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For a lot of years I was disappointed to be a water sign. You know, the star signs all have their element and as a Scorpio my element is water. Well ever since I nearly drowned in a crowded lake I’ve very much not been a water baby. I thought fire was a much better element.
And then I heard Bruce Lee’s quote which I’ll share in full at the end of todays show however the short of it is:
“Be water, my friend.”
And I started to reflect on everything amazing about water.
In todays show I’m sharing 3 ways to: Be Like Water specifically in relation to achieving your body gain goal.
Let’s get straight to it.
One: Nothing stops water. Not long term. It’ll flow over, around or find a crack and push on through.
Something I regularly see holding people back from achieving their body gain goal is the mistaken belief – or perhaps delusional hope that there is ever a right or good time.
The time when everything is aligned for your exercise and your eating to be the number one priority.
That time of smooth sailing and fast results.
When in fact the attitude to cultivate is in contrast, that no matter what, for as long as it’s important to you you’ll find a way. That it’s a given there will be obstacles carelessly thrown, strategically built, or perhaps randomly drifting right in front of you.
Those obstacles are a given.
Rather than wait for an obstacle free run – decide that you’ll Be Like Water and persist over, through or around your obstacles.
Two: Water always comes back. You can freeze, melt, evaporate it. However it’s never gone for good. Water always gets another chance… and so do you.
Often the thing that you think is the very worst case scenario – game over – actually becomes not just a new beginning… more than that, an even better opportunity.
Whether it’s the relationship that ended so that you could meet the More Right Mr or Mrs or as I’ve shared the business that failed. If I think of my original best case scenario with my first business – if everything had gone super-smooth-sailing-right?
Wow, now I hate the sound of that life I would have been leading.
It wouldn’t have let me live aligned with my values at all. Regardless of any limited financial freedom it may have provided I would have felt trapped in every other way.
Of course finding the positive or at least the learning in some situations will be tougher than in others however the main point here is that water always comes back – it always gets another chance, and so do you.
Three: Water is malleable. This is the one that comes least easily to me! I’m getting better though because I now see the value in being flexible.
I used to be proud of my Scorpio-style-stubbornness. It can have value. However it really can be decidedly debilitating too.
As well as your perfectly prepared meals may work for you when you have the time and access to make them happen. Or as much as you rock that full body dumbbell and barbell weights routine. There will be a time when you have to order a meal out… or you’re faced with time in a gym-free environment or with an injury or perhaps even worse for those super-stubborn-inflexible of usmaybe even a time where you have an injury, while staying in a gym-free environment while eating ALL your meals out!
Stranger things have happened.
In all seriousness, the more committed you are to both the goal you want to achieve and also the actions that will get you there the more flexible you will need to be with both the specifics of those actions and how you make them happen.
There are limitless ways get a great result.
As focused as you are on your end result the lesson to learn – yes, for me to learn too – is thatwe’re going to need to get good at being flexible and malleable because that is the only way you handle change.
To get actionable today lets go with the #3 way to: Be Like Water. That’s the value in being flexible.
Is there an aspect of your approach to achieving your body gain goal in which you’re currently a little – or a lot – rigid?
=> Perhaps it’s time to try a previously Un-Favourite food your haven’t gone near in years that your know is great for your body… and perhaps it’s not quite so repulsive as you remembered it being as a kid?
=> Or maybe the next time you’re about to skip a work-out because of rubbish weather you grab a raincoat and push through it instead – or get yourself to the gym – or do a short at home equipment free exercise routine instead?
=> Maybe you like to do your own food shopping (to see what looks best) but often end up running low on fresh ingredients and turning to processed or take-out or just skipping the green love (!)… and it’s time to trial a home delivery service at least for those fresh staples like eggs and fibrous veg.
Let’s finish todays show with that full quote from Bruce Lee, “Be like water making its way through cracks… …adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
That brings us to the end of todays show. I’ll be back tomorrow with the Tuesday Tucker show and: Empowerment v. Deprivation.
If you liked this you’ll also like: 3 UNsexy Yet Impactful Components To Getting In Great Shape.
If you’re yet to share the Healthification love – just click here to zip over to iTunes and leave an honest rating and review. It’d help me out big time. With gratitude, Kate.