The first presentation I heard at BlogFest was Petra Kolber‘s “The Perfection Detox: Tame Your Inner Critic, Live Bravely, and Unleash Your Joy”. Holy heck–whatta way to start this amazing adventure! As a self-confessed recovering perfectionist, I opened my notebook to a crisp, white sheet and armed myself with a pen, ready to soak up her wisdom. And wisdom she bestowed.
What the heck does perfectionism have to do with fitness? Ummmmm? Have you looked around the industry lately? Perfect abs. Perfect booty. The perfect workout. The perfect diet…enough already! FUCK PERFECT! Who do you know in real life that is actually perfect? No flaws, no issues, nothing…that’s right! NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON! It’s high time for ALL of us to cleanse our lives of this notion of perfection and get real.
Petra spoke on the importance of being authentic and real and to not be afraid to show our flaws. That’s right: show ’em, not hide ’em. So I’m going to ask you what Petra asked a ballroom full of bloggers: What’s your “er”?
- Fitter?
- Younger?
- Stronger?
- Prettier?
- Thinner?
We all have an -er (maybe more than one, amiright?) Wanna know my ERs?
I wish I was faster. I wish my stomach was flatter. I wish my boobs were smaller.
Figure out yours and own it! Your strength lies in your authenticity. Your ability to be real in front of others is what connects you to your clients! I’m so tired of gym selfies and magazine covers that perpetuate these unrealistic ideals. I don’t want to be part of that! I want people to know I’m real. So let me get real for a minute…
- I need coffee to feel human
- I have stretch marks on my hips and my belly and probably my ass (but I can’t easily twist around to check it out)
- my hair is crazy curly and I single-handedly keep the anti-frizz industry in business
- my kids act up and drive me nuts sometimes
- my complexion tends to be reddish and people think I’m always sunburnt
- I’m a people pleaser
- I cannot workout wearing a thong. There-I said it! Love me, love my visible panty lines, cuz I just can’t do it.
- Whenever I walk into a room of fitness professionals I feel a moment of panic—like, “Holy shit! They’re gonna be able to tell I’m not really one of them! Look at my mom-bod and unclean-snack food and I don’t do CrossFit!”
I don’t expect perfection of anyone else so why should you expect it of me?I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: BE WHO YOU POST TO BE! If you’re a real human being with flaws, let us see the real you!
Mindset Events 