heaven forbid they suggest you use Body for Life. You were doing so well before things imploded. You knew that Body for Life worked and now it doesn’t. Or maybe you refuse to even consider the program. You refuse to give Bill power over you in any way, shape, or form.
Right. He’s got no power over you. That’s why Body for Life, Right Light, and Transformation are all words and phrases that make you wince.
You’ve got a ding to the heart. Most of us have them in varying stages of healing. This ding happens to be making it tough for you to push yourself back to a level of fitness you consider acceptable. Let’s face it, one reason Body for Life has been so popular is because it works. You can make significant progress quickly. You can see results. Combine that with a supportive community and it feels like you are truly unstoppable. Now that’s missing. You try to find something to replace it, but other online communities have you gun shy. How do you know there’s not a threat if you engage others?
Deep in the back of your mind there’s a little voice that is nagging you. It keeps taunting you. Over and over it repeats, “without me, without my program you are nothing.” Stupid voice sounds an awful lot like Bill Phillips.
Yeah, you’re over it.
Words alone don’t move you forward. You can say it’s over and done as much as you want. Without matching actions to words, you stay right where you were. You spin your wheels and slowly dig deeper into the muck in your head.
So let’s exorcise a demon here. Bill Phillips on the cover of Body for Life isn’t your own personal boogey man. He’s a construct, a marketing gimmick, and a representation of a game changing approach to fitness and health. He’s as real as Mickey Mouse. He’s not the same guy as the man who belittles and berates. He’s not the guy who makes and breaks promises like they are going out of style. It’s not him, and he’s not it.
There is good stuff in that book, and I challenge you to start using it again to help you truly move forward. Be brave, and reclaim something you thought was lost.
Quest 1– Grab a piece of paper. Set a timer for 15 minutes. In the middle write FUTURE in big old letters. Start off the timer and dream again. Where do you want your future to go? Anything goes here. Travel. Relationships. Impossible jobs. Things you don’t dare to hope for. Write them down. Just let it all flow.
I ask one thing: Write for the full 15 minutes. Even if you are struggling. Keep going. Tap back into the hope that helped you move forward before. I don’t care how crazy it sounds. Write it down. This is for you and nobody else. Keep going.
This kind of dream mapping predates Bill by years. It’s a technique that has widely used by millions of people to help plan out the next step. He did not invent it. He just introduced you to the idea. It’s a great tool to help you unblock and see what you may have been ignoring in your life.
All done? Awesome. Now fold it up and go put it somewhere safe. Just for now. Let those dreams roll around your head for a bit. The bit is going to vary from person to person. Enjoy the positive vibes, that little thrill at the thought of reaching for something, that little tickle of fear as you wonder if you can. Enjoy those feelings.
It’s kind of fun, isn’t it?
I tell you what GRU, you write some wise words. You are right, a lot of what Bill wrote or taught on his site wasn’t his stuff or even new to many of us. He just simply re presented it a different way that we could relate to healthwise.
I guess any quote can be taken and used for a different purpose but have the same meaning, the meaning to motivate, inspire and get one thinking.
I have moved on, but like you mentioned, I offer support on the forums I’m on, but I really don’t share much about myself or my own journey on them. I do on Facebook, but not on the other places I visit. I feel cautious and just feel like someone’s is waiting to nip me in the butt for wrong advice or why I’m not putting myself out there more.
I’m still gun shy I suppose.
Hopefully that too shall pass.
What goes on behind the scenes is the product of what a mental health practioner would term as a classic narcissus. A grown man obsessed with his vanity to the point of delusion. When one attempts to control everything it is evidence of being out of control internally. This is not the trait of someone being sincerely committed to helping others. It is simply an individual screaming for continuous attention in order to bury a deep fear and insecurity. Pills, injections and more do not equate to a healthy lifestyle nor do they speak of honesty. Anyone can give a farm animal chemical supplements to enhance their appearance. An individual who is truly happy and secure does not behave in this manner. Having the courage to question as well as walk away from an illusion is the mark real strength and inner well being. Embracing your own honesty is beauty in its purest form. Each and every physical form eventually succumbs to old age. Loving yourself as your body naturally transforms is genuine acceptance of your true self. You are not defined by six pack abs but by your smile and warmth of your heart. Your body will tell you where you are in life. Our society is prone to look to the outward as a mark of accomplishment or acceptance. Your body is to be forever 18 years of age which is purely ridiculous and immaturity incarnate. This is the thinking of a child. Vanity and its temporary soothing of the ego replaces wisdom, caring and depth of character. Do you think the great spiritual teachers who have walked this planet took their shirt off to impress others? When your smile and heart lead the way who cares what the body looks like. Walk your own path and let go of the past. The fact that you have awakened to the illusion is a beautiful gift in and of itself. Let it go and love. Be thankful your eyes and heart have been opened. The only teacher you will ever need is within your heart. Never allow someone else to tell you what is or what is not beautiful. Never allow someone else to make you doubt yourself and question what your heart tells you. The transformation you have been sold is only a short sided, linear progression which replaces one ego centered fear with another. After you have lost the weight now you are a slave to keeping this new physical form forever. This is an impossible task and is not based in reality. Observe body builders and beauty queens as they age. They have defined their existance on their outward appearance and physical form. As they age they create a living hell for themselves as what they projected to others is no longer viable nor sustainable. Their physical form no longer provides the social acceptance it once did. It is a false sense of security and evidence of someone who lives in fear and doubt. As they were once judged as being physically superior and accepted they are now judged as a diminishing physical form which cannot avoid its own demise. Imagine what they would now have if they just decided to be happy within and treat others with caring and respect. They would be cared for as a treasure and welcomed by all. Metamorphosis emerges from the heart and allows for growth, acceptance and inner beauty to flourish. When you have acknowledged the illusion you have broken its hold on your heart. Freedom and happiness walk hand in hand. Thank you for having the courage to create this site.