How to Handle a Loved One Not Supporting Your Journey
by Anna Victoria in Fitness
Starting out on a new fitness journey can be both scary and exciting. You’re exploring a whole new world that will inevitably lead to learning new things about yourself! It is a very personal journey and one that is a result of an internal decision that you made by yourself and FOR yourself. In a perfect world, those around us would be our biggest cheerleaders. However, that’s not always the case.
It’s not uncommon to have someone close to you who doesn’t understand why you want to make this lifestyle change. They may even question you, which can unintentionally cause you to veer off track.
If you find yourself in this position, reflect on why you started this journey. Be confident in your reasons and don’t be afraid to share them with anyone who asks! Approach the conversation in a way that focuses on YOUR decision to make a lifestyle change, not their decision not to. You might even find that they are open to making similar changes in their life! Don’t be shy about sharing all of the benefits you’ve experienced as a result of your journey.
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There have also been many times when the same people who have criticized my journey eventually ask for advice, and that’s okay! I’ve been in their shoes and I know what it’s like to not understand or care about anything fitness related, only to have my curiosity piqued even if I still felt scared or overwhelmed. I’m sure you remember too 🙂
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My number one priority is to never make someone else feel bad for their choices. I believe this does nothing to help them ultimately make a positive change in their life. It’s much more emotionally sustainable to set out on a journey because of a personal decision and desire to make an improvement in your life rather than a result of negative pressure from others. Positive change stems from your own desire, not someone else’s.
At the end of the day, if you’ve followed all of these tips and your loved ones still aren’t showing any signs of understanding why you’re on this journey, turn to the FBG community and the other FBG girls. That’s what we’re here for! We don’t all have the ideal support system and, even if you do, it never hurts to talk about your day or your journey with someone else who is on the same path. Some days you’ll be successful, other days you won’t, and that’s okay! No matter how many downs you’ve had, you can always share them with us because we ALL know what it’s like. Ultimately we all want to provide encouragement just as much as we want encouragement ourselves.
Not feeling supported by friends and family can be extremely difficult. But I can’t stress enough how important it is to remember that this is YOUR life and you should never let someone else make you feel bad for wanting to make a positive change and live it to the fullest.
