Now this is merely an introduction. Most of you will ‘know’ me but will be mostly unaware of my ‘journey’ so the first few articles should help catch you up. At some points you may feel like this is win, win, win. One of my favourite sayings is “you can’t win at life”… We can just try harder, be better and have fun along the way. Let’s rewind 5 years…
It’ 2014 and I’ve just completed my triple BTEC course from QMC in Basingstoke – sure lots of people these days have to go through college and end up with some qualification. Or they choose a different path. Nothing special there! I also, like many others, spent my summer working full time. I had an evening job at the local Curry’s/ PC world as a TV salesman and had picked up as many extra shifts as possible to keep busy and make some money. However this was also the year that my last relationship ended. One change that led to sinking into quite a dark place and realising I had a very negative image of myself. I was my own worst enemy and had built up the muscles required to beat myself up. Speaking of which, the key realisation of this year was my physicality. For my entire life I was very thin – Actually “unhealthily underweight” for my height. It was one of my banes. Being weak, puny, and incapable of moving mountains myself. The story I’d told myself for years was that I wasn’t ‘sporty’ or I wasn’t big enough to go to the gym. Looking back now it feels dumb that you would need to be ripped and muscular to go to a gym. How would people get to that state otherwise. Many of us set us these limitations – these walls – and let them control our lives. We put them up, and its us that must knock them down… We usually make radical changes when we hit the “NO MORE” barrier. What I mean by this is when shit gets so bad enough is enough. No more beating myself up. No more being weak and helpless. It’s time for change. I didn’t realise it at the time but the action I took set in path a journey that I am only really seeing clearly now. I broke the cycle and joined my college gym. Started small, training what I was comfortable with and slowly pushing myself further. Now I’m no Arnie but I managed to gain two and a half stone and reach a healthy weight. No it wasn’t easy… but sacrifice bears rewards. I stepped out of my comfort zone from a place of darkness and self-hatred, onto the road. Looking back this was the start of the Crusade of Confidence. I’m eternally thankful for my past self. |
AuthorLiam Sibley Archives
April 2020
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