Has your Experience of what Motivates you Shifted Over Time?

When I first started my fitness journey I remember only really following people who looked how I wanted to look or had features like crazy abs or poppin shoulders or an insane glute to waist ratio or were crazy strong & athletic.

I thought that would “motivate” me.

I think bodybuilding has desensitized me from fixating on following people for their physique.

Honestly, lots of people look amazing & inspire me.

But what I’ve come to realize in my own battle through mental struggles with food & body image and through helping so many athletes (female & male) after committing myself to studying & educating myself to support this community…

Is that no matter what people look like, it doesn’t mean they have a method that when emulated would bring peace inside,

& the best thing to do is what’s best for you.

I now follow & engage with people for their stories, journey, experiences through this life-in & out of bodybuilding, & to see how they present themselves & their lifestyle among other reasons.

I think this is where psych & mental health counseling education has skewed how I see what people share.

I notice many things like their word choice, cadence, tone, eye movements, body language, things they’ve shared in the past that I can see informing their present.

This is not to say I’m a mind reader or know everything about everyone (that’d suck!)

Everything you or I share is guided by some sort of lens of experience, education, relationships, circumstance, etc and the same goes for the people you follow, they’re guided by a lens of their own.

So when you follow someone consider where they’re coming from with what they promote or share or say they’re doing.

There was a time when I didn’t know better and promoted behaviors I realize now are unhealthy because at the time that’s what I thought was best.

I know I’m rambling in this post, I guess my sentiment here has multiple parts; are you desensitized from things due to exposure too?, do you take everything with a grain of salt?, has your experience of what motivates you shifted over time?, what lens are we all looking through?, do you notice this too?

I’m curious to hear your thoughts as always! #BUILDMORETHANJUSTABODY