Give Your Future Self a Chance - Today!

Fully Raw Day 10/ Fitness Challenge Day 14
What I know to be true:
1. Fully raw is easier than I thought; therefore, there is no further need to count down my days as I will be fully raw for several months and keep you posted on the results.
2. I will do some form of exercise every day for the rest of my life - as long as health permits - so when I reach 21 days this Sunday, I will simply keep going. Every day. Take a break? for what? I may have lighter days than others, but I have committed to a life of fitness. Period.

These breakthroughs occur the further into a challenge we allow ourselves to go. Last year this time, I had no clue I would walk away from meat. I simply took one day at a time of living a nutritarian lifestyle. I continued my research, and June 25th 2013 was the last day I ate meat. And I never looked back - now the smell of meat is off-putting. . . who knew! This woman surely didn't.

I say this to encourage you where you are right now. Maybe you're considering vegan; maybe you're considering raw; maybe you're considering quitting smoking; maybe you want to save your liver and drink less alcohol; maybe you really do want to exercise. . . just maybe.

How does one evolve?

This is going to sound weird, but for me, I always speak of myself in "selves." I remember commenting March 2013: "I can't ever see myself walking away from meat, but I will not make that decision. If I keep going, and my future self decides she doesn't want to eat meat, I will respect that." Lo and behold a few months after that statement, I was vegan.

The Future Self.

As a high-raw vegan, I've been hooked on my one cooked plant-based evening meal. Going fully raw has been too overwhelming for me. Nevertheless, ten days ago, as scared as I was, I opened myself up to the possibility that my "future" self might decide to live fully raw. (the Me talking to you right now. . . you see, my June 1st Self had no clue that fully raw would be easy - she was scared of failure - because she's "failed" before)

Well, thankfully, my past Selves did not make the decisions for my future Self; therefore, a new me emerged. *Yay!*

What do I mean by this? Well, let's say Lisa of March 2013 would have said: "I ain't gon' EVER give up meat! No way!"

What if she said that? The Me who was then, weakened, unlearned, unresearched, walking in darkness - would have taken full control of my future by slamming the door on what could have been and the me who speaks with you today would have never been born. Ever. I would still be a meat-eater.

Let's say the Lisa of June 1st 2014 would have said: "I've failed before, I can't ever be fully raw. No way - it ain't gonna happen." What if she said that? Then the Lisa of this morning who speaks with certainty and clarity that she will live fully raw longer than the 30-60 days initially planned would not be here.

Give yourself - your *FUTURE* Self a chance. Never believe anything I say. . . if I've piqued your curiosity, try it for yourself - your Future Self.

So, when you start a challenge - any kind of self-enhancing challenge or attempt to replace a self-destructive habit like smoking, just give 100% of your effort today and wake up and repeat. Visualize success for what could be. Open your heart and your mind to the possibility that you don't have to accept poor health; you don't have to accept a fat body; you don't have to accept a low-libido; you don't have to accept shortness of breath. There is a You out there, cheering for you and praying to come to your rescue. However, if you make all the decisions - in this weakened Self - of what you "ain't" going to do, it's just not fair to the You who could become.

A woman told me a several years ago that she had been married for 30 years. Ha! In amazement, I asked: "How did you last 30 years?" Her reply: "I love him today." That was her answer to a happy, long-lasting marriage.

{aside: If you are struggling in your marriage, just let go of past hurts (all pain lives in the past anyway) and love your partner/spouse today. Nothing more - nothing less. Forgive and go over and beyond loving him/her in their love language today. Try that and see your relationship breathe again.}

The Power of Today.

If you want to be fully raw, eat raw. . . today - right now!
If you want to go on a juice fast, just juice . . . today - now.
If you want to be vegan, eat all plants. . . today - now.
If you want to quit smoking, no cigarettes. . . right now - replace with munching on celery (for example).
If you want to tone your body, work out . . . today.
If you want to go back to school, register. . . today.
If you are in school and you want to finish your degree, do your assignments. . . today.

Your future self will arrive - stronger than the you today - ONLY if you give her a chance to manifest. Do NOT make decisions for future yourself from a vantage point of fear. Open your heart. . . Today awaits you.

Love y'all. . . today.
Lisa