Now that we’ve talked about the value of failure and how it is an important building block of success, let’s talk about something a little simpler. As easy as it is to complicate your fitness lifestyle, there is one step you can take that will always pay off. You can show up. It sounds like an 
oversimplification, but only because it is a basic principle. Sometimes, the execution of this principle will take some discipline and determination, but the core value is as straightforward as it gets.
When I talk about showing up, most people assume that I’m referring to a gym or a fitness facility. Taking the time to work-out is an important aspect of showing up, but it’s far from the most important element. Showing up means bringing the correct presence of mind to every decision. Those decisions will, in turn, promote your ability to continue showing up at the gym and anywhere else that promotes healthy choices for you.
You’d be amazed at how much time I spend hearing confessions from my clients. As a coach and a trainer, the people I work with are often compelled to mention their shortcomings to me. Ironically, my goal is to find ways to celebrate the Power of my clients. Something that I try to convey to them from the start is that showing up isn’t an “all or nothing” endeavor. How many times have you cheated on your meal plan in the morning, only to decide that you’ve blown the whole day? The message behind showing up is that you’re given the opportunity to have the right mindset minute to minute or week by week. Does having a donut for breakfast mean that your whole day is blown off course? No! Show up for lunch and show up for dinner. Go home and plan for tomorrow. Show up for a walk around the block after work.
Showing up for the small moments will allow you to be present for the bigger moments in your life. Once you’ve embraced the principles of Heart, Focus, & Power, as we’ve discussed, you’ll see that showing up allows you to celebrate every good step you take toward a healthier life. When you show up at the gym or the track, when you show up to prep your meals and track your eating habits, you are giving yourself the best possible chance to show up at the weddings and summer events, and any other moments, that you don’t want to miss.
A common reason people have a hard time getting started – or showing up for the first time – is that they’re afraid of making the commitment and falling short. They tell me that they’re afraid that the less-supportive people in their lives will be critical of their failures. I tell them that by showing up, they don’t have to say a thing about their decision, their commitment, or their goals to anyone. Incidentally, I find that the people who show up for their own well-being every day are the ones who say the least about it. They don’t engage in discussions about highly-publicized new diets and fad fitness programs. They simply put in the time and the results follow. I understand the challenges with showing up for the first time. That’s why it’s so important that we take time to show up in the smallest ways as well as the grander ones. You may remember in my article about Power that I encouraged you to get that extra glass of water and make a point of celebrating it. That is what showing up means.
I encourage you to take a minute to examine what prevents you from showing up. Is it time-management? Fear of failure? Toxic people? Do you feel stressed about having to keep doing something you’ve started? There are so many factors that keep us from showing up the first time, the next time, and the one-hundredth time. It’s why we have to shift our focus from the big, mountain top experiences, and celebrate the Power of showing up for every good decision.
I want to conclude with a story. I have a client that wasn’t buying into tracking her eating habits. Like so many of us, she believed she had all the right answers stored away in her head. Eventually, she conceded, downloaded an app, and began tracking her food intake. She was dedicated to the process, but there was an extra payoff that she didn’t see coming. She received a text from her daughter, who wanted to share her own positive results. My client was able to celebrate her Power by showing up for own health and her daughter began following her example. That’s what showing up is all about.
Let us know how you’ve shown up and what you’ve discovered. How did you celebrate? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@ptfitness), and Instagram (@ptfitnessdfw). Share #showup so we can encourage and celebrate with you. See you soon!
