The Most Important 30 Words In Weight
Loss & Fitness History:
"30 Words That Will
Change Your
Weight -- And Your Life!"
2003 by Dr. Frank B. Smoot, MA, DD
www.CoachFrankSmoot.com
Would you like to make some changes in your life? Well, you're not
alone. But how will you do it? How can you actually make the kinds
of deep and meaningful changes that transform lives?
In earlier times, therapists often spent years (and gobs of your
money) trying to uncover all kinds of buried stuff from your past so
you could re-experience the associated trauma, release the "psychic
charge" from it, and move forward with your life. This approach grew
out of 19th century thinking, primarily, as a result of Sigmund
Freud's theories.
Now, however, we know much of that wasn't necessary, or even
helpful. Instead, a much more streamlined and efficient approach to
mental / psychological health has evolved. And it came from the
culture itself! (Which is just as well, because today's HMO's won't
pay for all those years of treatment).
This new and efficient philosophy of mental health is neatly
summarized in the 30 words we'll be looking at. Actually, these 30
words comprise ten 3-word expressions -- all of which you have
already heard countless times.
What makes these commonplace expressions so useful and so valuable?
Two things: First, they possess the beauty of simplicity. In a world
up to its eyeballs in complexity and awash in information,
simplicity has become a virtue as never before.
The second thing that makes these expressions so valuable is that
they really "cut to the chase." Why is that so important? Because
our world and our lives are moving at the speed of light. We simply
don't have the time anymore to indulge in endless self-analysis.
Besides, we now know that where you've been isn't really the issue.
It's where are and (more importantly) where you're going that really
matters. And all of these terse expressions reflect that awareness
very clearly. So, with this firmly in mind, let's look at these
compact expressions and see how they can enhance our lives out of
all proportion to their bite-sized appearance.
One: "Let It Be"
It's fitting that the oldest of these expressions belongs at the
head of the list. The Beatles brought us this valuable notion at a
time when our culture was in great upheaval. But a culture, of
course, is nothing more than the sum of its members. And now, that's
us.
So how do we "let it be"? First, we need to grasp and to accept that
the past is the past. Whatever has happened, has happened. Nothing
that has happened can change, or needs to change. And it wouldn't
make any difference if it did, because whatever happens to you is
not nearly so important as how you respond to it.
We also need to understand that the past does not determine the
future. Nothing from your past can extend its tentacles into your
future...unless you help it to do so. Your past dies with you every
night when you go to sleep. And it will stay dead unless you
personally revive it. Without you, not a single one of your beliefs,
attitudes, experiences, or opinions has any life whatsoever. Only
you have the power to keep them alive or to let them die a natural
death.
So if your problem began in the past, let it stay there. Just let it
be.
Two: "Let It Go"
Make up your mind that, as of today, you will release anything and
everything (and everyone) that you ever thought might have been
holding you back in any way. Never forget that it is only your own
attachment to the events of the past that gives them life.
Whether it's a health issue, a love issue, a time that somebody did
you wrong, or a mistake you can't forgive yourself for, dragging it
into the present day every day only serves to rob you of the peace
and happiness that you could otherwise be enjoying in this
moment...today...right now.
So let it go. All of it. And step courageously into the eternal
"now."
Three: "Get Over It"
You must not only release the issues, people, places, and events of
the past, but you must also release any and all emotion you have
attached to these issues, people, places, or events. Resolve now
once and for all to put your past behind you, and resolve in doing
so to release any and all negativity that these issues, people,
places, and events now evoke, or have ever evoked.
Your past is gone, and your life of the past is gone with it. You
can be totally free of it simply by choosing to be. The past is but
an anchor that -- if you let it -- will keep you mired in what was.
Focus all of your attention on what is and what can be...on what you
want it to be.
Now you have only the present to experience and the future to
create. Vow never again to contaminate your present with toxins from
your past. Whatever it is that was holding you back, get over it.
Four: "Get A Clue"
I say this not to offend you in any way, but to call your attention
to a tragic fact of life that we humans are all too often unaware
of. And that tragic fact is this: If you have been living on this
planet for more than seven years, it's an absolutely safe bet that
your brain has been crammed full of information by "outsiders."
From your very first breath, and probably before that, your
wonderfully-complex and superbly-designed human brain has been
soaking up information from every conceivable source. As such, your
brain is doing its job -- and that's a good thing.
Unfortunately, much of that information may have been of
questionable usefulness or accuracy. Instead of making you more
adaptable and better prepared to deal with the myriad challenges of
life on earth, it has had just the opposite effect. Consequently,
instead of enhancing your experience of life, this mis-information
you absorbed has actually diminished it.
And that's definitely not a good thing.
You see, virtually none of what you now believe and hold true has
ever been proven to actually be true. Instead, it was simply
"adopted" by you (however unconsciously) from the brain of someone
else who first considered it to be true -- or wanted you to do so.
The simple truth is that, from day one, your brain has been crammed
with both information and misinformation -- a reality that can have
serious, even deadly, consequences. Misinformation that's
erroneously held as truth can not only undermine your health and
cause your weight to increase, but it can compromise your life and
your happiness across the board.
So "get a clue" about the truth. And the truth is that you are much
more powerful, more capable, and more deserving than anyone has ever
told you.
Five: "Get A Grip"
Yes, it's a sad reality of human existence that lots of what we've
learned "ain't necessarily so." But, you see, this is actually good
news! Imagine if you had never discovered or understood that the
real source of your problems was your own illusions about life. Then
you'd forever be looking for solutions where they don't exist:
outside yourself.
But proceed with caution. When you finally grasp what has happened
to you -- what has been done to you -- it can be a real shock. In
fact, once you fully appreciate the negative impact of other
people's actions, beliefs, and influences on your life, you may feel
hurt, angry, or both. You may be tempted to be spiteful and even
confrontational with them.
Don't. Be proactive, not reactive. The smartest, most powerful, most
productive thing you can do is...
Six: "Don't Go There"
Become highly educated about what is a good use of your time and
energy, and what's just a dead-horse-beating waste.
As long as you're on the planet, you may at any time be tempted to
slip into negativity about the past, present, or future. Don't do
it. It is not only unproductive, but immediately diminishes your
present-moment experience of life.
Avoid any thought, word, or action that will diminish the quality of
your "now." Understand that now is all there is, and all there ever
will be. The past is a cancelled check. The future is promissory
note. Only today -- now -- is cash in hand. Can you really afford to
squander it trying to "fix" whatever it was that happened "way back
then"? No, you can't. And all you can accomplish by trying is to
trade in your potential happiness for definite unhappiness.
Don't waste your time and energy on dealing with events that are
already in the past. Let them lie in the past. Your attention
belongs on the present and the future. No matter how tempted to try
to "reconcile" issues from the past...just don't go there. Instead,
do something much smarter:
Seven: "Get A Life"
Don't you deserve a real life, rather than just an existence? If you
agree that you do, now is the time to say so and to act accordingly.
Now is the time for a new beginning. Now is the time to pick up a
brand new slate -- the one upon which you get to write the story of
your own future. This brand new slate has a name. Its name is Today.
Every day truly is a new day, and carries with it the potential for
a brand new start. But that potential can only become real with your
active participation. Will you come out and play?
Once you have released the past, along with all its pain, regrets,
and other debilitating emotions, there is no more energy-sapping
blame, and no more life-draining guilt. The past and all its
negativity is behind you. Now it's all about the present and the
future. Specifically, it's about how you can use the present to
create for yourself -- to guarantee yourself -- the glittering
future you dream of and deserve.
Of course, a better alternative to "getting a life" is to simply
live the one you already have. In trying to "be somebody," so many
of us have lost touch with who we already are and were born to be.
Imagine what you'd think if you found a pear tree that was full of
self-condemnation because it couldn't produce apples. You'd
immediately see the folly -- and the high cost of such an absurd
notion. But can you see such folly as clearly in your own life?
What might you be trying to be or do that simply "isn't you?" If
this sounds at all familiar, then maybe it's time to get a life --
or to start living the one you already have!
Eight: "Just Do It"
This small
phrase can be a huge antidote to America's single most crippling
success disease: procrastination. If we wait until "the time is
perfect," or until "I feel like it," or until "very soon," we can be
sure of one thing: We're not accomplishing whatever we say we want
to be accomplishing.
Left to our own devices, most of us can come up with an endless
string of excuses that will effectively keep us from doing what we
claim we want to do. This may be a very "human" thing to do, but
it's also an incredibly debilitating way to go through life.
Remember, if a task seems too big or too daunting, do it a little
bit at a time. A small step toward your goal is infinitely better
than no step at all. And a series of small steps is really all it
takes to reach any goal. Like eating the proverbial elephant,
anybody can accomplish it one bite at a time.
Nine: "Do It Now!"
Not only do
we need to "just do it," but we need to do it now. How much longer
can any of us let our life's blood be drained away by
procrastination? As another well-known expression tells us, this is
not a dress rehearsal.
This is your life! If you are ever going to actually live the life
you want, you must take active charge of it. How much longer are you
willing to hide out in "wish it" instead of going into "do it?" What
has your inaction already cost you in life? What is it costing you
right now? And what will it cost you in the future?
Just imagine if you had actually done some of those things you dream
about...instead of just dreaming about them. How would your life be
different if you actually did what you know you should be doing?
What if you just decided to start today. No more putting it off
until tomorrow.
You know what needs to be done. All you need to do is just do it,
and do it now.
Ten: "It's Your Life"
The other day I was watching an interview with the wildly successful
Country-crossover music group, The Dixie Chicks, whose three amazing
vocalists are all female. One of them was telling the interview what
motivated her success. Back in high school, she had wanted to try
out to be a cheerleader. But her father strongly opposed her plans,
saying (more or less) "Why settle for being on the sidelines? Why
not get in the game!"
That's a powerful question, isn't it? Why not get in the game? Every
one of us has potential we haven't even discovered, let alone tapped
into. It's not our fault. That's just what happens here on the
"earth plane." It's what we're programmed to do -- often by the same
well-intentioned but sadly misinformed people who love us the most.
As I'm so fond of saying, we humans are born to win but taught to
lose. Until we realize that our misfortune is entirely the work of
outside influences that were at one time beyond our control, we are
like ostriches with our heads in the sand. We can't even see what
appears to threaten us -- let alone, determine if the threat is
real.
In the end, it's all up to you. Whether you get in the game or hang
out on the sidelines is entirely up to you. Whether you wake up to
your own glorious potential, or live your life in the cramped little
box others have built for you, is up to you, and you alone.
Others can try to wake you up and stand you up. Or they can try to
hold you back and keep you down. You know what? It doesn't matter.
It's only what you do that makes the difference.
Right now, you have a powerful opportunity before you. It's a safe
bet that you're going to keep hearing all ten of these 3-word
expressions for many years to come. So how about doing this: Every
time you hear one of them, instead of writing it off as some tired
cliché, try hearing it instead in terms of the great power and
timeless wisdom that gave it life in the first place.
This approach has several powerful, benefits:
1. You're going to hear these expressions anyway, so why not benefit
from it?
2. You don't have to lift a finger to create these little reminders
of your own glorious potential. Unless you live in a cave, they're
going to be a part of your daily experience for the foreseeable
future.
3. They're a whole lot cheaper than a trip to the therapist and --
if heard with the right "ears," can be just as effective.
So go forth and perk up your ears. There's great wealth in these
tiny nuggets!
Yours in total health,
Dr. Frank
_______________________________________________________
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Dear Friend - If you'd like to slash months, years,
or decades off the time it takes to
reach your personal goals,
or just get the truth for a change,
please visit my success coaching
web site at
www.CoachFrankSmoot.com or send me an email at
DrFrank@CoachFrankSmoot.com or just give me a call at
540-567-2050.
And don't forget to inquire about your FREE 30-minute "sample"
coaching session. Is it your turn for
success yet? If so, I'm ready
when you are! Yours in total health,
Dr. Frank B. Smoot, MA, DD
_______________________________________________________
Dr. Frank B. Smoot, MA, DD, is a professional weight loss
success coach and the creator of the "Get
Motivated For Life! /
7 Weeks To Lifelong Weight Loss"
and "Weight Loss God's Way"
success program (www.WeightLossGodsWay.com)