Don't Be Afraid to Make Big Changes

​DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE BIG CHANGES!!!!! -- Josh LaJaunie

• Josh LaJaunie/Rich Roll Podcast
• Josh LaJaunie/Forks Over Knives

Today I woke up feeling gross. I had gone to bed at 3am after a rousing debate discussion with a friend. This week has been a sort of timelessness. Days of feeling peaceful and relaxed with a few pockets of excursions, adventures, lots of naps, contemplation, and yes, a little bit of stress too.

Mostly, this time is an opportunity to reflect and make a decision. I say "decision" instead of plan today because that's what it is. I was talking to a family member this morning who is overweight, depressed, and stuck in a routine of ignoring self+love. Recently she bought a skin care regimen advertised on television, and for three days, morning and night, she's been using this skin care regiment and taking daily pictures. On this third day she'd taken her glasses off and was smiling in the picture, and I thought, not A LOT has changed in three days but she FEELS better about herself. 

This reminded me that routines for self+care can have such a strong and amazing impact on us. My own self+care routines have been pretty non-existent the last year or so. With work, getting a senior ready for high school graduation and entering college (oh the college applications!) I have been putting my self last on the list. And waking up without a solid self+care routine is waking up without a foundation. 

Today, Josh LaJaunie posted a little video showing his pre-weight-loss jersey when he was at 400 pounds, on his svelte, muscular, athlete's body today and he said "Don't be afraid to Make Big Changes."  A lot of this has to do with being VULNERABLE. 

It's a tough thing to do.

Josh says, "vulnerability is really a very strong thing to sign up for, to volunteer for."

Yeah. And being positive all the time can be really tough and really hard too. 

This cat is so inspiring! I have been following his journey a few years now and have been up and down and off and on my own health journey and I find his words so inspiring. FEAR is the #1 killer -- it's not heart disease, it's not cancer, it's not diabetes, it's not smoking, it's FEAR. What would happen if you CHANGED EVERYTHING? It's like jumping out of an airplane with a parachute for the first time. IT IS SCARY! It's scary to make big changes and be public about these changes. And it's so so so so hard to keep focused on yourself in a world that pulls at every limb of you and wants nothing more than for you to take care of everyone else and everything else but you.

I'm talking about me. LOL.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE BIG CHANGES!!!!!!!!
Or, if you ARE afraid, BE AFRAID AND DO IT ANYWAY!!!!!!!