The other day I was giving a presentation and I started to cry. That wasn’t in the script. It just happened. I was talking about my brother Dr. Matthew McAlees and the difference he made in my life when I was diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma ten years ago. His guidance set me on a path to where I am today… working to empower others to making healthy, healing changes in their lives. All these years later, that diagnosis is still the ‘why that makes me cry.’ I talk about the ‘why’ a lot when I speak to groups. I think it is critical to being able to make the changes in your life you really want but also to maintain them. We all have a ‘why’ that goes deeper than we sometimes want to look. Let me explain what I mean. If you want to eat better so that you can fit in a dress for your school reunion, chances are you will eventually gain that weight back. If you are dreading buying a swimsuit so you think now is a good time to act, chances are you will go back to your old habits summer is over. Dig a little deeper. The ‘why that makes you cry’ is what will sustain you when things get hard. It will keep you going, making an old boyfriend jealous won’t. And trust me, changing old habits is hard.
Reading labels, buying different things, learning what is toxic to your body… it’s a lot to take in. If you don’t know your ‘why’, stop for a minute and think about it. Really think about it. Beyond the dress size, what do you want from this life? Why do you want to make healthier changes? Here is what I know for sure. We all have a purpose. We are all capable of making an impact in this life. Sometimes our purpose screams out to us in a moment of darkness, amidst turmoil or chaos.. like it did for me. Other times it sits quietly waiting for you to be ready to hear it in the silence of your heart. But it is always there. You just have to be open to following it. When you are living your life with a purpose, it is much easier to shut out the negative noise that can cause you to stop making an impact that you were potentially created for. If you can step out of your comfort zone, face your fears and allow your purpose to become your guide, you can stand boldly and confidentially in all your decisions. Imagine how much less stress you would have if you filtered every decision through the lens of your purpose!
