“There is more to you than a body and a balance sheet.” – Andy Stanley
Every year I write a Daily Sprout regarding the amazing opportunity that presents itself every New Year. I know, I know… many of you are SICK of the idea of making resolutions on New Year’s. “If it is that important, why wait til the New Year, just do it.” or “why make a decision to stop doing something for a month, if you are going to do it, do it right, why tie it to a new year”. And I fully understand this sentiment.
Waiting til the New Year might seem a bit foolish if it is truly pressing, or it might seem a bit naive… to think that just because a year has ticked by, you will actually make a lasting change. And it can most definitely seem rushed. “The New Year is here… therefore I had to think of something to change in my life”. Not very well planned.
BUT, I truly believe, that for those of us who stop long enough. Pause, long enough to put our heart to the test. Those of us who would stand in this moment and feel a burning presence in our spirit, would find that fulfilling something that just has to change. And… put this to the test please… would find RENEWAL in this time of year, that allows us to make an exaggerated step in the right direction that will alter the path of our lives.
Andy Stanley preached on it today, and it made me think “God positioned me, timed this right, so that I would write this Daily Sprout today. Not last week like I had planned, but today, after hearing this message. His quote from above… it references the potential of this moment… like saying – do you really think that this time of RENEWAL is designed to be wasted on weight loss and financial gain alone? Really? Is that all you have to offer to the world, to your family and to yourself?
Of course for me, in the health world, I think that your health is the pivotal point that allows more life change to happen. I often find people who are highly successful, highly committed people doing very well in their financial life, doing very well in their home life, but sucking horribly at health. Or, those who have the career and health rocking… just killing it… but totally absent of a home life, or relationships that mean anything. I posted this on several emails that were sent to two of my gyms –
Many of you set goals for the last 90 days of 2014. Many of you have achieved those, for many of you it is the start of a new year with the same goals. This is your time to shine. You are accomplished in life, in your career, family… so why let this slip. Be strong in all areas, allow no weakness into your character that you do not approve. Start today.
Be strong in all areas, allow no weakness into your character that you do not approve.
My commitments are greater than my feelings at this moment. I have recently told people that my Straight 60 is the best way to take control of your diet. It is NOT a short cut, which I see way too many of these days. 30 day fasts offered up by sub-par nutrition companies. Ingredients are less than fantastic, and all their claims are based on testimonials.
Have I ever told you that if you take a sick person and give them fruit juice, it will make them more well than they are? But if you take one of my healthier patients and give them fruit juice, the sugar content will make them sick. Do you see why the testimonial needs to be measured against an absolute, not just the relative. Now mind you, if that step to the juice was necessary to get commitment, by all means make the step!
Which is the point of making a commitment. When it comes to the Straight 60, it is HARD on paper. But it is easy in practice given ONE thing. Commitment. If you just haphazardly start this thing, then you will fail. Every time you will fail. This last group of 60 people that we had, we had about 40 who did not cheat ONCE. We had 45 lbs lost, 40 lbs, 35 lbs, 30 lbs, and about two dozen 20 lbs lost.
The reason why success comes, is because we make a HUGE deal over the commitment. I told one participant, “You need to light candles in a circle, now avoid the pentagram mind you… that would be weird. But light candles, read from the Bible, say prayers, then invite every single person you have ever known to witness you make the decision to be committed. To commit to being renewed in your mind, and to see this good and perfect plan for health in your life. Then… then… invest time in your mission. And be committed to the POWER that comes from killing the strongest addiction (sugar) that everyone faces, and using that power to become more than you think you are.”
Powerful RESOLUTE decisions make for powerful life change.
I have been worn out this last half of 2014. So much so that I pulled away from a lot of my normal fall activities. I slowed down many of my usual habits, and I have slept more. Good thing. I am happy for that commitment. But I found myself wasting away more time here and there. Not much at one time, but a game on the phone, more facebook perusing, random web site reading… stuff that I tend to think has very little room in life. So. Here I am, taking my own advice, and standing RESOLUTE before the world, that I will take that down time, down time that I need from the work life that surrounds me, and I will use that time for my wife and family and to write. Writing nutrition and health is work, but I will write anything, and whatever comes will come.
This is my point of contention and this point will die.
Be well and Be blessed. As you know, I stand for this – My Commitments are Greater than My Feelings in This Moment. Hold strong.
Dr. E