You’re doing the best you can!

Hi!

I overheard this statement at the gym the other day and it really struck me as something important to address. However, it did not come out of an adult’s mouth, but rather a teenager.  It is peculiar to me that as adults, we become more and more judgmental of ourselves, beating ourselves up time and time again over trivial things (i.e. that last pound or two, eating too many bites of cake, not running your last 5K fast enough, etc. etc. etc).

Do you constantly beat yourself up if you do not reach a certain goal within an allotted time period?  Are you constantly judging yourself?  Despite your hard work and effort, do you feel unhappy with what you’ve been given or what you’ve achieved? Do you set your personal bar too high?

Stop these negative behaviors right now and realize that you’re doing the best you can!

If you feel that you are eating well, working out on a consistent basis, and doing all the right things, but are still not happy with the progress you are making, take a moment to think of all that you have accomplished,where you are currently at, and why you should be proud of those things.

Are you able to go for a 3 mile run every day?  That’s something to be grateful for.  Have you run a marathon recently?  Congratulations–you’ve done something that the majority of the world’s population won’t ever do.  Are you able to do 20 push-ups in a row?  Many people can’t even do one!  Have you lost a considerable amount of weight and have kept it off?  Wonderful!  That’s an amazing accomplishment you should be proud of.

I am not telling you to abandon your goals and to settle for anything less than what you ultimately desire and want from your body.  But while you are getting there, just take a moment to step back and think about what you are able to do and what you have achieved.  You will ultimately achieve your goal if you want it badly enough, but the majority of changes don’t take place over night.

Remember, it is truly a gift to use your body the way that you want on a daily basis.

You are doing the best you can.

Cheers!

Jeannette