It’s a rather simple question, until you attempt to answer it.
I ignored that question countless times earlier in my adult life – because not all that long ago, I had convinced myself I was doing what I had to do.
I was working a job…supporting my family…building a life for us…setting us up for a better future…
Being an adult.
The only thing I wasn’t doing was being happy – with myself, with who I was at the time, and who I was becoming…
And with my purpose in life.
All because I didn’t answer the above question.
I had to address that question again recently, in an even more personal way than ever before. My father passed away on November 30, 2023, one week after celebrating his 80th birthday. His health had been in a steady decline over the previous several years since suffering a significant stroke.
He had opportunities to regain the quality of life he had before, but refused to do what it took to make it happen. He had so much to live for, but it simply didn’t seem important to him. That was difficult for me to witness unfold.
But it also forced me to assess my quality of life, namely just how happy I was with my life. It’s easy to fall into a pattern based on comfort and familiarity, and not even realize you’re not having happy with the state of your life.
I discovered I was a funk. I was doing what I needed to do personally and professionally, but I had lost some of the passion in life along the way.
We only get one opportunity to live the life we want, and it’s no way to live when that opportunity turns into regret for taking advantage of that opportunity. If I wanted that to change, if I wanted to get out of that funk, I needed to affect positive change in my life. I needed to remember why I’m so passionate about my place in life. I needed to remember that I love helping people.
Then I did the work to make it happen.
So I ask you to ask yourself, “What do I want?”
Be honest with yourself. If you are, you’ll be amazed at the answers that emerge.
Forget feeling selfish. Putting everyone and everything ahead of yourself is how you ended up in this position. Accept the answer you come up with in your mind, and then come to grips with it because it’s coming from a place of absolute truth.
Then take action. Because otherwise, they’re just words.
If you need help with that, or if you would like to learn more about me and Fernandes Fit, contact me at 814.504.7774, send an email to [email protected], or head to fernandesfit.com for more information.
And if you would like to learn more about my health and fitness journey, you can pick up the best-selling book I co-authored, “Real Talk With Real Fit Pros,” on Amazon.
