Imagine this: After many months of consistency on an exercise program accompanied by faithful adherence to a healthy eating plan; you've lost 100 pounds! (You've weighed 225 lbs.
for the past 10 years) You look fit, healthy, and full of life.
Wow! What an accomplishment! You hardly recognize the person reflected back in the mirror-and neither can anyone else.
Friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances react with jaw-dropping amazement to "the new you.
" And when you receive compliments such as "You look fantastic!" or "I can't believe it, you look amazing!" Your response is "..
...
I know!" spoken with such total sincerity, enthusiasm, and a genuine smile that others immediately share in your joy.
Does that sound strange to you? I had that experience recently.
Or rather, I saw that experience-on film.
A friend of mine recently recommended a film to me and despite being known for having a great memory for otherwise useless information, the film's title sounded only vaguely familiar to me.
I decided that it had to one of those movies that had gone "straight to video.
" And I was right.
But, I was so intrigued by what my friend had told me about the scene I described above, I had to rent it and see for myself.
I had been forewarned, and the movie was exactly what I'd expected; except for what I didn't expect-that I would be really moved by it.
My Mother's New Boyfriend starred Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas, Selma Blair, and Colin Hanks (yes, his son).
I won't bore you with a detailed plot description but I will tell you that the Meg Ryan character begins the movie in a fat suit.
One would assume she weighs somewhere between 250-300 pounds.
She smokes, eats Twinkies and other junk, and seems to be very lethargic.
Her son is sent out of the country on a work assignment for what seems like a year or two.
He returns to town to find his mother to be the svelte Meg Ryan we are all familiar with.
Throughout the movie, those around her comment on her physical transformation which in terms of its significance, appears to pale in comparison to her emotional transformation.
She further drives the point home in one scene, by sharing a photo album (with a new boyfriend no less), narrating..
"this was me at 170 lbs..
and this was me at 140 lbs..
" It would require a gun to the head of most of the women I know to share those pictures with a new guy.
But it got me thinking..
in my line of work, I have witnessed more than one woman go through the type of physical transformation that inspires a complete life "renovation.
" There is nothing more motivating and inspiring than witnessing another human taking control of their life and turning it inside-out in such a profound way.
It reminds us of our own potential.
Yet, for those I have known who have achieved something that significant, I've yet to hear more than a polite "thank you" in response to another's heartfelt congratulations.
Why don't we feel it's appropriate to be excited, enthusiastic, and proud of our biggest accomplishments? Ryan's character in the film responds in such a sincere and exuberant way, we readily believe her response to be the most natural thing in the world, devoid of any conceit.
Yet it struck me that I've never known anyone to react this way.
What a shame! Even in a society plagued by pathological narcissism, have you ever known anyone (over the age of 20) who lost even ten pounds and said "aw, that was easy!" I hope to one day be present when a client of mine is complimented on such an accomplishment and she'll respond by saying "..
I know! Isn't it wonderful?!"
for the past 10 years) You look fit, healthy, and full of life.
Wow! What an accomplishment! You hardly recognize the person reflected back in the mirror-and neither can anyone else.
Friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances react with jaw-dropping amazement to "the new you.
" And when you receive compliments such as "You look fantastic!" or "I can't believe it, you look amazing!" Your response is "..
...
I know!" spoken with such total sincerity, enthusiasm, and a genuine smile that others immediately share in your joy.
Does that sound strange to you? I had that experience recently.
Or rather, I saw that experience-on film.
A friend of mine recently recommended a film to me and despite being known for having a great memory for otherwise useless information, the film's title sounded only vaguely familiar to me.
I decided that it had to one of those movies that had gone "straight to video.
" And I was right.
But, I was so intrigued by what my friend had told me about the scene I described above, I had to rent it and see for myself.
I had been forewarned, and the movie was exactly what I'd expected; except for what I didn't expect-that I would be really moved by it.
My Mother's New Boyfriend starred Meg Ryan, Antonio Banderas, Selma Blair, and Colin Hanks (yes, his son).
I won't bore you with a detailed plot description but I will tell you that the Meg Ryan character begins the movie in a fat suit.
One would assume she weighs somewhere between 250-300 pounds.
She smokes, eats Twinkies and other junk, and seems to be very lethargic.
Her son is sent out of the country on a work assignment for what seems like a year or two.
He returns to town to find his mother to be the svelte Meg Ryan we are all familiar with.
Throughout the movie, those around her comment on her physical transformation which in terms of its significance, appears to pale in comparison to her emotional transformation.
She further drives the point home in one scene, by sharing a photo album (with a new boyfriend no less), narrating..
"this was me at 170 lbs..
and this was me at 140 lbs..
" It would require a gun to the head of most of the women I know to share those pictures with a new guy.
But it got me thinking..
in my line of work, I have witnessed more than one woman go through the type of physical transformation that inspires a complete life "renovation.
" There is nothing more motivating and inspiring than witnessing another human taking control of their life and turning it inside-out in such a profound way.
It reminds us of our own potential.
Yet, for those I have known who have achieved something that significant, I've yet to hear more than a polite "thank you" in response to another's heartfelt congratulations.
Why don't we feel it's appropriate to be excited, enthusiastic, and proud of our biggest accomplishments? Ryan's character in the film responds in such a sincere and exuberant way, we readily believe her response to be the most natural thing in the world, devoid of any conceit.
Yet it struck me that I've never known anyone to react this way.
What a shame! Even in a society plagued by pathological narcissism, have you ever known anyone (over the age of 20) who lost even ten pounds and said "aw, that was easy!" I hope to one day be present when a client of mine is complimented on such an accomplishment and she'll respond by saying "..
I know! Isn't it wonderful?!"
SHARE
