[Continued from Part 1]
My eldest daughter, Victoria, has returned to Toronto, after studying at McGill in Montreal the past four years. Last week we were at Ikea picking up a bookshelf. We were starving. She wanted a cinnamon roll. The smell was intoxicating if I do say so myself. I opted for the fake vanilla ice cream they offer. Anyhow, here I am walking out of Ikea with half a cinnamon roll in one hand and an ice cream in the other! She says to me, with an attitude of impending bribery in her voice, “If only your clients could see you now!” We both laughed, and she later said she wished she had taken a picture. Had she, I would have posted here for your entertainment pleasure!
My long-term clients, those who have been with me three, four, even five years, know me pretty well. They will tell you I do my best to live in integrity, but don’t take any of it too seriously. I do however make a consistent attempt to practise what I preach. Do I claim to be perfect? Nope, I am the first one to readily admit I am the last one to win that race. Life is short. I am a huge believer in living each moment to the fullest. I highly value health and feeling as well as looking what I deem to be my best within the most natural practices possible. I eat organic, and use natural products when it comes to skin care, hair care and cleaning products 95% or more of the time. Do I eat in mainstream establishments at times? Certainly. Do I care that a few others think I should be leaner, being a fitness professional? Yes, I care, just not that much.
Do I feel comfortable in my body, clothed and naked? Yep, more than most without a doubt. Do I have energy and vitality to get through each and every day to do all I wish to do? Well no. I’m always trying to squeeze more into the day but overall I tackle every moment with more energy than most others my age – if you consider age a marker, which I don’t. Age is never a factor. All that matters is how one feels each day. I know 25 year olds who have no energy and complain about being tired most of the time. It’s been many years since I’ve felt zapped of energy or had a cold or flu type illness. To be quite honest, outside of some bad potato salad I had a few months ago, I can’t remember the last time I have been sick at all!
Putting on a mask with others is pointless. The more you attempt to cover up your lies, the more likely they are to come out. And where does that leave you? From a fitness perspective, saying you live one way and living another will be evident. Your lifestyle choices will be most certainly reflected in your appearance. You will carry more body fat, you will not feel sexy naked, you will not be able to climb a set of stairs without huffing and puffing, you will find yourself sick, and you will look older than your linear years say you are.
Strive to live in authenticity every moment of each day and be gentle with yourself when you don’t. Perfection is overrated and is different for each of us. Wishing you an epic month!
Sandra O’Brien is mother to the world’s three most fabulous children. She is also a Law of Attraction Life Coach, Personal Trainer, and Reiki healer. She is creator of the Bootcamp Goddess system, a female fitness program to blowtorch body fat, sculpt sexy lean muscle and empower women everywhere to be the best version of themselves, inside and out. She enjoys the ocean, fire walking, reading, long walks, meditation, men in linen shirts and a full moon.