One size DOES NOT fit all
This week I read about the importance of not thinking that 'one size fits all' as we try to accomplish our goals. It resonated with me because it took me years to understand that principle! The article said, "Just because an approach or method worked for someone else does not mean that it will work for you. If you don't feel motivated to pursue your goals, look for other things that will work better for you" (VeryWellMind, 2025).
It's so easy to see others achieve their goals and then think that if what they did worked for them, it will also work for us!
I remember thinking I needed to study my scriptures in the morning because someone had told me that it was the best way to start a day. I struggled for a while because I am not an early bird! When I understood that the goal was to study the word of God, not to study at dawn, I rarely missed a day! My favorite time of study is in the evening.
I sticked to the pattern of thinking that 'one size fits all' for years; between my 4 first pregnancies, I tried dozen of diets to lose weight because friends had lost so much weight doing them. No need to say that they didn't work that well for me! One day, I realized my metabolism was different. All I needed was to walk before breakfast for 20 min, add 8 min of yoga, and eat healthy. I went from 180 lbs. to 140 lbs in a year.
Life happened. I got pregnant again at age 43 and was, at that same time, diagnosed with a cancer. My baby passed away 2 days after his birth, I received a total of 16 rounds of chemo and a month of radiation. A torture! Physical and emotional pain, and grief shake my world. Within a year, I was back to my big self.
Again, I fell in the trap! My body (so messed up with the chemo and in panic mode for years) just wanted to hold on to the pounds I had gained! The stricter the diet, the less I lost. And if I'd lost 2 lbs. I'd immediately put 4 back on...
Recently, I remembered I needed to do something different.
I was reminded that "one size DOES NOT fit all"! After careful introspection (self-awareness), I set the goal to try something that would work for me. I was born in Corsica, the French island in the Mediterranean sea. Seafood, olive oil, good bread, pasta, goat cheese, veggies, and fruits are what we eat there. And so a new journey started! So far, I have lost 8 lbs. in 2 months and I know it's just the beginning.
My advice as a life coach, when it comes to your personal goals, don't hesitate to think out of the box to accomplish them. You are unique, your situation is unique, and to achieve your goal, your path will probably be unique as well.
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