If I've Said it Once...

In exasperation from ruminating over their own stuckness, clients often say, “I’m sorry, I know you’ve heard me say this before, but…”, or “Oh my gosh!  You must be so sick of hearing me say…”, or “Don’t you get tired of saying the same thing over and over again?!”.  The truth is, I don’t get tired of hearing or saying the same things; it’s part of the job description that I enthusiastically signed up for almost 20 years ago.  What I’ve learned is that people hear what they want to hear until they’re ready to hear what they need to hear.  Even still, sometimes I wrack my brain trying to think of the right way to say the same thing; as if someone else’s decision to create change comes down to my choice in words.  If only I were that powerful.

I resonate so much with Mel Robbin’s recent Instagram reel on this very topic.  Here’s what she said:

“You know, I was heading out the door to yoga this morning and I thought ‘okay, what inspiring message could I share with you’ and the truth is I don’t have anything new to say because living a better life, being happier, it’s the same stuff everyday.  It’s actually tedious and boring.  Drink your water, five-four-three-two-one get out the door and do the things you don’t feel like doing, reach out to friends and family, be kind to yourself, do the things that you don’t feel like doing and you’ll live a better life.  Eat good food - meaning clean food - exercise when you don’t feel like it.  All that stuff that you don’t feel like doing, when you make yourself do it over and over and over again that’s the secret to living a better life, so stop waiting to feel like and stop looking for fancy solutions. So, five-four-three-two-one move your body, get some sleep, reach out to people, eat whole foods, and be kind to yourself and stop putting off all those things that you’ve been dying to do.”

Riding on Mel’s coattails, I also don’t have anything new to say.  But, I will reiterate that wishing for change won’t create change and beating yourself up because you haven’t “fixed” what’s wrong won’t help you either.  Shame lurks around every corner, excited for the opportunity to reinforce your deepest insecurities and, especially, the belief that a better life is meant for everyone except you. The opposite is true. Start there, and everything you never thought you could be all of a sudden becomes possible.