Welcome To The Sidelines - It Sucks Here

I think I'm writing this for the people who are always behind the camera - those who always want to take the picture because they don't want to be IN the picture. You may think you look "terrible in every picture," but that doesn't mean other people won't want to have you in them to remember you by.

Back when I was in school, I skipped on the chance to study abroad for a semester. You know: being young and silly in another country, "attending" classes and trying not to get pulled into the allure of young and curious men in historically charmed European cities. It's not that I missed out on the chance, I skipped it. Back then I thought it would be too much to keep up with my diet and exercise routine while I was in a different country.

I didn't want to travel abroad as a 20-something because I was afraid I would get fat. There are exes in my past who ended things because I couldn't give attention to anything beyond what I needed for myself. Friday night date? Plus-one to your party? Sorry, I can't. I have to get to the gym early. I would, but I have calories to consider. 

I still need to apologize to some of my friends because of the stress I put on our relationship. I equated our friendship with how I could control myself around food, which is not a great way to be friends with someone. I can’t tell you how many happy hours and networking events I’ve passed on, and the career opportunities that might have grown from them, all because I had to hit the gym that night and get up early and workout in the mornings, too.

The weird thing about life? You’re supposed to live it. Right now, as it is happening.

Today, I am still far from whatever idea of “perfect” is currently floating around out there. I know I have work to do, I’m still working on my priorities. But it pains me to see other people making excuses not to do something because they are afraid of what might happen - like the mom who insists on taking the picture because she’s afraid of how she’ll look in it. Trust me; you’ll want that photo to hang on the refrigerator, regardless of how you think you look. Or those who worry about how they’ll look in a swimsuit rather than what they might do in the swimsuit. Enjoy that beach! 

When you obsess over one thing, there is almost always something else you lose focus on. Like the workaholic who gives 60 hours a week to their job, only to realize they have no energy to do anything with their family when they get home at the end of the day.

The calories you count or the workouts you obsess over don’t mean a damn thing if you aren’t living an examined life. The things you do to stay healthy should work better to connect you with the best things in life, not keep you from them.

If you’re hiding behind the camera, fearing how you think you look, this is for you. 

If you’re worried more about how you look than how you feel, this is for you. If you think life is about extremes or obsessions or the numbers on the board, this is for you.

Elemental Coaching is about priorities. What good is your “diet” if it means you have to turn down a celebratory dinner with your best friends? 

Elemental Coaching shows you how your body works. What’s the point of exercising if you’re too sore all the time to do something you enjoy?

Elemental Coaching guides you on a path that says: I think you’re fantastic, now let’s build on that foundation. It shows you that you’re here to, above all, LIVE your life.