What is perspective?  Here’s Google’s definition:  a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view.

So, what does perspective have to do with weight loss surgery, you ask?  Everything I answer.  Your point of view, your attitude towards your abilities to set and get goals, how you view yourself in the moment, your opinion of your success so far, ALL contribute to whether or not you will reach a level of success and maintain it.

Step one is to set a goal that is realistic and achievable.  Now would you wake up one morning if you were a school teacher and say next year I want to be a world renowned neurosurgeon?  I don’t think so, so why do you say I want to be just like __________.  (You fill in the blank) Your perspective in this situation is that _________ IS who you want to be.  What if you are taller than this person, what if you have broader or narrow shoulders or hips than this person, what if you have a medical condition that prevents you from working out as long or as hard as this person.  Can you be “just like” this person?  Let’s shift this process just a little bit.  What if instead of saying, and therefore believing, that being just like this person were to change a teeny bit into - I want to be as successful as __________?  Do you see the difference?  Now you can define what successful means to YOU and be just like YOU, as you reach for those goals with your legs, your shoulders, your smile, your height, your abilities, and challenges.  THAT is possible. 

Don’t get me wrong, I am not telling you to do away with mentors and not follow successful people.  Those very folks are the ones who have learned how to love, respect and honor exactly who they are and work towards their individual definitions of success.  You can too.

Step two is to get out those rose-colored glasses and look at yourself and the world through them.  Choose happy.  Shut those negative voices up that fill your head with negative nonsense and then work on believing in the Power of YOU.  You can do it, you can get there, you can push through the hard.  You are capable, strong and intelligent and deserve to live your best life. 

If you look at anything bad or uncomfortable happening in your life right now and dig deep enough you can find a positive in it.  I got to the pool Tuesday morning and it was no warmer than 75 degrees which is wicked cold for me since I usually swim in an 82 degree pool.  I grumbled and griped and got in the water anyway to swim my laps.  I told myself (yes- I talk to myself all the time) that if I start breaking out in goosebumps I could get out of the pool at 15 minutes.  I began swimming, began breathing methodically and letting go of the grumping and griping and changed my point of view to - Wow, I am going to burn more calories in a cold pool than in a warmer one…  I found my happy place there and continued swimming for 45 minutes. 

It's all a matter of perspective.

What do you choose?