You've got to jump off cliffs, and build your wings on the way down. -Ray Bradbury
You may never have rushed into a burning building to save a child, or sidled out onto a frozen river to drag an elderly woman from icy waters.You probably never had your picture taken with the President of the United States or been awarded any sort of medal of valor.
But you have what it takes to be a hero.
A hero is someone who shows courage. The word courage comes from the same root as the word heart. Heroes are people with heart, people who possess the mental or moral strength to persevere, to face difficulty or fear.
You must be a hero to transform your body, to take control of your habits, cravings, and self-awareness. Most people (myself included) spend years reacting to life, being caught in negative patterns, and feeling frustrated for not accomplishing the things they say they want.
Getting up earlier than usual. Fixing a few tossed salads at a time and storing them in the fridge at home or at work, talking to your spouse when you're angry instead of taking it out on Ben & Jerry... these are all acts of heroism because they require heart.
It takes courage to stay true to a commitment. You have to risk pissing people off and you'll probably have to give up most of your favorite excuses. Be honest with yourself about what you really want, and then have faith in your ability to keep your self-promises. Heck, it takes courage to even make a commitment. You can't navigate your challenges until you recognize that you do have the courage to begin.
Start now.
In strength,
Julie
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Julie Scipioni McKown is a physique transformation champion, certified personal trainer, and award-winning author of the personal growth book, Taking the Stairs: My Journal of Healing and Self-Discovery.
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This is exactly what I needed to read today, and I will probably read it again and again... I loved that being a hero means acting with your heart, and that can mean taking care of yourself, planning ahead, talking with your hubby about a fight (ugh! do I really have to?!!), and not using your usual excuses. Powerful advice that I needed today. THANK YOU! Now, if I can just summon the hero in myself and DO THIS STUFF!
June 1, 2008 - 6:54pmThis Comment
Alison:
"...talking with your hubby about a fight (ugh! do I really have to?!!)"
Thanks for the laugh!
Resistance is not a directive to turn away; it is a golden opportunity to gain strength.
People think that bravery is required in order to do something scary, but the truth is that bravery is the RESULT of doing something scary. Bravery is being scared and doing it anyway. You get brave by doing things that scare you; you get strong by facing and overcoming difficulty.
It's easy to make an analogy to fitness. Just imagine if people said, "When I get stronger, then I'll be able to lift weights." Crazy, right? Same thing with being a hero.You become a hero by listening to and acting upon your heart. Every time you notice resistance to something and you know in your heart you should do it, that's your hero moment. Don't let it slip away.
In strength,
Julie
http://www.BodyWizards.com
June 2, 2008 - 3:57pmThe Power to Build your Ideal Body
This Comment
I really enjoyed the quote and your thoughts as well. How did you go from spending years reacting to life and being caught in negative patterns, and feeling frustrated to someone who is more proactive? What was the impetus for your change?
June 1, 2008 - 3:41pmThis Comment
Hi, Tina!
That's a great question. I was in an abusive marriage for about 15 years. Participating in that kind of relationship is the perfect example of frustration from being caught in negative patterns. (And I use the word "participate" because it takes two people to create an abusive relationship.)
It takes some people a long time, and others not so long. It takes as long as it takes, but over time it began to dawn on me: When you do nothing to act on your own behalf, someone else will ALWAYS get to choose your circumstances for you. And human nature being what it is, chances are you can find someone who is more than willing to choose for you.
I realized that by doing nothing except hoping and praying - and then not backing that up with courageous action - all I would ever get was more and more frustrated. I was participating in my own victimization by not taking action on my own behalf.
That's an extreme example, but I have seen less extreme events produce the same result. One instance involves a former job I had. Shortly after 9/11, my company started laying people off. Everyone was watching their backs, terrified they were next to get a pink slip. The people who did well were the ones who started looking for ways to increase their value to the company, and who began looking at other options. The ones who suffered most were those who hid in their cubes shaking.
Essentially, everyone was in the same situation, but the people who took responsibility for their circumstances and acted on their own behalf had a different perspective, and weren't as scared. Because they weren't scared, they didn't panic, and were able to made good choices and enabled themselves to act with integrity when faced with the kinds of decisions that come with that situation.
What these experiences have helped to teach me is that people are both afraid of and surprised by change. But in reality everything is constantly changing. Change is the nature of the Universe. If we try to stay still and deny growth and movement we will always end up getting the rug pulled out from under us. If we accept change and choose to participate in the process by advocating for ourselves, we are in a most powerful position.
In strength,
June 2, 2008 - 3:42pmJulie
http://www.BodyWizards.com
The Power to Build your Ideal Body
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Julie, thanks for sharing your thoughts -- very inspiring. I also love the Ray Bradbury quote. He's one of my favorite writers of all time and I hadn't read this particular quote before. I think I'll post it above my desk at home.... some days I feel like all I'm doing is jumping off cliffs....
Kristin Davis
June 1, 2008 - 3:13pmhttp://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
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Hi, Kristin!
I had always loved that quote, but I never knew who actually said it; a little research on the Internet brought me to Mr. Bradbury.
I think if you feel like all you're doing is jumping off cliffs, then you are probably really living!
In strength,
June 2, 2008 - 5:03amJulie
http://www.BodyWizards.com
The Power to Build your Ideal Body
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