All I Ever Really Wanted....

Throughout my fit journey, I have received amazing support from most of the people in my life. I’ve surprised, and even wowed people, with my goals, changes, and what I’ve accomplished so far, There are a couple of key people in my life that are failing to support me. I wanted to blog about this because it is important to understand that even if you don’t have support from the people closest to you, you can still move on and succeed. You can still reach your goals!

I have had one of the worst days getting bad news, three-fold, today. One of those bad news topics come straight from the people I have been looking so hard to please and get support from all of my life. Actually, it's happened over time. Something else happened today that brought me back and I realized they just don't support me at all. They don’t understand my goals. They think it’s ok to exercise and eat right but they don’t understand my biggest goal - to, one day, compete in a bodybuilding contest. Knowing the way they think, I’m sure they think "steroids" and other ridiculous things. That is a stereotype of most bodybuilders. These people that inspire me have dedicated their lives to natural bodybuilding. I can't say it enough. It is a lifestyle and I want that for myself. It’s a very tough goal to reach. You really have to have the discipline and desire to get there. I’m working my way there. It’s a process but slowly I will get there. One day at a time. Nothing easy lasts. And nothing that will last is easy. I want a lifetime of good health. This is not a phase. I am educating myself on everything I possibly can about eating right, proper exercise form, etc. I’m reading every personal story from bodybuilding/fitness veterans I’m inspired by. I have never been so interested in something in my entire life. To have certain people in my life not support my goals and dreams really hurts me. It’s disappointing, frustrating, and heartbreaking.

Right before Thanksgiving, I sat down at dinner talking to these individuals about what I wanted to do. They were negative and told me I shouldn’t become a competitor. I was heated. I wanted to drop my fork and walk right out the door. Who says that? Who tells me to aim lower than the goal I have set for myself? Who tells me I can’t? This was the last thing I expected from these people. That’s just more fuel to my fire! I may be one of the laziest people when it comes to being active but I’m making changes to get away from that lazy life. I am growing out of it. Health is very important to me. I have seen too many people in my life be diagnosed and pass away from horrible cancers and disease….all of which can possibly be avoided if they lived their lives differently, ate differently, and exercised. I learned of a friend I grew up with having cancer today, too. Very tough for me to process right now with the bad day I’m having.

All of my life, I was allowed to quit things when it got rough. At 3 years old, I quit ballet because I got stage fright. At 11 years old, I quit girl scouts because I didn’t think I fit in. In my 20s, I quit art school. Art school was my dream! Most things I started, I never finished. No one made me believe I could do anything I put my mind to.

By now, you’re wondering who these unsupportive people are. I will keep that information to myself. I will let you put the unsupportive figures in your own life into those spots of my story. What I want every person who reads this to know is:

1.    Don’t crush someone’s dream and tell them they can’t do something. This will only push the person away from you.

2.    You CAN reach your goals no matter how far they are out of reach! A little work each day will get you there!

With support from these people in my life, or not, I WILL reach my goals. The only person that can stop me is myself and I’m not ready to give up!

D'Anna