I’m too busy.
I can never do that.
It just won’t work out for me.
These are all examples of stopping before starting. It’s easy to come up with many different reasons not to take a risk and try something new. In fact, it takes absolutely no effort at all to think up a bunch of excuses.
Taking a risk and getting out of ourselves is entirely different. This involves courage, curiosity, and a certain amount of trust that no matter what happens we will be okay. Though this isn’t always easy, taking risks and trying new things can enhance our lives in ways that we couldn’t have even imagined.
When I weighed over 300 pounds and I couldn’t stop eating, I wasn’t able to imagine the gifts I have in my life today. Then, I was trapped in an obese body I could barely move around. It didn’t seem possible that I would ever be able to ride a bike or even walk comfortably again.
I was out of hope but couldn’t quite give in totally to living the rest of my life so miserably. I decided to try one last thing – an Acorn Intensive Program – and that turned out to be what I now know would change my life forever.
That one risk to attend the Acorn Intensive has brought things into my life that I no longer believed possible – a life of serene and sane eating, the loss of over half my body size, the ability to ride my bicycle, kayak, and hike, and an end to obsessive food thoughts to name just a few.
Since then, I have taken many other risks in my life that have all turned out okay. Even though some didn’t go exactly as I wanted, whatever happened, worked out for the best.
The important thing about all of the risks I have taken is that I gave myself a chance to try something new which had the potential to improve my life. I didn’t stop before I started and I hope you don’t either!