After completing Bill’s Assignment 1A and 1B and having some time to marinade in what I wrote, I have become very aware that the outcome I am after is not to “look” better but to “feel” better. By doing this challenge, I am in pursuit of a “feel good state”.

So…what I “think” I want is to be fit, toned, healthy, lean, strong, young, pretty and athletic. But, these things aren’t what I really want instead they are a means to an end. What I am really after when I yearn for the above results is a feeling state. What I really want is to be happy, peaceful, content, motivated, and successful, focused, fulfilled, excited about life and satisfied.

I have finally come to realize that my external circumstances don’t create the way I feel, but the way I feel creates my external circumstances. I realize this when I revisit my assignment 1A. When I look at the picture and read the words surrounding it…..sad, ugly, undesirable, reclusive, jealous, irritable, inferior, mad and desperate, I start to feel an overwhelming sense of inadequacy wash over me. I feel desperate to find the answer to all of my issues. I feel helpless….like I just want to give up. When I feel this way…..even if I don’t communicate it verbally, I sense that people don’t enjoy my company. I am not fun to be around and I a real downer.

On the other hand….when I envision myself at the end of my challenge and I am fit, toned, healthy, lean, strong, young, pretty and athletic…..I start to feel…happy, peaceful, content, motivated, fun, successful, fulfilled, purposeful, loving, authentic and focused. People gravitate toward me and they desire my company hoping to learn from me and achieve the feeling state that I have been blessed with. By imagining that I have reached the end of my challenge successfully….I am giving myself exactly what I long for. I have quit imaging that my life is worthless and I should just give up. Instead, I have created the illusion that life is good and my dreams will come true.

It is awesome to know that to feel good now while I am transforming…all I have to do is open the door in my mind that holds the picture of the end of my 18 week challenge and take a peek. This door is always open and I can enter as often as I want to. Visiting the end result of my challenge is so much better than wandering around aimlessly at the beginning. Doing this makes me feel like I have already arrived and that I am just continuing to take the steps necessary to live a healthy and fit life both mentally and physically.

So….I have decided that from here on out to the end of my 18 week challenge, I am going to live my life backwards. Would you like to join me? I would love to have the company of some mentally and physically fit friends who have also completed their 18 week challenge in their mindsJ

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilly After completing Bill’s Assignment 1A and 1B and having some time to marinade in what I wrote, I have become very aware that the outcome I am after is not to “look” better but to “feel” better.

Thanks for sharing! You've made some great points!

I always see the vision first and then I burst my but to become what I see. Good luck on this transformation.

Thanks, Buffedstuff...I think that is so cool...I have a good friend who thinks like that naturally...that is truly a gift from God:-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilly I have finally come to realize that my external circumstances don’t create the way I feel, but the way I feel creates my external circumstances. I realize this when I revisit my assignment 1A. It is awesome to know that to feel good now while I am transforming…all I have to do is open the door in my mind that holds the picture of the end of my 18 week challenge and take a peek. This door is always open and I can enter as often as I want to.

This is a beautiful read Jilly!!! =)

Thanks, Clarissa. I really appreciate you reading and commenting. You are so sweet:-)

Jilly, that is a huge realization for the 1st assignment. I can't even imagine what the rest of your transformation is going to be like.

I think you absolutely have the right Idea Jilly!
J

Thank you for this post. It inspired me to finish the 1B part of assignment one. I have a hard time with visualizing as well but I think I've found an image to hold on to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilly So….I have decided that from here on out to the end of my 18 week challenge, I am going to live my life backwards. Would you like to join me? I would love to have the company of some mentally and physically fit friends who have also completed their 18 week challenge in their mindsJ

Jilly, I'd like to join you on your "living backwards" journey.

I'm currently thinking through the first assignment and appreciate your insight. I'm learning that I have a lot of "knowledge" (ie I know what I should be doing) but the task for now is transforming that knowledge into action......transfroming my mind....working from the inside first and let the outside follow.

Hoping to get to know you along the way...

~Shelly

By imagining that I have reached the end of my challenge successfully….I am giving myself exactly what I long for. I have quit imaging that my life is worthless and I should just give up. Instead, I have created the illusion that life is good and my dreams will come true.

WOW.....I loved every word you said, Jilly! I have done this same thing to make myself focus on the positive! I'm pretending that I'm already who I want to be - which makes those around me take notice and also keeps me motivated during my workouts!
I'd love to join you on this "backwards" journey too!

GREAT JOB!
Mel

I am so excited to have all of my backwards journey buddies....By seeing ourselves at the end...we are alread there....we are loving ourselves right now...just as we are and as we become healthly and fit....

Jilly, that is truly when I made my biggest Transformation progress. When I looked to the inside and what needed work in there! The outside, followed right along!

Way to go!
Carolynn

Thanks, Carolynn, I am really looking witin myself so that I can change from the inside out:-)

That's beautiful, Jilly. Seems like you have a great mindset to start off. From what I know, once you think clearly about where you want to go, and what it will feel like, and you KNOW that you will work at it step by step for the right amount of time, you ARE already well on your way. Getting that clarity is an essential start of the 18 weeks. Some people don't have it, and don't make the change they would like. With it, amazing things will happen. Hold on to those feelings and enjoy them and get excited about them. We are with you all the way ok!! Phil

Amen, sister! You've managed to capture in words, perfectly I might add, what I have felt so many times too ~ that feeling of overwhelming despair that makes you want to give up when you focus on the things that are wrong instead of right. I'm with you, I want to live backwards too! Thanks for that wonderful insight! ~ Jen

Hi Phil,
Thank you so much for posting such kind words of encouragement. It means so much to me. Jill

Hey There Jen, I am so glad you want to join us on the backward journey. Thanks for posting. Let's keep in touch. Jill

This is how and why you will do so well in your transformation. Visualization had never been one of my strong suits. I am putting it into play this time around. I believe that it works. I too am choosing to live my life in rewind!!!

Thanks for commenting, Lesley....it really does help me to see myself already where I want to be.