My husband, Jeffrey, has now dropped a total of 65 lbs. since August 2023. And, every time he walks through the door from a long day teaching middle schoolers how to tune a ukelele and sing on pitch, my heart leaps at the sight of him. He looks like he's thirty-five again. 

I realize now that I had become resigned to the fact that my once marathon running husband was a thing of the past. And, I also realize how much I was worried about his health during the years where he was gaining weight and being put on medications to keep his body working it's best. And, now all of that's changed.

Two mornings ago, as he was getting ready for school and I was moving through my self myofascial release routine, he stepped into the yoga room and said, "You know how you can't believe I did it? That I am healthy again? I kind of can't believe it, too. When I was running this morning, it was easy. I never thought it would feel easy again and that I would feel this good." 

And, I started to get teary. I am so, so proud of him. 

But, as he's dropped the weight I have had the most interesting comment thrown my way on more than one occasion. 

It's something along the lines of, "Don't you just hate that?" Referring to the fact that men's metabolism is somehow greater than a woman's and they can drop weight quickly if they commit to it. 

But, I don't hate a bit of it. I love that he's making healthier choices. I love that he's breaking through the preconceived ideas he has of himself and his middle age years. 

Because to lose a great deal weight, or take on a yoga practice that might be more advanced than what you've taken on before, or do anything way out of your comfort zone, is huge mental work, more than it is physical. 

No matter what you would love to change in your life, it's all possible. 

But, the beginnings are tough. You have to have staying power beyond a couple of weeks. 

Because you are changing who you are. And, that is heavy lifting whether you are male or female.

Here are the steps my husband had to take to make the change and the steps all of us must take if we want to go after our wellness and/or life goals:

1. Make a clear decision. 

It's not just, "I'd like to lose weight," or "I'd like to learn to Headstand." It's more like, "Today I am going to be the person that is losing weight," or "I am going to be the person learning the Headstand." 

2. Take action. 

Go be that person. If you're losing weight, you'll move more than you did the day before and eat a little less. Maybe cut out alcohol and sweets. If you're learning to Headstand, you seek out a teacher that can help you, or watch a few tutorials on how to begin, or sign up for an online course and maybe even see if you can Headstand against the wall. 

3. Make your willpower to keep going after your clear decision to make the change, greater than your excuses. 

This is the real deal right here. You are going to come up against the temptation to take a day off, or to slack off a bit. But, your 'why' for why you'd like to make a change has to be so big that you won't waver. 

An example of this is why I practice yoga every day. I do it for my husband, because I am easier to live with if I've meditated and moved through my practice. And, I do it for my students because they deserve the best yoga teacher they can get. 

Believe me, there are days I would like to slack off a bit. But, I know the day will be better and the next class I teach will be it's best because I insisted on getting my practice done. 

So, whatever it is, you CAN do this. 

But, get really clear on what you'd like to create for your life. Sit down and journal through these three steps. What's your clear decision, what action can you take today, as well as, through the week ahead, and what is your 'why.' (Make your why so solid you won't back down when the going gets tough.) 

Making big changes can be difficult, but it is not impossible. And, if you make them now, you'll be walking into 2025 as the best version of you - the you that went after your big dreams and didn't look back. 

I hope this serves you well today! 

Big Hugs, 

Tori ♡